A lost daughter

by ephona

Saetan had another daughter. He thought that she was dead. But she is back and she is turning the whole Keep upside down. New and improved.

4. Chapter 4

hello to all this is the rest of the story, i hope you like it. disclaimer: i don't own the dark jewel triology.

Chapter 3

Hell Cat

Hell Cat woke up to the sound of purring as usual, but the warm bodies that surrounded her were not. She let one eye slowly open, what she saw was not usual. With a shriek that would have done any banshee proud she was off the bed filled with the massive tigers and searching for a weapon. As she was running around, she felt a breeze brush past her, looking down she went into shock; she was in some flimsy little sleeping thing. She almost let out another shriek. She was in a dress. A dress. She never wore dresses she didn't even own one or a skirt or anything feminine for that matter. She must be dreaming. She looked back toward the bed just to make sure. Yep there were large tigers on the bed that she was in. She slowly looked around the room, there were more of them, and they were all staring at her. She swore she saw laughter in some of there eyes. Her head was beginning to feel a little fuzzy. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and staring at her though her huge window was a unicorn. A blood red unicorn. The world started tipping a bit.

She heard pounding foot steps coming toward her room and lots of them. She picked up the closet thing to her, a small vanity chair. Lifting it above her head she was ready to attack the first thing that came through that door. Unfortunately that was Lucivar. He went down hard the chair hitting him right in the face. He lay there on the floor with a stunned expression on his face as he looked up at the faces of his father, Jaenelle, brother, son, nephew and the rest of the first circle and their kids. Daemonar was the first to smile, than to crack. He doubled over laughing so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes. Once he started the inter coven lost it. Lucivar didn't think it was that funny, he was so going to get this sister of his on his training field with his sticks. That thought made him smile as he sat up.

"Your all mad." This coming form his so called sister. He wasn't convinced yet. She didn't look like any of them, with the red hair and green eyes. Though he could have sworn that she had darkish hair before in the hallway. He couldn't even smell jewels on her. She smelled like she wasn't even there, and that was strange. The laughter died and every one turned toward her and stared. Her hair had been let down and it fell around her like a red blanket, her body was small and very curved. As they watched her hair began to change and went to black, and her eyes went form glowing green to a bright gold. Her eyes are what really called attention though. They were gold, not the deep gold of his and his father and brother, but gold with light sparkles around the pupils, that shown like fire. A few of the younger males behind him whistled under there breath. She heard, as he watched she took a deep breath and gathered her energy and wits. Than she went into a fighting stance and held up her hands they all watched in awe as claws came out of her small hands. Her eyes flashed, drawing the attention of her audience. Her eyes had changed form gold to pale green again and her pupils had elongated to look like a cats her hair had also changed back to a deep blood red. She completed the cat image when she hissed at them. The other cats in the room had come to attention when she changed and now were inching forward slowly to smell her and to give her comfort. For some reason they were all drawn to her.

Jaenelle looked at Kaelas, "What are you doing." She asked her voice sharp.

" You will not touch them." Hell Cat snarled, to the blond lady that had spoken so harshly, as she took a few steps to be between Jaenelle and the cat.

" Why wouldn't I?" Jaenelle asked. A questioning manner about her. As everyone stayed silent as the two women faced off.

" Because I said so." Hell Cat said her voice growing cold as she let the physic shield down and let her power sweep the room. The males noses flaring as they took in the scent, the younger ones almost growling with anticipation as they scented and unattached black jeweled queen, who had yet to choose a court.

Saetan decided that it was time he stepped in and stopped the would be fight.

"Children" He said, " Now is not the time for this."

He turned to his adopted daughter and touched her shoulder, "Please, witch child."

"Yes papa." Jaenelle said.

"Now child," he said once again, turning toward Hell Cat and reaching into his pocket, and pulling out the locket that had confirmed that she was indeed his daughter. "Would you please sit down and explain how you got this." Holding up the locket.

She didn't even pause; she used her cat like speed and strength, and grabbed the locket out of his hand. Than she turned and sprinted to the window. The cats were already moving to stop her. She leapt over them and dove through the window were the unicorn had been. The glass cut her arms face and legs a little but she would live. She turned on her side to take the fall and landed on the ground with a small sound of pain as a piece of window wood panel went into her shoulder. She couldn't fight as well now but she could still run. So that's what she did, if she could just get to the trees she would be fine. She could lose them there. She was running full out toward the trees all her concentration on them when a big red body inserted itself in her path. She didn't see it in time and crashed into it. She landed flat on her back. A small scream of pain came form her as her shoulder hit the ground once again driving the wood deeper into her shoulder. She looked up into two dark brown eyes, and a red furred face. It belonged to the unicorn that was standing out side her window. He was gorgeous. She reached her hand up and touched his face in awe. She could tell he was worried about her.

"I'll be alright. Don't worry." And to prove her words she stood up. Centuries of discipline will take over in any situation. She pulled the branch out of her arm now that she had time because she was surrounded by many kinds of animals, she could sense many jewels around her so that meant that all the animals were kindred. She turned toward the unicorn and looked at his horn. Around the base of it was a red jewel set in black metal.

"Okay now I am going mad." She said as she backed away form the red beast toward the center of the circle. She could see Eyrien warriors on their way, and men and women running form the keep. She had run further than she thought. She sighed, the warriors would be here sooner than the court, and so she had to fight. She looked down at her locket it was the only connection to her past. The picture was of a man that had her coloring but older than she was when she was found. She quickly put it around her neck with one hand. It settled comfortably in its place. And the warriors were here. They came at her in a rush, there were only a dozen or so and they only had sticks. She dropped half of them before they could hit her with her jewels power. The rest got in a few good hits, two to her shoulder. It started bleeding heavily now. With a few kicks of her legs she sent them flying. Tired and wounded she clutched her shoulder and stumbled a bit. The other men got there with the women close behind.

Lucivar looked at his men and than at the women that was standing in the middle of it with her hair full of leaves and blood running down her arm in a steady rate. She was breathing hard and had her feet planted wide for balance. Her eyes had lost their green color and were dulled a little so the gold looked closer to the family trait. She was truly a part of their family but were had she been all this time. Her claws were sheathed and he could see that her nails were painted red. It looked good on her. He was going to have his work cut out for him trying to keep the males away form her. He smiled at her. He was going to have fun teasing this one. She seemed to have a short temper like him and his brother. She was ready to bolt at the first chance she got even though she had cuts all over her body and her shoulder bone was shining white through the blood.

"Its okay we aren't going to hurt you, we're your family and friends." He said in his gentlest voice that was still known to send women running for the hills.

She looked at him and he could tell that she was losing too much blood because she was starting to sway. Her next words surprised everyone though. "But you put me in a dress." Than she fainted. Dracin caught her before she hit the ground using his elf swiftness. He heaved his burden higher up into his arms to get a better grip. He looked toward the rest of the men and smiled. "The girls are going to like her. I can tell. " Everyone gave a soft laugh at that mainly because it was entirely true.

The women went to get healing supplies as them men settled her some place. They put her back into her room; the men standing were ever they could in the room full of cats. Dracin and Dalcon the twin sons of Gabrielle and Chaosti stood on ether side of the bed and began to clean the wound. Dalcon looked up at Lucivar and let a small smile play along his lips.

"So Lucivar, what are you going to do with the 12 men she laid low out there." He asked trying to contain his laughter.

" Have her teach them how to fight until she can't do that to them any more, at least once she recovers and doesn't want to kill us or leave. We are her family after all."

Kaelas laid at the foot of the bed his pard scattered through out the room. No one knew why they were drawn to this child. But they wanted to stay with her, and Kaelas liked her. If he was human he would have been laughing right than because, little did they know that the girl that they were talking about was awake and listening very intently.

"Are you going to tell them that you are awake, little one." He asked her with a slight chuckle.

" Fine I'm awake are you happy now." She said glaring at the cat.

"Entirely." He said as he came to lie on her non-injured side. And began purring. "Come we will help you heal. Lea." He called and a tigress that sported and opal jewel came up on the injured side. Than he turned back to Hell Cat, "Now you will also need to use your own healing powers. You are a queen after all."

She slowly nodded her head and stared into his eyes as her healing came up to the surface. She started to hum that sounded more like a purr. The other cats picked it up until the whole room almost vibrated with the force of sound that was contained there.

The men slowly took their eyes off the bed and turned in a circle to look at all the cats. Than they turned back to Hell Cat when she gasped and stared at her shoulder the wound was closing as they watched. When it was done there was nothing there just skin.

Hellie finally looked up at them and surveyed them. Some of them are actually kind of cute she thought as she blushed and looked down. She shook her hair back over her shoulder she loved it down but it went everywhere and she wouldn't even think of cutting it short. "So why do you think I am part of your family." She asked the Eyrien warrior that she had taken down twice. He flipped his wings back and crossed his arms over his chest.

" It is not my place to say, it is our fathers story." He said still glaring at her.

" Fine than." She said as she got up out of bed." Well then since he isn't here I would like to take a bath now. So please leave."

"So you can try to escape again." One of the other males around her said.

"Listen you are all warlord princes and I am covered in blood. And you put me in a dress. So you have no room what so ever to argue with me right now. And until I can get my weapons and cloths back. I'm not leavening. Plus I love a good story." She said even though she had tried to do the very same thing no less then ten minutes ago. She stated toward the males and came to stand in front of the Eyrien warrior. " The cats will keep me safe and I trust them. I won't leave. And if you don't get out I will toss you out on your pompous ass…again. So get out Prick." At this the other males burst out laughing, and pointing at Lucifer.

" She is defiantly your sister." Dalcon said as lend back against the wall near the shattered window. The others were still chuckling. Lucivar aloud himself a small smile. "Yes it seems she is. Come on than little boys " Lucivar said with a large stress on the word boys. "Lets leave the lady in peace. Some of us have are own ladies to attend too, or sisters and the like that will be wanting any information about our new arrival that they can get. That reminds me. What is your name little one?" turning toward his new sister he let his guard down and his arms uncrossed and his wings relaxed.

She thought about not answering him and making him mad but he stood there with such an open manner, one that she imagined was rare. But she knew that after a name came the questions and the life stories. She sighed in defeat. " The name that you will most likely know me as is Hell Cat but since we are all being friends and you haven't tried to kill me when I was asleep, I am known by some as Hellie. The rest will have to wait until I am cleaned up and changed so get out."

The men decided it would be wise to do as she said as she had her hands on her hips an pose that all were familiar with. They were right out side the doors when her next words stopped them all instantly. " All right that goes for all the males cats in here as well." There was a long pause of heavy silence. Than Hell Cat as she called her self, let out a bellow to do any dragon proud. "Out now" she screamed. The boys were just turning to go back into the room to see what was wrong when five large shapes barreled out of the room as fast as they could. Kaelas in the lead.

The cats came sliding to a halt, claws digging in to the wooden floors. Kaelas looked at them and tried to regain his dignity but gave up and sat down in front of them. "Damn, Hell Cat was a very good nickname for her." He said with the equivalent of cat laughter. The other males joined in and continued chuckling as they went their separate ways to find wives, sisters, mothers and lovers.

Chapter 4 Meeting of a Father and Daughter.

Hell Cat finally got all the males out of her room. "Well I guess its mine now" she muttered under her breath. "I can stay here for a few days and hear their story. Plus the guild isn't expecting me back for a few days, and it would be nice to get away from Rodney and his gang." She striped off the nightgown on her way to the bathroom. As she opened the door she stopped dead in her tracks, there was a bloody pond for a bathtub. The thing was huge; she filled it up with hot water and stepped in. This had to be heaven. After a long time of just soaking, she finally washed her hair and cleaned the blood off. She stepped out of the bathroom and into the room. It was full of female cats, most were asleep, but some were still awake.

She walked over to the closet and flung open the doors. Her jaw dropped, all she found were dresses, and not just any dresses, they were ball gowns. "They are going to drive me insane." She said aloud to herself.

"Well maybe just a little bit. But it is to be expected." Came a reply in her head. She turned around and surveyed the room. All the cats were awake now and staring at her. She looked at the female that was on her bed.

"Was that you? Lea right?" She asked her. The cat nodded her head. Hellie smiled she should be angry right now but some how she couldn't be. The cats they felt like they were apart of her.

"So which one will you wear." The Lea asked her.

"I have no idea, I don't wear dresses. You can't fight in them." She told the cat. Than she had a brilliant idea. "Why don't you choose for me? Please" a little pleading in her voice her eyes going round.

With that all the cats gathered around the closet pushing her out of the way. They began to use craft to first put under cloths on the girl than to levitate one dress after another to hold up against her body. After about an hour of this, she knew that this was not one of her better ideas. They finally decided on a long deep red that faded into black with dark sparkles here and there, with a slit up the side reveling all of her right leg when she walked. Even she had to admit that she looked pretty good in the dress. The sleeves were long and full, the whole thing was made out of silk, so perfect it felt like spider silk. It was nice even if it was a "evil" dress, the curse of women kind. She wasn't sure about the neckline though, she thought that it came awful low. But the cats insisted on it. Plus they offered to let her come and play with the cubs if she wore it. To which she readily agreed. They did her hair quite easily since they all wanted it down. Then they pronounce that she was ready and that the males weren't going to know what hit them, to which she blushed profusely. She walked out of the doors with the female cats. All of the male cats were right outside the door waiting. After a moment of silence they said that she looked wonderful. All except for Kaelas who sat staring at her chest. "You got a problem there kitty cat." She asked him her hands on her hips.

"Yes as a matter a fact I do. The neckline is far to low. You can't go anywhere looking like that." He said his eyes still directed on her chest.

" Will this help." She said as she called in her black jewels. One was a necklace that had her main jewel in a silver choker setting that looked like a spider web wrapped around her neck. Than instead of a ring she had the rest of her jewel set in a tiara that came into a point by the center of her forehead by her eyes in a solid piece of silver band. She also dropped her shield and let her physic scent fall away form her like a perfume. "How's that."

"I am not sure if that is better or worse with the males here." He said still upset.

She let go of her rising temper and bent down and put her arms around his neck. "Don't worry you'll be there for me." She said her face buried in his neck.

"Yes we will all be. Forever." He said a slight purring coming from everyone as they made the same vow.

"Well if you are done snuggling I will take you to the study to meet our father." Said a cold smooth voice filled with danger that was directly behind her.

Hell Cat turned around very slowly and came face to face with the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

" How did you become so pretty." She asked as she eyed him up and down. Her gaze focused on one of his fingers. "Holy crap you're a black widow too."

"Too?" he said with one eyebrow raised.

To this her temper rose once more, she held up both hands and let the fangs in her fingers go. One on each hand. "Two, too" she said with her head held high.

"You have two…well everyone is going to love this," He said with his eyes fixed on her hands. "I can't wait to see their faces." He offered her his arm and looked down at her, a question in his eyes. "So are you going to take my arm, sister, of are we going to stand here all day."

"Sister?" she asked with one eyebrow raise an exact copy of his.

"Yes you are my half blood sister. Same father."

"Father…Sister…Family?" she said her voice becoming strained.

"Perhaps I should let Father explain it to you. It might be easier." He took her hand and began pulling her down the halls and stairs around corners, and through rooms. Finally they reached the study after much tripping on Hellie's part because of her dress. "Are you ready?" He asked gently.

"Not in the least bit. In fact I really don't think this is a good idea after all…. so I am just going to go somewhere. I'm not ready for this." She said as she began to back up and look wildly around for an exit through all of the cats that had followed them.

"Come on your not scared are you." He said as the cats vanished into the study not even bothering to use the door, just going right through them. He hoped his teasing would get her to go in. If she were anything like him she would go storming in there ready to do battle. Just than they heard a small sound. They both whirled around to see Affie, Elan, and Grezande youngest child at four, at the top of the stairs.

"Affie don't move." Daemon said as he took a step toward her. And her hearing her name called gave a big smile and proceeded down the stairs; with a step on her blanket she launched herself down the stone stairs.

"AFFIE" Daemon bellowed as he started to run to try and get there in time. He flinched as a red streak went past him and launched itself into the air after the child. It took him a moment to realize that was his sister. He had never seen anything move so fast. She caught the girl in mid air. Affie screamed as they started to fall. There was a sickening crunch of flesh hitting stone as they fell end over end down the stairs.

Hell Cat saw the little girl trip and knew that the girl would break her neck and die if she fell down those stone steps. There was no time to call her power. She didn't even think she just reacted. She launched herself at the child, grabbing the small child in the air. She tried to curl herself around the child so she wouldn't get hurt when they landed. She felt them falling and knew that she just had to hang on to the child and everything would be all right. They hit the stone steps hard. She felt her shoulder being dislocated then she hit her head on the next step and her world went black.

Daemon started running to them before they came to the bottom of the steps. "Oh mother night." He whispers as he lifted the sobbing child from his sister's limp arms. "Jaenelle, Father, Lucivar, Oh Hell. EVERYONE." He yelled. Even though he didn't need to for as soon as they heard him scream Affies' name everyone had started running to him. And were just seconds behind him. The door to the study flew open reviling the whole court. Grezande was the first to react. "Affie" she screamed as she ran toward Daemon to gather her daughter in her arms. Than everyone reacted, the cats arrived first and surround Hellie. Kaelas was near her head licking away the blood from her face to see how bad the wound was. Saetan was trying to elbow his way through the court to get to his daughter.

Hell Cats head and arm were on fire. Something wet and rough brushed against her face again and again. She tried to move her arm to brush it away and couldn't move it. She tried the other arm but there was just too much pain. Somebody as griping her hand and patting it. The one that was causing so much pain lay pined under her.

"Let go of my hand." She said through gritted teeth. Her hand was dropped, and the pain in her left arm increased. "Is the child okay?"

"Yes she is alive and well, thanks to you." An unknown voice said.

"That's nice. Does someone want to help me stand up?" She asked her eyes opening. Saetan knelt over her with a handkerchief in his hand. He had stopped moving when she opened her eyes.

"What now." she asked him.

"Your eyes are green and are dilated like a cats, and your hair is red." Jaenelle answered for everyone.

"Well whooped di do for me. It will fade in a minute as soon as the pain goes away, strong emotion makes it stay longer," She said as she tried to role over to get her arm out form underneath her. She moaned in pain as she barely even moved. All of a sudden she felt many pairs of hands on her back. She looked up into three pairs of eyes two exactly alike, all belonging to young handsome men. 'Okay that's it' she thought to herself 'I hit my head, way to hard. They looked worried.'

"And now I seeing double. Oh well it will work for me. Geez first the cat, than the unicorn, and now you guys. I will tell you like I told them. I will be all right. I'm just a little accident prone." She told them as she found her feet, with their help.

"Your arm is dislocated." said the same blond lady form before.

"Easily fixed, and than after that I am learning names." With that she took her left arm with her right and ran toward a wall. There was a sickening pop as the arm went back into its socket. "Man I hate doing that, and I shouldn't have." She said as she began to sway and grip her head, her vision started to go fuzzy. With a small wobble she was surrounded and leaned against a chest, to get her balance… she would be fine in a moment.

"Alright I need names if you please." She told them from the very nice warm chest.

"Well I am Saetan and I am your father. That is my son Daemon and his wife Jaenelle my adopted daughter and there three children, Damien, Mephis, and Tara." He said pointing to each in turn by the time he was done with the entire first circle. Her head was spinning. And not just from the fall.

"Well that is lovely. I'm Saetan and I am your father. Way to break it to me gently. Can you prove it? And if so, why didn't you want me. I was found in a ransacked carriage in the arms of a laden woman."

Saetan took a deep breath and began the story of how she was taken away from him, and that he had thought she was dead or he would have never stopped searching for her. It was breaking his heart to stand there at the base of the stairs and tell his daughter that she was carted off by a mad woman to be raised by evilest women he had ever known.

"I do not know what you call your self but I named you Kearia Angelina SaDiablo."

"How do I know that you are telling the truth." Hell Cat asked as she turned back to the chest she had been leaning against and looked down at the ground, fiddling with her locket, as that was her nervous tendency.

"Look at the picture in your locket and then look at me, my little dark one. Just add a few gray hairs to it." Saetan said with tears in his eyes.

Hell Cat slowly disengaged herself from the nice warm body of a male, and walked toward the older man claiming to be her father. Opening her locket she stood right in front of him. Looking back and forth between him and the locket, tears filled her eyes.

Saetan saw this and gathered her up into his arms, just as she let out a sob. "Shh, my little dark one. We are here now and you will never be without your family again."

"I thought you were dead. I have lived so long I thought your bones had turned to dust." Kearia cried as she hugged her father back.

"Kearia" He said tears coming to his own eyes.

"I guess I better get use to that name now huh. I have brothers." She cried out. As she switched from hugging Daemon to Lucivar, she stopped right before Lucivar. "Will you forgive me for knocking you on your ass…twice." She asked him with a smile.

"Only if you teach me some of those fighting moves of yours." He answered opening his arms to her. She nodded her head vigorously, which caused the wound on her forehead to start bleeding once again. Lucivar held her and let her bleed all over him. He didn't mind he got blood all over him all the time, but how often do you get to hold a new sister in your arms.

"Lucivar stop hogging her, she has to hug the rest of us too." Jaenelle said looking at him with her sapphire eyes.

"I have sisters too now." Kearia said as she embraced Lucivar's wife Marian. And than went over to Jaenelle. She stopped right in front of her and looked her over. "You are going to be fun to fight with, I bet."

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." Jaenelle said with a cat like smile of her own. As she reached up and healed the wound on Kearia's forehead with just a touch, which caused her eyes to widen in awe. "You wear the black, and are unbroken."

"A man tired but I slit his throat," she said, her voice growing cold. "My best friend led me through my virgin night. Then I emerged from the offering with the black. And the rest is for another time." Kearia said looking around at everyone, obviously wanting to change the subject.

"What about us." Said Daemonar from the sidelines with the rest of his cousins

"Some how I think you are going to be just as protective of me as the rest of the females in your family." She said, as she looked her newfound family over.

"I promise we won't be as bad as our fathers." Mephis said from next to Daemonar.

"Ah crap." Kearia said with a smile than ran to embrace Daemonar, than Damien, than Memphis, than Tara, and lastly Maura.

"Well what about the rest of us" Said Karla from near the bottom of the stairs.

"Well… I don't know about you but I want to know her story first. Her weapons belong to an assassin. I should know after all." Came a voice form the top of the stairs.

"Hello Surreal" Said Kearia her voice going cold. She let her physic shield drop and the power of the black washed over them all. The males shivered some from the almost cold and some from the scent of an unclaimed black-jeweled Queen.

"I don't believe that I have had the pleasure of meeting you yet." Surreal said as she came down the stairs carefully. Her gray jewel was out and shining with power, only to be answered by Kearia's Black. Erinar was right behind her flitting about her like a moth. "I swear if you do not stop that I will take you out into the field and beat you with a stick. I may be eight months pregnant but I will still take you on." She mumbled under her breath as she made her way down. "How do you know me? I have never seen you before in my life."

"No you would not. You never saw us when we were watching you."

"Watching me?"

"To see if you were good enough to join our league."

"And who are you?"

"You would probably know me best as The Hell Cat. "

"Oh, SHIT."

"Um… perhaps we should all go sit down in the study and hear Kearia's story. We all want to know what happened to you. And I think we need to get Surreal off of her feet." Saetan said seeing how pale Surreal had come.

"Males." Came the reply from most of the females but they started to move toward the study. The cats surrounding them purring and trying to brush up against Kearia. They were happy that she had found her family and that maybe she would be staying here now, with them.

Chapter 5

Kearia's past

"Well I suppose I should start at the beginning." Kearia said as they all settled down in the large room. Every inch of it taken up with the cats and a few miscellaneous other animals, a few wolves, and a cute shaggy little puppy that came over to stand by Kaelas.

"The first memory that I have is when I started training, I think that I was three years old. They had started me with knives, and I cut myself. That was the first time I was punished. The League just called me girl because I was the only girl there. As I grew up, I began to attract attention because of my body." She said as she got up, gesturing to her body. Many on the males thought it was a very nice body. But she wasn't paying any attention to them because she was reliving her memories. She became agitated and started to pace around the room. "When I was eighteen a man tried to rape me, he almost succeeded," this was meet by snarls from all around the room, human and animal alike. "I slit his throat. It was my first kill. The next night I had to have my virgin night, my best friend did it for me, he was leaving for a mission the next day and couldn't protect me any longer. I needed to be stronger to survive while he was gone. He never came back, he died that week. I made the offering and came out with a black. I was the most powerful one there. Because of this jewel, being a queen, and these." She said as she held up her hands and extended both fangs. A few people opened their mouths to ask questions.

"Wait until I am done with my story to ask questions please. Being powerful didn't stop everyone. A few more men tried to get into my bed. When the guild master noticed, the men started to disappear. So the men began to surprise me. I knew I had to get better at weaponry, so I started out with knives. Than I discovered the whip and I became a master at that. I needed to become better and better with my weapons because that first man that I killed had three sons. Those three sons gathered a group of men. It was mostly made up of men that I had to turn away from my bed with a few broken bones. They are of the long-lived races so they are still after me to this day. I only have a few scars from them." she said with a shrug. Her physic shield coming up into place and her scent disappeared. Many of the males had to stop them selves' from rising to the killing edge.

"The years past and I became one of the top leaders of the guild. However it was more of a prison position, they would never let me go out alone. I always had an army of assassins with me. After the purge a third of our number were whipped out, for which we were very grateful. I was put into one of the ceremonies to strengthen our numbers." She caught a few looks that were going around and the males in her family were raising to the killing edge. "Oh it wasn't anything like that. I have never known a man other than my virgin night and that was a necessity and not very pleasant. I haven't fallen in love yet. So you can knock it off. They mixed my blood with the blood of a cat. The blood turned out to be kindred. They had been saving that blood for hundreds of years. After that new powers came to me, like the physic shield," she said as she lowered the shield and let the black wash over them. "The claws," as her hands formed long sharp claws. "The being able to break any shield or lock also the swiftness, strength, heightened hearing, smell, and sight. And my hair and eyes too. Oh and the best thing of all is that I can purr." She said with a smile as she sat down once again. she let her hands rest on Kaelas head and began scratching. "Now I am ready for the questions." She finished with a smirk.

"I'll go first," said Lucivar. "So you are here alone now, why did they let you go alone? Why are you here? What was the name that you were given by them? What kind of weapons do you know? Are you good at hand to hand combat?"

"Well to answer: First they finally let me go alone, because Dorthea and Hekatah are gone. Could you imagine what they would have done if they knew there was a black jewel queen out there with no court to protect her? Also because I finally got all of my powers mastered. I was here to steal the key to the keep because I wanted to prove myself to the guild. It was rumored to be the hardest thing to steal. The name I was given was at first Hell Cat. I use various and sundry weapons, except for frying pans, and I hear your wife is fond of those. Last of all I can hold my own in hand to hand combat."

"My turn now." Saetan interrupted. "What happened to those men that were after you? Were they whipped out or do we get to go hunting?"

"No they weren't whipped out. A lot of them remain actually, they weren't evil enough to die, and years of training strengthen your will incredibly." She said softly

"But we have trained for years and while it has made us stronger it could not have protected us from witches power." Came a voice near the back.

"We are a secret guild, so the power wasn't aimed at us, we just got the back lash and I didn't say that they were unharmed. But they are still after me. This being my first mission alone they will probably follow me. So you won't have to go looking for them they'll come after me." She said with a shrug as if it were not important.

"Good" was the only response from the room.

"Hell Cat… it suits you." This came from Jaenelle on the couch beside Daemon. "Would you like to know how to talk to all kindred?"

"Yes please. I can hear the cats in my mind but not any of the others, and I know the little pup here wants to say something and the unicorn outside tried to talk to me before."

"Then come with me, the males have much to discuss as do us ladies." She held out her hand to her new sister. "Come let us show you around the grounds. You can meet the wolf pack, the unicorns, and all the other kindred."

All the females got up to leave except for Surreal. She knew that the males would want answers only she could give them.

"Well boys, start the questions." She said as she leaned back and got comfortable.

"What is her reputation? As an assassin." This came from Daemon.

"She kills rapists, murders, and other people that are not missed. She has never failed, ever and she always uses her claws for the final blow, she had silver ones before the real ones came in. She rarely uses poisons but when she does they are the best I have ever seen. She does not kill with out a reason. She was merely a legend in the assassin world one that was barley believed or well known. But I guess she is real."

"Has anyone ever heard of someone having two fangs before?" asked Lucivar. "Does it mean anything?"

"I have no idea. It could increase her powers, make her weaker in her moon time, or it could just be an act of nature." said Saetan who bent forward with his elbows resting on his knees. His gaze directed at Surreal. "Is anyone after her?"

"Yes, there are a lot of people that are looking for revenge, and just as many looking to hire her. Supposedly the assassins somehow find out that you want someone dead. They will then contact you, sometimes before even you yourself know you need them. But it had been a myth that was told to one assassin to another. Hell Cat was the only female that they had supposedly. She was like a shadow with no trace. She could also get into places were males couldn't."

"We are going to have to protect her then." Said Maleon. " I would do anything to protect her she just saved my youngest sister."

"We would all do anything to protect her." This said Dracin and Dalcon in unison.

"You just think she is cute." Surreal said with a chuckle.

"Well, do you think that we should have a ball in her honor." Said Saetan with a grin ignoring Surreal's comment. "She'll have to wear a dress again."

"They're going to get you for this one, Uncle Saetan. And you know it." Said Elen, his arm around his son, Maleon.

"Yes she is quite the little spitfire isn't she."? Said Daemon. Apparently everyone thinking of different things right then.

"Well at least she'll fit right in then," said Mephis

" I don't know I would say more of a hell cat, but that's just me." Said Lucivar.

At this everyone burst into laughter. Some for the joke and some just to relive the tension that was hanging in the air. But some were laughing because they were going to see Kearia in a dress again.

Chapter 6

A new look.

Kearia walked arm in arm with Jaenelle with the rest of the coven following. The kindred had run ahead to tell everyone that they were coming. As they walked toward the door Kearia suddenly stopped and planted her feet.

" Alright before we go any farther, I have got to get out of this stupid dress and into some real cloths." She said with a handful of cloth in each hand.

Jaenelle smiled at her and took one of her hands in hers. " I knew I was going to like you." She said as she pulled her over to the stairs and up with out another word. The entire coven followed laughing at their antics. When everyone had reached the top of the stairs all the girls split up and went their separate ways to change. Affie going with her mother and sisters, who were not about ready to let her out of their sight.

"Come on you can barrow some of my breeches and one of Tara's shirts." They went in to the room closet to them and Jaenelle left her side to go to her wardrobe. Jaenelle flung open the doors and started throwing garments out by the handfuls every which way, digging deeper and deeper. Tara came to stand by Kearia at the doorway.

" Don't worry she does this every mourning when she can't find something she wants. Here is the shirt." Tara said holding up a dark red silk shirt that had open sleeves and a low-neck line.

" I can't wear this it is far to fancy for me." Kearia said with awe, she loved that color, but she had never worn anything so fancy in her life.

" Father never let me wear it, so it's yours now. Please I would love to see my fathers face when he sees you in it. Oh please. Oh and grandfathers too. Oh and Lucivar he will be the best he was so protective of mother and now that you're here he will lay off the rest of us and focus on protecting you. Oh this is going to be great."

Kearia was expecting Tara to rub her hands in evil glee at any moment. She slowly nodded her head slowly; she would do it for the girl. After all she was her niece. And it would be funny to see the looks on the male's faces. This was amazing in a second she goes form having no family at all to having more than was healthy. And she loved every minute of it. She thought with a smile. She held the shirt up to her wondering if it would fit her when she heard Jaenelle give off a shout of triumph. She walked toward them with a black bundle in her hands.

" Here lets see how they look on you the changing room is right over there." Jaenelle said tossing the pants at her. " We'll wait here for you, but hurry up we want to get out side before the males. And the kindred are eager to meet you."

Kearia nodded her head, and walked toward the dressing room. Once in she leaned against the door in awe. Her room back at the guild was smaller that this. There were even more cloths in here it was amazing, but the best part was that on one wall there was nothing but weapons. She looked at those while she changed not really paying attention. By the time she was done she decided that she would barrow six of the throwing daggers. Six was all that she could hide in cloths this tight. She finished placing her knifes and walked out the door.

" The cloths are a little tight." Kearia said drawing the attention of the other girls that had congregated in front of Jaenelle's door saw her they let out a loud squeal. " Here pull your hair up with this." Jaenelle said handing Kearia a black strip of leather. " Well that out fit certainly suits you. "

"What do you mean?" Kearia asked Jaenelle. At this Jaenelle smiled and turned her toward a mirror. Kearia froze staring back at her was a vision, it was gorgeous, the shirt and pants hugged her body like they were made for her. The shirt was a little tight across her breast, which pushed them up, and with the low-neck line her already generous bust was put into amazing proportions. Kearia looked down her shirt and frown she griped a hand full and tried to pull it up. Tara slapped her hands away, "No leave it down you look absolutely beautiful. Here let us put your hair up."

Kearia handed over the tie, and closed her eyes, after many minutes of hair gathering arguments and hair pulling the hair was done. Kearia like this the best she looked like some wild Amazon all of her hair was pulled back in a pony tail high on the back of her head. Her jewels gleamed in the light. The jewel on her head looked beautiful to her it was and unusual setting and she loved it.

"Come on it is time to meet the kindred. They are about ready to tear down the doors." Jaenelle said taking her arm and leading her through the doors.

Chapter 7

Blood lust

They strolled by the study and upon hearing the laughter coming from inside they decided to pass it and go on without the males. They went out the kitchen door and grabbed something to munch on along the way. Most of the girls grabbed a fresh nut cake form Mrs. Beale but Kearia grabbed two apples form the table. She had always loved apples. Back at the guild she would go out into the apple orchards and practice her knifes and whips. But most of the time just to be alone and think with out all the males around. When she learned to mask her physic scent it was easier to get away and be by herself. They walked outside to meet the kindred. The cats saw them first and came bounding toward them. Jaenelle saw whom they were going for and stepped aside as the cats slammed into Kearia. Jaenelle doubled over in laughter at the sight, "You look like a catnip bush."

Kearia tried to get up but failed once again when a cub on her chest was replaced with Kaelas. He started purring and rubbing his face along her jaw line. " Alright that's it let me up. I know you are smarter than the average cat, so you can't get away with it. Now let me up you over grown kitty cat." She said with a growl, gently pushing him up, but softening her sharp tongue with a gentle scratch under his chin. She sat up in the pile of tigers. Half of them where purring and they were all trying to talk to her at once, a dull thunder roared in her head.

"STOP" Kaelas roared in her head. The chatter instantly stopped. "Let the girl catch her breath. She is new at this and the others want to meet her too. And we still have to teach her how to hear the other kindred as well." By the end of his speech Kearia was tapping her foot with her hands on her hips, glaring at the thousand pound feline in front of her.

"Well bring it on Mr. High and Mighty."

"Very well child." He returned with stress on the word child.

"I'll have you know that I was born in the time of your ancestors. Kitten." She returned with the same insult.

"Well you were just made part cat, so that makes you younger than me. Little one."

She had nothing to return to that.

"Come little one, come and meet my friend Ladvarian, he is a kindred sheltie."

He turned to watch small dog trot up with his tongue rolling and his tail wagging.

"Okay now, little one you need to open your mind to him. Don't listen with your ears. Listen with your Jewels. Don't think with your mind. Don't think of us as animals, we are Kindred with Jewels of our own."

She looked at the cute dog and found it difficult to think of a dog having Jewels. But she tried and was rewarded with a loud. "HELLO"

She yelped and jumped back. This caused Jaenelle and the rest of the girls to giggle. "You don't have to shout."

"Sorry I didn't know if you would hear me because I wasn't a cat." He told her his short tail wagging furiously.

"Come on Kearia. The others want to meet you too." Jaenelle said leading her to a pack of wolves, than to some horses, than lastly to the unicorns. Most of the girls that were still with them wandered right into the herd. The stallions came up to surround the mares and girls when they saw that there was a stranger with them. Kearia felt slightly hurt. She looked down at the ground.

"Oh Kearia, don't take offense they don't take to anyone right away anymore. Not since the night of the massacre. After it they came to live here at the keep." Jaenelle said gently.

" They are beautiful, who would kill such beautiful beings." Kearia said her eyes running over the herd. Her eyes found the unicorn that had been outside of her window at the edge of the clearing. " Who is that stallion over there and why is he so far away form the others of the herd. He looks so sad."

"Oh that's Bloodlust. His mate and children were killed in the massacre and he just never recovered from it. He never rejoined the herd but he stayed close because he had no were else to go and because he vowed to protect them." Jaenelle said, looking at the blood red stallion sadly.

" I think I'll go and talk with him. You can go with your friends I want to do this alone. Alright?" Kearia asked.

"Alright. But be careful he doesn't take to humans to well." Jaenelle said looking her over.

"But he didn't hurt me before." Kearia said to Jaenelle.

"Before?" Jaenelle asked, stepping closer.

" Ask your husband, father, brother, and male friends. Mainly Lucivar." Kearia said a gleam in her eye as she took full opportunity of a chance to get her brother in trouble. Kearia snickered as Jaenelle nodded, put her hands on her hips and stocked toward the keep.

Kearia put her hands behind her back and started to walk toward the stallion. He saw her coming and started to look for a place to bolt. Kearia saw it and started to run toward him holding out her hands. "No please don't go. I just want to talk with you."

He froze. He was caught now; he would bet his Jewels that she was going to yell at him for looking in her window. He watched her carefully as she slowly moved toward him.

"Why were you at my window earlier." Kearia asked him slowly hoping he wouldn't run. She felt drawn to him for some reason.

"You felt strange and you were lonely. I wanted to see what you were like." He returned quietly, his voice sounding low and smooth in Kearia mind.

"Oh… So your name is Bloodlust, huh?" Kearia asked trying to find something to talk with him about.

"Yes and your name is Kearia Angelina SaDiablo. Word travels fast here. Are you all right? How's your shoulder?"

"I am fine. The cats helped with the healing. So it went faster." She told him, shifting her stance and she felt for the extra apple she had napped from the kitchen. "Hey Bloodlust, do you like apples."

"Doesn't everyone. When I was younger and learning craft I would always try for the apples at the top of the tree because they were the best." He tossed his head and his eyes lit up with the happy memory.

"Me too. I have another one if you want to split it with me." She asked pulling the apple out of her pocket.

"Yes I would like that" he returned quickly.

She nodded her head and took one of the six daggers out of its hiding place, and cut the apple in half and handed the bigger half to the unicorn who munched it happily. "You know you're not bad for a human."

Kearia was about to answer back when she heard a familiar whistling coming toward her. Her reaction was pure instinct. She rushed to the unicorn and threw her self in front of him and felt a sharp pain right below her jewel in her chest. She pulled the wooden dart out and drew her dagger. She knew that she only had a moment before the poison took control. The dagger flew trough the air towards the assailant. It hit true, there was a wet plop as the dagger entered the man's throat. He fell from the tree, breaking his neck as he connected to the ground with a thud.

It all happened in less then a few seconds. Bloodlust didn't even have a chance to do more than turn around to watch the man fall from the tree.

"KEARIA" he shouted as he turned. Kearia turned back to him and gave him a small smile before collapsing to the ground. Blood trickling form her chest from around the wound, were the skin was beginning to turn black.

Chapter 8

Bonded into one.

Jaenelle strode in to the study with her hands on her hips ready to do battle. The males were just getting up to leave, when she confronted them. "Why didn't you tell me that Bloodlust had meet Kearia before today." She yelled at them.

"Now Jaenelle is that really a reason to get so upset." Lucivar asked with a glint in his eye.

"Well it just that she has only been here so long and how many attempts have been made on her life."

"Cat, some how I think she can handle her self." He said.

"Well she did put you on your ass…twice." She added to get back at him. "You know I think she is exactly what that unicorn needs to live again."

Everyone had just started to relax when the shout of Bloodlust ran through his or her heads. Saetan was the first to react. "No" he whispered. Then with a war cry that would do any warrior proud, he ran form the room everyone else just a half a step behind him. Everyone gathering the strength of their jewels to them incase they needed them. With their jewels blazing they race out the front to see Bloodlust thundering down the hill from the trees with a limp figure on his back. "No, I will not lose her now. Not again." Saetan whispered as his sons gently lifted their sisters' body down. Jaenelle gasped at the site of the blacked skin that was spreading.

"Bloodlust what happen." Lucivar asked form looking over Daemons shoulder as he gently laid their sister on the ground.

"I don't really know. There was a whistling sound and then she threw herself in front of me. She took the dart in her chest near her throat. Than almost faster than I could see she tore it from her chest and trough a dagger into one of the trees. It hit a man the body is over there." he said pointing with his horn.

"Were on earth did she get a dagger I searched her myself." Lucivar said sounding a bit put out.

"From my dressing room Lucivar. Papa there was poison on that dart, but I don't know anything about it or how to cure it." Jaenelle said tears trickling down her checks.

A great roar came from the house as Kaelas came through the house while the rest of his pard went around the house. "Move" he shouted to everyone and the ones that were not quick enough for his tasted were pushed aside.

"Kaelas what are you doing." Jaenelle asked furiously. She was angry at beginning pushed aside so roughly.

"We must hurry if we are to save her life" Kaelas told her. "Bloodlust will you help me she needs two kinds of kindred to even out the power pull. "

"Yes I will bond with her." Bloodlust said simply.

"Well than we must get started we don't have much time." He said placing one of his paws over the jewel at her throat. Bloodlust on the other hand put the tip of his horn to the wound that the dart had created when it entered. The humans watched on in confusion and curiosity. Kaelas next words vibrated through there heads. "We, Kaelas the leader of the Arcerian Kindred, and Bloodlust, Unicorn of the Keep Herd. We pledge ourselves to this human. We shall be hers and she shall be ours. Forever and always this bond does go. In death and in life our bond holds strong. We share our strengths and powers freely. With jewels bathed in the blood of power." The two kindred repeated at the exact same time. Kaelas pushed his power into her jewel as Bloodlust thrust his horn into the wound. On the ground Kearia jerked and thrashed around. Than Kaelas and Bloodlust switched places. Kaelas digging his claw into the wound and Bloodlust placing his horn to the jewel at her forehead.

Both animals collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. The black color that had begun to spread from the wound began to spread form the wound began to fade and Kearia breathing began to deepen. The kindred slowly regained their feet, still shaking.

"Is she going to be alright?" Saetan asked his face ashen.

"We do not know. It is now up to her, wither she will accept our bonding. We accepted the bonding before hand so it was not too painful for us. You will know when the change is complete when her jewels change. As ours have." Bloodlust said as he turned toward the crowd and showed his jewel that now had a small black jewel under his red one.

"Well I'll be. So what is going to happen to her jewels." Lucivar asked while he bent down to check her pulse.

"Wait and see. If she survives you'll find out soon." Bloodlust told him looking down over his shoulder. At the girl who was now a part of him. If she died too he would die as well.

"I am not going to die. I will not leave you or Kaelas ever. We are one." Said Kearia voice into Kaelas and Bloodlust minds.

Bloodlust and Kaelas almost fell to the ground in shock. If they had been human, their jaws would have hit the ground. Kearia's body started to jerk and spasm in pain. The males moved in to hold her down on the ground so she wouldn't hurt herself. Dracin and Dalcon took her legs gently and Daemonar took the arms with his father. Daemon stepped up and held her head gently in his hands tears in his eyes.

"Lucivar this isn't fair we just got her." Daemon said to his brother on his right.

After a few moments she became still. As the males gazed down at her body a slight glow started to come form her jewels. Daemonar moved to get a closer look. He jumped back soon after and looked around for his aunt Jaenelle.

"Aunt, there is something moving around inside her Jewels. It looks like it is coming up to the surface."

Jaenelle lend down to look as Daemonar had. As she did two red jewels surfaced in the middle of both her black jewels, and moved outward to settle on the edges of her black jewels, one on each side. "Now that's interesting," she muttered under her breath.

"Well she certainly accepted us more than I thought. What about you Bloodlust." Kaelas asked his four footed friend . Bloodlust just chuckled back glad that she was going to be all right.

"Oh be quiet kitty" Kearia sent him as her eyes flickered open. " I can't move my body…. I wonder why. I think you can let go of me now." The males jumped back to be immediately replace with as many kindred that could fit around her. But her eyes settled on the Unicorn and Kaelas. She felt them in the back of her mind weighing on her inner soul, like a heavy blanket in the dead of winter. She heard a scuffle and than a few more pairs of eyes joined the kindred. Many of them looked just like hers. "Hey guys," she said as she tried to sit up. Immediately she felt many pairs of hands on her back trying to help her up.

"Are you alright Kearia?" Saetan asked his eyes running over her body making sure that she was all right.

"I'll be alright but if this continues I am going to have to go around wearing full body armor, in a metal box."

"Well that would help with the boyo problem." Daemon said as though he was actually considering it, watching the way a few of the young men were looking at her.

"That it would." Lucivar said looking at Daemon "I'll start on the box. You gather the armor."

At this a few people laughed trying to relive the tension that was the result of the near death experience. Kearia had had enough of the males and their teasing and since they were so close and she was still on the ground. She did what she did best. She knocked her two brothers to the ground with a roundhouse kick to their legs. At this everyone laughed the tension gone form the air. Kearia laughed with them as she stood up and turned to the kindred. She walked toward the unicorn and put her arm around him, stretching out a hand for Kaelas. He butted his head against her hand purring. She felt the tears gather in her eyes and she lend into Bloodlust neck to hide them.

"Oh for crying out loud. Enough of this lovey-dovey stuff. Lets go see who the dead guy is." She said as she began walking toward the tree line. She only got a few steps before her legs gave out. "Oh bloody hell and mother night." She shouted fed up with the way her day was going. She closed her eyes as the world twirled in front of her eyes.

"Please allow me to help you." A deep voice said from behind her.

Kearia looked around and saw hoofs than she looked up and up and up. Past a rippling human chest, to a very handsome face surrounded by golden hair.

"You have a tail." She almost smacked herself in the forehead. Great, she thought, the golden male talks to you and you say he has a tail. Which he obviously knows? What next smart one, you going to neigh at him.

"Yes I do. Do you?" He asked a twinkling in his eyes.

"Do I?" Great, he is crazier than I am. She thought.

" No you don't, pity though, it would look cute on you. Now may I carry you over to your kill."? He asked as he lend down anyways and gathered her into his arms.
 "I can barely even feel you in my arms. We need to feed you more nut cakes."

" I'll take apple pie instead." She said with a smile as she curled into a ball in his arms and closed her eyes. I'll just rest them for a bit she thought as she listened to the barter going on around her.

"Why do you get to carry her."? A voice asked. It sounded a little familiar to her.

"Because I asked first, Dalcon. You're just jealous because I was closer to her than you were. But you can carry her hair so I don't step on it."

Dalcon didn't say another word just picked up the long mane of hair and tried to hold on to it as Karnon walked toward the trees.

"Well I am sure that each of us will get a chance to carry her. If she continues the way she is now. She has been here for what. A day and how many times has she almost died. It's got to be a record even for one of us." Another voice asked sounding much like the first.

" Hum…. Well I guess we will just have to stay around her all the time than. Just to make sure that she is safe." This coming from a new voice that sounded almost like a purr. To this Kearia couldn't hold back form purring, she was very warm and comfortable but she didn't want them to hear her so she tried to keep it quiet.

" She said she likes apple pies." This came from right up above her.

"Do you hear that?" Asked Davion

" Yes it sounds like Maleon when he is happy" answered Dracin form the other side of Karnon.

"It isn't me, its her. She is purring" Maleon said form Daemonar's left side.

Kearia hearing this let go of her purring and let it go to it loudest possible note.

" It tickles" this coming form Karnon his voice rough form trying not to laugh.

" Okay that's it next time I get to hold her." This coming form Holkin "I have never felt purring before, no cat will come near me." This was meet with many "no I get to hold her"s from all the boys.

"Well if you boys are done discussing her like she can't hear you may we please continue on. You will have plenty of time to plot trying to get on her good side later." This came from Jaenelle who sounded like she was about ready to burst into laughter or cry. The other women finally joined them, since it took them awhile to convince the unicorns that everything was all right.

There was silence as everyone continued to walk to the tree. "Kearia…. Kearia are you awake. We are at the tree."

"Yes I am awake. Just resting my eyes." She said as she looked up at him. "What is your name anyways, golden boy."

"My name is Karnon. My mother is Astar, and my father is Scieron. They are friends of Jaenelle. Well everyone is kind of family now." he said with a chuckle.

" That is good to know. And you already know my name so we are even. Well set me down, horse man. I have work to do."

" As milady kitty cat commands. I shall do."

"Stop flirting with my sister, and put her down ya young pup." Daemon growled from behind them.

Karnon chuckled as he put he down on the ground. Kaelas came up and sat next to her and lend against her laughing quietly. "Lean against me little one you are tired. I can feel it from here."

"Thank you very much Kaelas." She told him as she did what he said and looked down at the man who had came so close to killing her. She tensed in recognition. "Damn bastard." She said in a near shout.

"I take it you knew him than." Jaenelle said quietly behind her.

"Yes I did. His name was Haland. 80 years ago he told me that I was his destined mate and that he expected me in his bed that night. Willing or unwilling. I told him to drop dead and that if he ever came after me again I would castrate him. He came after me a week later. And I never go back on my word once given. " She told them letting them draw their own conclusions, as a few men flinched, before continuing on. "Rodney's gang. I thought I had lost them back in the wilds. I guess not? Now if you'll excuse me I am going to pass out now. Okay bye now. " She said as her eyes flickered close and she slumped to the ground, with all the males trying to catch her before she hit ground. Resulting in many conked noggins.

" Well anyone up for hunting." Lucivar said as everyone stared down at the figure.

"Why hunt them when they will come right to us. And when we kill them all, she will stay here with out worrying about us getting hurt. So we will begin with setting up guards around her form the first circle and their kids, that is if they stop drooling allover her." Daemon said as he looked pointy at all the boys that were unattached that were staring down at the sleeping form.

All the boyos jumped when Daemonar hit Karnon in the shoulder as hard as she could. "Stop drooling at her ya pony."

The boyos laughed when Karnon took a swing at Daemonar and hit him back and than at little tussle that ended up with Daemonar taking off into the sky and Karnon galloping underneath him waiting for him to land so he could pummel him.

"Well if everyone is done horsing around so to speak. Maybe we should move the girl under a tree so she can rest or indoors to a bed." Saetan said as he looked at his daughter. Everyone get moving, rolling his or her eyes at Saetan's try for humor.

"Okay I'll carry her." Dracin said reaching down for her.

"No I'll carry her." Dalcon told him pushing him out of the way.

" Hey what about the rest of us." Cried the other boys.

" You know I think we are in for an interesting time." Jaenelle said as she lend against her husband and watched the boys fight over who was going to carry her a few feet. And while Lucivar's men removed the body.

Chapter nine

Training with Lucivar.

Kearia opened her eyes to see Lucivar standing over her. "Hey there little sister it is time for training." He said with a smile that looked fit to crack his face.

"You are pure evil. You do know that don't you." She asked as she buried her face into a furry body that she assumed to be Kaelas.

" Oh come on you have been sleeping with that cat for over 24 hours. Now get your butt up so I can wipe the training floor with you." He said pushing her leg with his foot.

"Your on." She growled as she through off her blanket. " Just let me get on my training suit and I'll meet you out there, damned prick."

He chuckled as he walked away out the double doors to the back of the house. He was looking forward to fighting her. He walked past Bloodlust who was waiting by the doors.

"Hey there Bloodlust, you waiting for the lady?"

"Yes and you better start showing a little more respect towards her or you will have to answer to me young one."

" Me show a little respect to her. But she is my little sister, it is my right to tease her." Lucivar said with a chuckle and hearing a returned chuckle in his mind from Bloodlust he continued on. "So Bloodlust what are ya going to do about the young boyos. Some of them are forming plans to make your little lady fall in love with them."

"Simple. I'll help you run them off."

Lucivar continued on his way laughing like there was no tomorrow. He arrived at the training yard promptly and found his son there with the other children still rubbing their eyes. "Now ya young pups, I let ya sleep in this mourning because I waited for my sister to get enough sleep after her ordeal. Now that she is on her way you can quit loly gagging around and get the sticks. Daemonar you will pair off with me until Kearia comes, than you will watch me and her fight, I want someone with an eye for form, to critic us."

"Alright father. Oh and by the way, there is a small bet going on between the girls and the guys. The girls say that she is going to take you down. And the boys say that you'll take her. If the girl's win we have to let them alone for a month and let them dress any way they want. But if we win we get to chose what the girls wear for a month."

" Well to see the ladies in something appropriate every day would defiantly would be worth it." He chuckled. "Consider it done, son"

They both heard the pounding of hooves at the same time and whirled around to face Bloodlust who came galloping up with Kearia on his back. She looked wind blown as she jumped down form his back laughing, as Bloodlust was still prancing and showing off like a yearling. And at the same time pushing back some of the males and getting his hooves a little to close to their feet.

"Well it is about time you got here. I had to keep everyone waiting as long as possible. And this is your training outfit. Isn't it a bit reviling." He said as his gaze swept up and down her body. Going over the black halter top, and black lose breeches that were made out of soft cotton. Along with the black jacket that sat loosely on her shoulders.

"You got a problem with it old man." She said her hands going to her hips "Because we can settle this on the training field. Just let me get my hair out of the way, while you tell me what goes and what doesn't."

"Very well" He told her as she sat down on the ground to braid her hair. "Since today is your first we will take it easy. Anything goes. And if you beat me, you can sleep in tomorrow."

"What about weapons, can I use my own."

"Later on yes, but for today we will just use sticks. You can practice with your weapons later on today. I would like to see what you can do first."

"Very well." She said sounding much like him. Tying off her braid she stood up and faced him. "Were are the sticks so we can get started."

"Over there by the blanket. You know I think you are the first person to ask were the weapons were when they were going to fight me."

"Why should I worry, I beat you twice already one more wont hurt." She told him as she began to walk past him.

"You caught me unprepared those last times. Now I know your coming."

"No one has beaten me in years and those were masters that have had centuries just to learn one art so they could teach it."

"Well I have had to live with Jaenelle or cat as I like to call her. I guess now we have two cats in the house. Cat and Hell Cat. Plus all the real cats too." He said still chuckling. He watched her go to the sticks and pick one out.

" Are you going to take off the jacket. So you can fight better, love." Lucivar asked with a smirk as he moved to a fighting stance.

Kearia paused if she took off her jacket they would see the scars on her back, from all of the beatings she received. She was sure that Jaenelle already knew about them but she hadn't told anyone. Kearia shrugged and removed her jacket they would find out sooner or later. As she turned around to lay it on the ground behind her she heard Lucivar and Daemonar hiss, which drew the attention of everyone else in the yard including Bloodlust who was still guarding over her, putting himself between her and the boys that were looking at her.

"What ?" She said loudly as she turned around and put her hands on her hips. "You guys never seen scars before."

"Never in that quantity." Lucivar got out before his son elbowed him in the side.

"Oh …Kearia were did you get those." Tara asked quietly as she circled around her to get a better look.

" Just training. " She said her eyes going blank as she relived her memories. "Once you get a technique down and then do it wrong again you receive lashes. The amount of lashes numbers how many years you are. On your first lash they start at your shoulders." She finished not ready to revile the rest of her secrets quiet yet.

" Kearia… that means according to you back your first lash was at three years old." Tara said as she gently brushed her fingers a crossed the faded scars that stood apart form the rest, as they were on the back of her neck

"Kearia when did you start training." This coming form Lucivar in a strangled voice as he had grown paler and paler with the telling of her small story.

" At the age of two or three. They decided to go easy on me since I was a girl."

"Easy on you…." He said slowly, letting his anger rise to a boiling point before letting it finally spill over. " I'm going to kill them when I get m hands on their scrawny necks. Beating children in order for them to become killing machines." Lucivar snarled. He started to say more when he caught sight of Kearia's eyes. The absolute lack of anything stunned him in to silence.

"Being a killing machine, as you so put it. Has saved me more times than I can ever count so if you would like to stop discussing my childhood. Can we move on to the actual fighting, or are you going to run away." She said with a slight smile her eyes still cold.

Lucivar took a few deep breaths and pushed himself away from the killing edge. "Well then lets see what you got then little girl. I hope you can live up to the talk you been spewing or I am going to make you eat the dirt that you walk upon" Lucivar growled as he lifted his fighting stick and dropped into a fighting stance. And slowly started to advance on her. Kearia stood completely still and waited for him to come to her. Her gaze stayed focused on her older brother, his fighting stance was nice but she had seen better. He had a confused look on his face as he got with in striking distance and she still hadn't moved. If her eyes had not been upon him in a unblinking stare he would have thought she was not paying attention. He took a deep breath and lunged at her. But she wasn't there quicker than any eye could see she had flipped over him and lashed him in the back as hard as she could with her fighting stick. The blow knocked him to his knees, he tried to stand as the warrior instinct that had been beaten into him demanded that he rise for the next blow would be soon. But he was not fast enough as she kicked him in the middle of his back causing his stick to go flying from his grasp as he needed to use both hands to catch him form breaking his nose on the ground. Trying to rise to fight again he felt a small foot pressing down in-between his wings.

" Every mark is earned. Big brother" He heard form above him in a voice that made him shiver with cold, as the foot lifted and she walked away form him. Through the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight. They all moved quickly out of her way, with looks of awe on their faces no one not ever Jaenelle had beaten him so quickly.

"Well no more than the usual teasing and worrying for us for a month." Daemonar said as he went over to his father to help him up. Lucivar was quickly on his feet once more, his ego demanding that he walk it off. "So father, when are you going to ask her to teach you some moves. So next time you can beat her"

"When I can breath aga" Was as far as he got before a loud screech racked the air. As one everyone turned upward toward the sky. A streak of brown dove down upon Lucivar and began to try and rack his face with its talons. In a flash Kearia was there jumping in front on Lucivar. The bird instantly stopped the attack and flew up into the air again only to quickly circle and land upon Kearia's out stretched arm. Lucivar having recovered somewhat form the attack took a step closer to the bird but stopped when Kearia and the bird gave him a look that could melt stone. With that Kearia turned her attention back to the bird she quickly took the message off its leg and let the bird alight off her arm to a near by tree. With a final glare a Lucivar she stocked off to the house. Unrolling the missive as she walked. Lucivar tensed and tried to go after her but was held back by Jaenelle who had silently been watching the whole thing form the house and came out when she saw things beginning to go down hill. She shook her head at him and watched to figure disappeared into the house.

" You stay here I am going to go talk with her." With that Jaenelle walked toward the house with Bloodlust behind her.

Chapter 10

Kearia was in trouble, really big trouble. She needed to get out of the house and into the woods immediately. When she was fighting Lucivar this mourning she felt it coming on, the pressure building inside threatening to take over her body. The presence of the males surrounding her, calling to her, that they were plenty willing. Like an intoxicating perfume. She was going into heat, another of the not so fortunate events due to the cat blood. She had almost jumped on Meloin, the half tiger guy from yesterday. (AN hahahahah do you get it. Me lion the tiger dude)

Gees was it only yesterday. How time flies when your having fun. She thought with a sarcastic smirk as she finished writing her response, telling the guild master that she had to stay awhile longer. Walking quickly outside she let out a pressing whistle, she watched as many people turned to look at her. She had to stop her self from crying out in repressed desire, when she saw a few male gazes locked on her burning with desire that she knew was burning in her own eyes and was starting to leak into her physic scent. She would be in trouble if her shields came down, she had to hurry they were already weakening. The screech of the hawk startled her, she barley had enough time to get her arm up for the bird to land on before it smashed into her. She quickly tied the missive to the leg and gave the bird the signal to go home. As she was turning to go inside to pack a few weapons and food supplies, she was surprised to find Jaenelle there with a bag already packed. She slowly walked up to her.

"How did you know?" Kearia asked softly, hearing a purr in her own voice.

"Kaelas told me." She answered gently. She looked over Kearia shoulder as Bloodlust came galloping up with Kaelas and his pard right behind him. Kearia went over to Jaenelle to hug her and thank her for her help, but stopped when she saw Jaenelle hold out a small ring to her. "Here take this. It will protect you from harm with a shield form my Jewel , but I warn you once you put it on you will be connected to every person in my coven, including all the males and kindred. So they will always know your feelings and other strong emotions. So think before you put it on, and if you do put it on today, wait until you are out of range. I can stop them from tracking you for about a week. But if you aren't back by then you are going to have a lot of really mad males coming your way. So try and come back as soon as possible, agitated males are horrible to be around. You are going to have to stub a lot of toes to sooth them after this one" With a small chuckle, she embraced Kearia and then quickly turned a pushed her toward the frantic Bloodlust. Kearia paused before him and quickly turned back around to face Jaenelle as she held the ring to her heart and bowed to her, Jaenelle smiled wide and waved her on. With a nod to Jaenelle, who regally returned it. She vaulted onto Bloodlust's back, who immediately took off at a full gallop racing into the woods with the rest of the Kaelas pard who had not already taken off. They flew through the forest using craft Kearia blocked the branches out of their way, but they all gave her a heart attack when they went galloping across a small lake, over the water of course like it was nothing. Hearing laughter in their minds, Kearia promised revenge. They ran the whole way to the den. Once there Bloodlust let her off his back and with exacting a promise for her to return soon took off back to the herd as his jewels could be tracked by the males. Once alone Kearia let herself go and gave her self over to the instinct that was coursing through her body. Her hair had changed to a blood red color, and her hands changed halfway to paws and she could feel the claws inside just waiting to come out. If she didn't know better she would have thought that a tail would sprout out at any second. Getting comfortable she took out a dagger and shred most of her cloths. So she could get some fresh air on her skin so it would cool down. Clad in practically nothing she strolled on down to the dens to see the cubs.

Later on that day near sunset Kearia was up on a ledge with Kaelas trying to soak up the last bit of sunlight before night came. She held the ring that Jaenelle had given her earlier that day up to the setting sun. It sparkled with power, sending a shiver up her spine.

"Well Kaelas, what do you think I should do with this." She asked as she laid her head on his up-tuned stomach.

"That is completely up to you, but I think it would be a good thing. That way I would know that the other males would know your moods. On second thought forget that I already have enough trouble keeping them away form you." He said with a purr as she began to rub his stomach.

Running her hand down his fur she went into a trance than feeling if she were not herself she held up the ring and slowly slipped it over her finger like a lovers caress it slid onto her finger. With a thrill of pleasure the ring activated, sending warm waves through sensitive body. Looking up at the first stars of the evening. She felt herself grow warm, then almost feverish, her heat was coming on strong. With a sigh of pleasure, she was off the rock and running through the trees to a pool of water that she saw earlier that day. Not even pausing to take off her cloths she dived under the cooling water.

Back at the Keep

Jaenelle was teaching her daughter Craft in the spell room, when a loud roar shattered the silence. Making both mother and daughter jump. The light on the ceiling was still swinging when Jaenelle recovered her breath. "Tara quick, shut the door and lock it." She said in a whisper.

Tara ran to the door and did as her mother said. Turning around as her mother dragged a chair in front of the door. "Mother, what is wrong. Are we under attack"

"Yes, in a way" Jaenelle answered.

"By who?" Tara asked more confused then frightened at the moment.

" The males." Jaenelle said in a whisper as the door started to rattle and shake from fist pounding on it. " Quick, out the window"

Ch. 11

Jaenelle raced around a corner breathing hard, her daughter Tara right behind her. Flattening herself up against the wall she waited in silence to hear if any one was following them.

"So tell me why all the males in the circle are after you." Tara said, just as winded as her mother and was grateful for the rest.

"Because I gave a ring of protection to Kearia. And you know how the boys think it's their duty to protect anyone who has the ring. Well right now she is off with Kaelas somewhere, because she was going into some sort of cat-like heat, and well would have had one to many problems with the males. So now that she has put on the ring all the males can feel her feelings just like they can do with us. But since her emotion right now is sexual tension, that's all the boys are feeling. And being warlord princes, well most of them at least, they strive to serve us. And plus their males who can feel the sexual tensions of a female, and being probably a bit sexual tensionfied themselves, it will make them a bit grumpy. And then to make all maters worse, she is a Black Jeweled unclaimed Queen." Jaenelle explained in a rushed whisper, as she looked around the corner again.

Tara's expression was priceless, if only her mother could take a little time to notice, her eyes were huge and she looked like she was trying to hold back the barrelfuls of laughter that were threatening to spill out. With one more look at her mother, who was trying to look around the corner with out any part of her showing, Tara was on the floor laughing for all she was worth, while her mother tried to shush her. Tara paused in breath only long enough to hear the pounding of many pairs of feet. With in moments they were surrounded. Jaenelle stood front and center, her head held high. Her regal pose was completely ruined as her daughter used her as a pole to help herself stand. With a look at the males, Tara quickly fled the seen, leaving her mother to deal with her own problems.

The males formed a tight circle about their queen. Lucivar front and center pushed himself into the very center of the circle, and with his face and inch or two away from Jaenelle's nose. Said three words, in a voice that could freeze fire.

"Where is she."

"I sent her away. Only for a little while." She added quickly upon seeing their thunderous expressions. "In fact Lucivar I think you should go and get her soon."

"Well I would if I knew where she was." Lucivar said moving a step closer, forcing Jaenelle to lean back.

"Back off." Jaenelle said in a cold voice, shoving Lucivar away with enough force to make him stumble back into the other males, who were now regarding her warily. "You want her Lucivar, than you can have her."

Lucivar felt the instant that the shield dropped, the sweating heat, and sexual intensity washed over him, along with the other males who tensed up, their nostrils practically flaring as though they could taste her on the air.

" But that would be wrong. So I would let the other boyos have a chance at that. If they can catch her. Actually she might catch them. Or you can wait a few days, and go and get her yourself, unless you want more nieces and nephews. " Jaenelle continued starting to edge around a corner while the males where distracted with the feelings of Kearia. She finally got around the corner only to bump in a solid wall of male. By the scent alone she knew it was Daemon.

" Hello Wife," came the dark and beautiful voice form above her. " I think me and you need to go work of some of this tension that is going around." With that he swept her off her feet with very few protest.

Ch 13

"Stupid cats, wont let anyone fly into territory, have to go on foot. In stupid forest, with stupid thorns, after stupid high strung hell cat sister with problems." Lucivar mumbled under his breath as he struggled through the densely wooded forest to the lair of the cats. Height and wings defiantly were a disadvantage here. The couple hour trip was starting to feel like a day or two. So caught up in his mumblings he didn't realizes it when he reached the lair of the cats. He soon figured it out when a 150 ball of fluff came barreling up to him with an almighty all terrifying roar, which sounded more like a meow. Lucivar stopped dead in his tracks, for were the cub was the mother was soon to follow. His attention was drawn to a bush as branches snapped and leaves moved. Quickly bracing himself for an attack he was surprised when an apple hit him square on the head. Looking up he stared into an impish face of a scantily clad missing sister.

"Boo" Kearia said as she jumped down. Her hand coming to rest on the top of the cub's head as it leaned against her leg in contentment.

"What are you wearing" Lucivar shouted his hands going to his hips before the first words were out.

"To hot, needed to cool down. It was this or find a man to mate with." She said the remains of her heat not yet gone.

"Well than, this is better than that." Lucivar said quietly. "Are you okay to go back to the keep? If you don't go back some of the boys are going to hurt me, and Affie misses you."

"Are you saying your sorry, Luci" Kearia asked with a low tone.

"Ye….Luci?" he shouted

"If you want me to forgive you. You are going to let me call you Luci. But only me. Do we have a deal." She returned gliding toward him like a cat.

Lucivar tried to find a reasonable argument, but nothing came forward that he could repair the way he treated her. So finally he just nodded his head and embraced his sister. "I am sorry that I am an ass"

"Ahh Luci, you're not an ass you're a prick. You really should know that by now." she said pushing away form him. "You stink."

"Ya, well your not so pleasant looking yourself." Lucivar said with a snort. But thinking he was going to beat the boyos off with a stick as she looked tan, muscular, and shiny sweaty in a revealing choice of loincloth things. And she smelled like desire. It was a damn good thing she had him and Daemon to protect her." Come on lets go home"

Ch. 14

Kearia trailed behind Lucivar munching on an apple, as they walked through the woods, laughing quietly at the sight of an Eyrien warrior being weighed down by two huge bags of apples, that she had received during her stay with the cats from two very willing to please cubs. She had made him carry the apples, as she convinced him that vanishing the apples affected their taste. They were half way to the keep, when Lucivar started to grumble. Starting to laugh again she stopped with a gasp. Pain was starting to blossom below her stomach, spreading fast it went to her lower back and womb and started to intensify. With a groan she put a hand out to steady herself on a tree.

Lucivar hated apples, the smell, the shape, the taste, and his sister's addiction to them. Speaking of his sister, he didn't hear any giggles coming from her any more. Just then he heard a low groan of pain. Dropping the apples he spun around to see his sister drop to the ground as her legs gave out.

"What's wrong is it another attack? Where are they?" He shouted running up to her, ready to kill who ever was hurting her.

"Moon time, really bad. I want to go home." She said in a voice that was progressively getting tear filled.

Lucivar was shocked his sister in the short time he had known her never acted like this, like a girl. Then her words registered.

"Moon time, why didn't you tell me." He asked quietly as possible while his temper started to rise.

"Been putting it off to long, and now it comes with a vengeance. I thought I had a week or two left. It hurts I want a bed and someone to cuddle me, and apples, and I want it now damn it. Oh I don't feel good." She said with a sniffle as she started to pant.

Lucivar felt her head she was burning up. With an oath he picked her up and held her against his chest. She shivered with cold and tried to burrow into his chest. With an oath he was off.

"You better not have bruised my apples." She said before the pain became her world.

Ch.15

Jaenelle was just heading outside to dig in the garden, when Lucivar's physic thread reached her.

"Cat! Kearia is going into her moon time, she can't walk. She is in pain. Get everything ready. I will take her up to her room."

And with that Lucivar burst through the woods. An inhuman scream from across the yard attracted some attention as Bloodlust came tearing around the house. Others form the coven right behind him. Jaenelle decided it was time to take control.

"Lucivar, take her to the room on the west side corner. Bloodlust you guard the patio doors. Women come with me to the spell room. Men see what you can do to make her comfortable." She commanded with a very powerful voice. Every body rushed to meet her demands.

"Some one go back and get her apples. But don't vanish them she thinks it makes them taste bad." Lucivar said as he rushed inside.

Little did they know that somewhere far away out of earshot, someone was watching them from the woods. An untraceable presence was marking every one of there moves had for three days now. His breath coming out of his body in a hiss as he laid eyes on the form of Kearia in Lucivar's arms. Quickly dropping from the tree he ran deeper into the woods to report his findings.

Ch. 16

Jaenelle walked down the hall muttering under her breath, about getting the rings fixed so strong emotion could only go to a certain level. The males were in frenzy. There had already been two fistfights and an almost duel to the death. Lucivar had to go back and get her apples because the males wouldn't leave Kearia and they wouldn't let the other females go get them alone. And the married males wouldn't go get them either. This whole moon time had thrown everyone for a hormonal ride. Jaenelle was getting quiet mad. As she turned the corner she found Melion and Dalcon engaged in yet another fistfight with Dracin advancing from the opposite hall.

"That's it." Yelled Jaenelle, advancing quickly her wrath, streaming out in front of her in an almost visible wave. " You boys, all of you young bucks who are trying to become "good" friends of Kearia are now in charge of her well being. You and only you. And the ones who fight are going to be thrown out and are not to be allowed to help her in anyway. And if you keep on fighting until there is no one left, Kearia will be forced to suffer through the pain alone and it will be all your fault."

Quickly she sent out a physic thread telling every one in the keep what she had just proclaimed. And With that she threw the bag of heated rocks wrapped in cloth at the three shocked individuals and stormed away.

A minute or two after she had gone Dracin helped Dalcon and Melion off the floor. "Alright here is what we are going to do. We will take these things to Kearia then find the other boys and set things right."

The other two just nodded there heads and followed him down the hall toward Kearia bedroom.

Saetan sat in his chair in the study with a strong drink in his hand chuckling at what his witch child had done. Now Kearia would get the best care possible and the fist fights would stop and maybe she would get to know the boys a little better and then picking out which ones she wants to pursue her, and that would stop a lot of long term problems. So in fact she had solved many problems in one fell swoop. He chuckle again raising his glass to his lips.

Mean while in the kitchen Mrs. Beal had Lucivar cornered in the kitchen, a large metal spoon in one hand and a meat tenderizer in the other. "And what do think I am suppose to do with a thousand apples." She asked in a deadly quite voice, as the man tried to back up his hands out in surrender.

"Um.." Lucivar answered weakly, and with a last glance at the meat tenderizer, he bolted.

Ch. 17

Kearia's world was slowly coming back to her. At first she just felt the heavenly weight of sleep, but the stabbing pain in her gut quickly destroyed that. Not even opening her eyes she let out a groan and rolled to her side clutching her stomach. Her eyes fluttered open at the sound of many people coming toward her.

"Kearia, Kearia are you awake? Can you understand me?" A male voice asked from above her.

Kearia eyes slowly focused on the face of Dracin, then the crowd of males behind him.

"Dracin" she said in a whisper, "what are you all doing here?"

"We are here to take care of you." Dracin answered. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

" I want apples, and only one or two at a time in here. I want space." She said with a sniffle.

Dracin stood up monetarily confused by her attitude of utter helplessness. He kind of liked this side of her. It made him feel useful and male, for lack of a better word. Turning to the others he silently ushered them out into the hallway. Where they quickly and quietly made a schedule. Everything decided they parted way, most of the boys scattered to the outdoors were they could feel less strain of the high amounts of tension. Dalcon stayed in the room with Kearia in case she needed any thing. While Dracin hurried to the kitchen to get the apples, and after a little life threatening from Mrs. Beale, he was back up to Kearia's room.

"Kearia is there anything I can do to help you feel better," he asked quietly.

"Hot rocks, rub back softly, body heat." Was the mumbled response he got. Dracin and Dalcon's world focused in on Kearia, with a gulp they got busy. Gently turning her over to lie on her stomach Dalcon placed the wrapped hot rocks under her stomach. Peeling back the blanket reveled a slender back covered in a nightgown. With shaking hands Dracin began to softly rub circles into Kearia's lower back.

"Skin, must be against skin" came a muffled voice with in a pillow.

"Kearia do you really think that is wise?" Dalcon asked, knowing that there were going to be problems later on from this.

"Yes, starting to feel better, please. Skin. Still cold." She said looking up at them with her golden eyes.

With a sigh they knew their fate was sealed. Taking off their shirts they slipped into the bed next to Kearia. The boy's breath caught in their throats, as they gently lifted the nightgown up until her back was exposed. Making she was covered enough for modesty Dracin began to once again rub her back. Dalcon gently began to comb his fingers through her hair. With a sigh she snuggled closer to the warmth and comfort. An hour or two later Kearia once again fell into sleep's warm arms.

Dracin let out a shaky breath that had been wanting to come out for so long. Hearing an answering sigh he looked at his twin. Dalcon gave him a small smile, that he knew mirrored his own.

"We are going to have to keep her now, aren't we? " he asked his brother.

"Could we have even resisted." Dalcon answered looking down at the sleeping form he held.

"Do you think she will accept both of us?' Dracin asked a little worried. He never wanted to leave his brother.

"It never hurts to try." Dalcon said trying to sound confident, even though he too was worried about that. He chuckled as he thought of the competition that he was going to have to beat off. He looked forward to it. She belonged to him and his brother now. They couldn't help it, they had found their queen.

Ch. 18

Three days later Kearia was nearing the end of her moon time and she couldn't be more grateful for it. Even to Kearia having been in bed for three days and nights was torture. She felt like she was being stuffed into the house that was growing smaller by the minute. Dracin and Dalcon were the only males left that she could stand for more than a few minutes, which was surprising to say the least, as they had practically never left her side. A small smile came to her lips. To night was the last night of her moon time and here she was in their arms again. She listened to the deep breathing behind and in front of her. She had to admit she loved being held in their arms. Over the last three days they was unusually possessive about her. Barley letting anyone besides her family and bonded in to see her. The most surprisingly of all she didn't mind. In fact she loved it. Once this whole moon time, was over she might have to start something. Sure there were two of them but they didn't seem to have a problem with it, so why should she. It just meant that she got twice as much attention. With a final sigh and a smile that caused Dracin to tighten his arms around her, she drifted off to sleep, while cuddling closer to Dalcon.

The two men moved silently down the hallway in a low crouch. Coming to the door they sot, they paused. With hand signals they went over the plan to retrieve and capture once more. With a nod the taller of the men, the older looking man got to work picking the locks of the door. Gaining entry quickly they eased into the room, only to meet with the tip of Dracin's Eyrien blade to the tip of their throats. Dalcon standing right beside him with his own elfin blade.

" Who are you?" Dracin growled a glint of killing fury in his eyes.

The answered he got came in the form of a small dart piercing the side of his neck, and him hitting the floor. Fully aware of everything that was going on around him but unable to move or send out a warning with his jewels. He watched the two men rush past him to the bed. Stepping over the prone form of Dalcon who went down a split second after his brother. They stooped over the sleeping form of Kearia and began to whisper softly to each other. Dracin felt his blood begin to boil. He felt the drug in his blood start to thin as he rose to the killing edge. With a quick look at him and his brother, the two men in black pick up Kearia and rushed out the door.

Ch 19

"Hellie. Hellie. You need to wake up right now. We are in a spot of trouble." Came a panicked voice from above her. That was the first thing she became aware of, the next that she was being jostled quiet quickly down a hallway. Her eyes flying open she came into quick contact with the deep brown eyes of Blake her second in command.

"What the hell are you doing here." She asked, putting the fact that they were hurtling down a hallway at top speed on her list of questions to ask later.

"They really did brain wash you didn't they." Came a reply from just over Blake's' shoulder.

Kearia looked around the slight shoulders of Blake to see Ryder bringing up the rear.

"The message that the guild sent you on Galen's hawk, don't ya remember Hellie." Blake said rolling his eyes. "Don't ya worry Hellie. We'll get you all straightened out, just as soon as we get out of this bloody house. Lets try this door."

Kearia just sat as still as she could in Blake's arms while she tried to sort out this knot of psychoness. They finally came to a stop. Both men panting from the running.

"Damn, no windows and the entire keep is coming toward us. Nice job on picking a room you idiot." Ryder said as he looked around the room filled with chairs and a very important looking desk.

"Well if it makes you feel any better, next time you can choose the room to go into when we are running for our lives" Blake answered as he set Kearia down on the corner of the desk.

Kearia took in her surroundings with an audible huff. The study, it figures. Wonder why every one who is trying to escape the keep ends up here. Maybe a spell of some kind. She would have to investigate that later though. With that she turned her attention back to her men. The boys moved away from her and drew their weapons. Throwing up shields of Blake's green and Ryder's Opal, they faced the door of the study. Waiting for all hell to brake lose.

On the other side of the door the first circle and most of their children were once again assembled. Saetan, Jaenelle, and Daemon front and center, in their familiar roles. While Lucivar came around the corner, helping two very ticked off warlord princes stumble down the hall.

Jaenelle was the first to take the chance and break the silence.

"Is it just me, or have we been here before."

Ch. 20

Jaenelle was the first to try the door. The shields in place were strong, but no were near strong as she was, with a gentle flick of her power, which felt like a thunder bolt to the men inside the study. The doors flew open and in rushed a staggering Dracin and Dalcon, blades ready and murder in his eyes. Jaenelle kept the rest of the coven from storming in so the men could have some room to fight. The men were advancing toward one another when Kearia decided to take matters into her own hands. She quickly through up a black shield, trying to keep everyone apart. The shield only lasted an instant before the massive amount of pain took over her entire system. With a low moan of pain she started to slide down the desk.

"Kearia" all four men shouted at the same time, only to through odd looks at one another while trying to get to Kearia around the other males. By this time most of the coven had managed to shove there way into the study, Jaenelle or no. Most were readying for a fight, but a silent command for them to stop from Jaenelle had everyone waiting to see what new information came out. Before they ripped apart the men who had threatened their family.

"Let me past." Dracin growled, his sword still pulling for attack. His brother right beside him, looking just as dangerous.

" Never, we are taking her back to were she belongs." Blake returned, matching his stance, and pulling two daggers out of his belt.

"Let them past Blake" came the weary voice from behind them. He started to say something but was interrupted by her again. "That is an order."

"Yes Captain" they both said in unison.

Both men moved back to allow Dracin and Dalcon through. Who quickly rushed to her side and gathered her into his arms. The rest of the court stood back and let Kearia get situated in her new position.

" And who are you." Jaenelle stepped forward to begin the questioning.

"Well My Lady, I am Ryder and this here is Blake and it is a pleasure to make you acquaintance." Ryder said moving forward to take Jaenelle's hand with a kiss and a wink that made her blush and giggle like a schoolgirl. Much to Daemon's annoyance, which was made quiet apparent when he growled and moved forward.

A quiet chuckle from Kearia paused everything. "Everyone I would like to introduce you to two of the members of the Tiger Eye Assassins. My gang from the guild. They obviously came to get me when I didn't come home as soon as I thought I was. With the heat and then the moon time."

"You were going to leave." this coming in the form of a deep animal growl from Dracin.

"Um… Yes" she said innocently as she slowly turned her head to face him. Seeing his face and the look he was giving her, she tried to look up at him through her lashes. It didn't work. She slowly started to lean away from him, but that just made him tighten his grip. With another growl he slammed his lips down on hers. With a surprised squeak she leapt away from him. Right into Dalcon who quickly turned her and gave her a kiss just a passionate as his brothers. It was a moment or two before Kearia could gather enough brain cells to push him away. With stumbling steps she went over to Blake and Ryder who were gapping at her. With a red face she began to wipe furiously at her mouth, her eyes wide and fixed on Dracin and Dalcon as they began to advance once more.

"Whoa slow down there turbo" she said holding out her hand and backing away. Dracin and Dalcon didn't even twitch, just kept coming until two large bodies stopped him.

"I think you two have some explaining to do, boyos." Lucivar said as he crossed his arms over his chest. He brought out his jewels making sure they knew who they was going up against.

" Yes, yes you do. And I think you should do it quickly." Daemon said from right beside Lucivar, as he picked at his nails, mainly the one where the black widow fang was located. His jewels out and shining with deadly purpose.

" Perhaps, you and the rest of the males would like to join me and my sons in this study later tonight." Saetan said from his place beside Jaenelle, his voice clearly telling Dracin and Dalcon that they were up to their necks in trouble. " Jaenelle, witch child. You seen to be keeping a level head about the whole situation. Is there something you would like to share with us."

" Yes actually there is… Would anyone like some tea?"

Ch 21

Jaenelle shouldered her way though her husband and brother, to stand in front of Kearia.

"I think you should start explaining in detail." she said in her queen voice but with a sparkle in her eyes.

Kearia straightened her shoulders and began to tell everyone about her gang from the guild. How she had sort of collected them through out the years. She had trained some of them; half way raised others, and was a friend to all. Jaenelle was quiet though out all this she had meant Dracin and Dalcon but if Kearia wanted to explain the other two she wouldn't stop her.

"Basically," she concluded after her speech. " They're are my friends from the guild. They protect me and I protect them. They have my back. Kind of a one for all and all for one thing."

" And how many are in your gang." Lucivar asked.

"Four men, and three wives. The men and me were put into the tiger-eye gang because we already knew each other and didn't want to kill each other. We were all put into the group as equals, but the men wanted a leader or in other words to serve, so they choose me as leader. The men are Blake. Who you see here. He is a green-jeweled blood; he is an expert in archery, daggers and gathering information or in other words a spy. He first meet me in a river, I fished him out and we have been friends ever sense." The man about whom they were talking about came up to her shoulder to whisper something into her ear.

"But of course it's fine to tell them. They are my family by blood, and in case you didn't know that's Witch, my sister in law." She retorted not bothering to keep it quiet. Once again the men where gapping at her.

"The older gentlemen is Ryder," at this Ryder winked at the group of ladies. " The ever young flirt. He is a blooded opal warlord. I found him and his mother after a man had beaten them and left them out in the snow to die. The bastard didn't live long, I can tell you that. I nursed them back to health, his mother became our cook and Ryder became part of the group. He is amazing with horses, and has a lovely hand a explosives." She paused for a minute at this point. Looking over at her father she began to walk toward him.

"Father, may my group come and stay here with me for a while," she asked looking up at him. Her hands clasped against her breast, her eyes wide and shiny and she batted her eyes at her father, the very essence of innocence surrounding her.

"Wow, Saetan, doesn't stand a chance against that." Came a not so quiet whisper form the crowd of the first circle. A few of the younger ones chuckled at that, but were quickly quelled by the glare that Saetan through at them.

With a sigh Saetan looked down at his daughter. With a sigh he nodded his head, while making a mental note to stock more yarrbrah for his head aches.

" Very well then," Kearia said turning once more to her men. "Go and get the rest of the gang. All of them. And we will introduce the rest of them when they get here."

The two men nodded and strode to the door, everyone moving out of their way. Kearia nodded in approval and turned back to her father. Her eyes catching on Dracin and Dalcon who still stood blocked by Daemon and Lucivar. Both were staring at her with hot eyes that made her shiver.

The other males in the room didn't fail to notice this. And Saetan decided it was time to take action, before any more fights broke out.

"Gentlemen, if you would please join me in my study. I think it is time for the ladies to go get some rest"

Jaenelle and Kearia looked as though they wanted to object, but his quick nod in the twin's direction stopped them. They moved trough the door slowly, mostly because of Kearia who was still somewhat weak and sore. Dracin moved up to help her. But was stopped by Daemonar's hand on his arm.

"I will make sure she is comfortable and safe. You need to stay here." Daemonar said softly. Dracin just shook his head in confusion. He felt like he was half mad. He could not really processing much other than his queen who had not officially chosen him was in need of help. Dalcon was not much better pacing and growling. "If you want her, then you stay." Daemonar said with an air of finality. With that he left Dracin and Dalcon standing in the study with all the males who's new little sister, and daughter, they had an interest in. With a sigh, both of tem squared their shoulders, ready to fight for what was theirs now.

Ch. 22

Kearia was being helped up the stairs by Daemonar when Erinar came barreling down the hallway, looking like the hounds of hell had chewed him up and spit him out.

"Jaenelle. Thank the Darkness. Its Surreal, she's gone in to labor." He said taking her arm and throwing her over his shoulder he proceeded to carry her down the hallway at a fast pace, much to every ones surprise.

"Erinar. Stop and put me down." Jaenelle said laughter in her voice, "A woman's first birth can take hours."

"I know," he said looking distraught. " She said she went into labor right after I left to do guard duty this mourning. She didn't tell anyone. She didn't want to be fussed over."

By this Jaenelle was running down the hall with everyone scrambling to find the stuff they would need for the birth. Leaving Erinar standing in the hallway, mumbling about fussing too much and that it was his fault.

Back in the Study

"So Dracin, Dalcon. What are your intentions toward my daughter." Saetan said as he sat down at his desk. His sons coming to stand on each side of him, trying to be as imposing as possible. Saetan was having a hard time not laughing at the twin's identical facial expressions of determination.

"We want to serve her. As her consorts, husbands, lovers and friends. We want to be hers in all ways." Dracin said, speaking for himself and his twin, letting more and more emotion into his voice with every word.

" Well. That was down to the point wasn't it." Lucivar said with a smirk.

" Indeed it was." Saetan said, his voice deadly serious. " Dracin, Dalcon we will allow your courtship of her. But." He was cut off when Daemon growled. " But it will be her choice wither to keep the both of you or not. You will give her time and space so she can make a decision without you two pressuring her into making you her consorts."

"You hurt her and you'll answer to us." The Sadist said as the cold and powerful power of the black swept the room.

"Yes, yes. They know that. But what I want to know is if you have talked to your parents about the both of you going after the same queen?" Saetan asked leaning forward.

The twins stood there taking in every word. The rules were set, they could court her now, with out having to worry about the family killing them or them killing anyone as his intentions were clear to every other male.

"Yes we have, they said that they had been expecting it for some time. In the Dea al Mon, it is commonplace for twins to chose one partner together. It is rare that they don't" Dalcon said as he stopped his pacing next to his brother.

Saetan nodded his head. Tired from all the excitement he sent everyone out of his study so he could have one moment's peace. Which was soon shattered into a million pieces.

The males left the study in silence. Saetan was still amazed after all these years, at the structure of a circle. The males and the females had there own stasis and order within their own. But it all came down to one thing with the males. Protect and Serve. No male could be happy for too long with out a queen to serve. As they all reached the hall, they were about to go their separate ways, when Surreal's' scream ripped though the very walls of the Keep. With a glance at each other they were off running.

When they reached the door they found Erinar outside, his face blank.

"Erinar, what happened? Is it the baby?" Lucivar asked. All he got in reply was a growl as another scream filled the air. Erinar was starting to rise to the killing edge; Daemon knew he had to do something soon in order to stop bloodshed. Right as he opened his mouth to command Erinar to stand down, a baby's cry spilt the tension. With a cry of relief Erinar rushed into the room. The other males followed in at a more sedated pace. Saetan stumbling in last yarrbrah staining his shirt. They found Surreal in bed with Erinar by her side, both of them staring down at the small bundle in Surreal's arms with looks of wonder and awe on their faces.

The males chuckled and gathered their own women, who looked tired. Dracin and Dalcon were frantic, Kearia wasn't there. Quickly they sent out a call on their Gray Jewel to her. With a sigh of relief they were off. She was in her room. Daemonar had put her to bed just like he said he would.

Entering her room as quietly as possible they crept to her bed. Pulling back her sheet they crawled in next to her. Pulling her close they closed their eyes and sighed in contentment. Quickly falling into a deep sleep the twins missed the smile that graced Kearia face.

CH. 23

Kearia awoke to pounding coming from her door. Sitting up quickly she caught a flash of skin as Dracin and Dalcon faced the door in nothing but a sheet and a pillow with their blades drawn.

"Hellie, get out here quick Hallmar is throwing a fit and he won't stop until he sees you. Ryder and Galen are trying to keep him out of the house but I think the circle may step in soon and that would be bad. Hellie are you even awake." A voice she recognized as Blake yelled from the other side of the door.

Kearia sprinted to the door wrapped in nothing but a small sheet, passing a sputtering and growling (AN. No idea how that is possible) Dracin and Dalcon on her way. She past Blake with a flurry of white and began to speed toward the booming sounds. When the sounds suddenly stopped, she really started to panic. Using her jewels she pushed herself though the walls and into the main hall.

The sudden stop she came to upon seeing the scene that was in the main hall, was quite jarring. Hallmar her half-giant team member, who was incredibly gentle until someone he loved was threaten or asked him too, then he turned into an unstoppable force of pure strength, was standing in the middle of the room with young Affie held up at his eye level, completely silent and still, as the boyos from the first circle were advancing with deadly intent.

"Every body stop right now." Kearia screamed out her temper rising. All the males came to attention and turned in her direction. "Okay, time to fix this before you boyos get your fighting sticks any farther up your ass."

Moving forward to stand next to Hallmar and Affie who looked down from her new height at Kearia and waved with a giggle. "Affie, sweetheart, do you want to play a game with Hallmar here. Honk his nose for me, will you." Affie still giggling reached up and honked Hallmar's rather large nose. Which resulted in an almost deafening honk from him. Affie was holding her hands over her ears and giggling like a schoolgirl. Kearia just smiled and patted his arm. He put Affie up on his shoulders, which she loved, before turning to her.

"Hellie, are you going to play too." He said sounding like a ten year old. She was about to answer him when he stopped her. "Are you a ghost? I didn't know we were supposed to dress up. Can I be a bunny rabbit? Hellie. Hellie! Where are you going?"

His words were almost drowned out by the rest of her teams laughing and her scream as she rushed out of the room. The sheet clutched closely to her body. Dracin and Dalcon just followed quietly behind her leaving as silently as they arrived. Fully clothed of coarse.

"Well I suppose we will get our answers when she gets dressed." Jaenelle said with a smile. "Gentle men if you will follow me to the study. Hallmar where are you going."

"I need apples, I think Hellie is mad at me. But don't worry, nice lady, a sack or two of apples and all will be right as cherry rain again." Hallmar said as he walked toward the kitchen with Affie still giggling on his shoulders, with her mother flittering after him.

"Do you think Mrs. Beale will kill him?" Daemonar said as he came up beside his father. Lucivar didn't answer, when his son looked over to ask him again, he found that his father was gone. He had a guess that he was off to hide from Mrs. Beale who had threatened to castrate him with her meat cleaver if she ever saw another apple in her kitchen.

10 minutes later outside near the kitchen.

Kearia rushed down the hallways, fully dressed in her usual assassin cloths, which her boys had been nice enough to bring to her. Lucivar had found her moments ago and had returned all of her weapons that she had arrived with. Walking through the kitchen she found Mrs. Beale over the sink almost in tears. Alarmed, as even though she had only been there a few days she knew that Mrs. Beale was a strong women that you did not mess with.

"Mrs. Beale, what wrong? Are you hurt? Who do I have to hurt." Her hand rubbing Mrs. Beale's back.

"Look in the pantry." She said quietly, tears in her voice.

Kearia slowly walked over to the pantry, and with a confused look in Mrs. Beale's direction opened only to be half buried in apples. The pantry was big enough to hold twelve Eyrien warriors and it was full to the brim with apples.

"Oh Mrs. Beale this is all my fault. I told them I liked apples." Kearia said while trying to dig herself out of the apples without bruising any.

"You told them you liked apples and this is what happened. Oh sweetheart, you've got them hooked bad." Mrs. Beale said sounding like she was torn between sobbing or hysterical laughter.

"Just you wait. I am going to get this all straitened out just you watch." And with that she ran out the door, to the group of people outside, her men on one side and the circle on the other. "Oh this is so stupid, so ... male. Okay, fast introduction. You already know Blake and Ryder. You meet Hallmar earlier and the dark one sulking in the woods with his birds is Galen. Their wives are back at the safe point and will be here tomorrow. Right boys." At there dutiful nods she continued her hands coming off her hips. "Now I need some help, anybody that wants to live on the fighting plains can come with me." With that she was back in the kitchen.

Her boys were the first to follow her in with Galen moving fast from the woods, most of the circle boyos following behind him. They found her in the kitchen putting Mrs. Beale in a comfy chair with a cup of tea. The boyos were horrified; she was doing their job. They had neglected a female in there family. Seeing the guilt on their faces Kearia quickly set them to work gathering the apples into bags. With harsh warnings not to vanish them she sent them out to all neighboring territories, with orders to give an apple to every child, family, or horse that they saw.

Hours later the boyos returned looking haggled. Most of them had the idea that all children where demons. The only ones that didn't were the one's fast enough to get away.

Ch 24

Jaenelle and Kearia rounded the corner as quickly as possible. With a look to each other that was worth a hundred words, they booked it up the final flight of stairs to the attic.

"This is so…so…stupid, male, arrogant, pig headed, and did I mention stupid. All we need is a few minutes alone." Kearia said panting slightly.

"They know that we're plotting. All the girls are being watched all the time. Do you know that I actually found Gressina, Khardeen and Morghann oldest daughter hiding in the closet. She thought I was another male." Jaenelle said as she locked the door behind her. "I give us about fifteen minutes before they notice that were gone. Maura can't hold them forever with her singing; she always gets upset if the males leave. Daemonar did once, but his ears were bleeding. I think she only sings like that when the boys are around. Of course I think she is putting a little more dying cat voice into it then usual."

"Right" Kearia said slowly, one eyebrow rising in question. "My boys and yours aren't working together that well. We need to do something to bring them together."

"The Mid-Summer Ball is coming up, we could do something there." Jaenelle said as she paced back and forth.

"That's right, it is coming up. In the guild we didn't have a Ball, but we did do a little something else." She said thoughtfully, her face blooming into a smile that was more than a little mischievous.

"Do I want to know." Jaenelle asked with a smile of her own.

"Probably not. Just tell that the Ball will be cut short for a ceremony from me and the boys."

With that they turned and walked out the door. Smiles of pure female, on their faces. They got back to Maura's performance as the last note screeched and the last window shattered. Maura glanced at her two aunts and saw there smiles, so with a smile of her own she decided it was time to exit stage left.

As the females left the room, the boys gathered to comfort each other, and to clean up the blood from Daemonar's ears. The poor boy was still in shock. The front row was a hard burden to bear.

And things were quite for the next few days. Everyone preparing for the Mid-Summer Ball. Dalcon and Dracin snuck into Kearia's room as soon as they thought she was asleep, and Kearia waited to go to sleep until they had their arms around her.

Ch. 25

Kearia's head ached just thinking about yesterday, her hands rubbing her head as she walked down the hall toward the practice grounds, her gang was probably already out there. They loved to show off, no matter what they said. Her boys had returned and brought their wives with them, and oh boy what a chaos day in hell that was. She didn't think Beale was ever going to recover. Hallmar is such a sweetie, he really didn't mean for the door to come off its hinges, with Beale attached to the other side. Though it was kind of funny to come down the hall and see Beale hanging from the uplifted door, his face still so posed and perfect. Dropping ungracefully to the ground he brushed himself off and announced that her guest had arrived. Then he had marched directly to the kitchen.

They had all gone directly to the study, where every one was introduced again it started with Blake, a green jeweled Prince. He was Kearia's second in command and had the appearance of skinny, dark, and evil. But he was just tough as nails and quiet. Lucivar of coarse had to know what weapon he specializes in, he was answered by an arrow being imbedded above is head and a dagger in the floor by his foot. Kearia laughed under her breath as Lucivar jumped a foot when Blake whispered "Boo" into his ear.

With a face of cold indifference, he went one to describe how him and 'Hellie' first met. He was a child, at the age of four, in the guild and had gone for a walk to the lake that was by the orchard. It was a mild winter and a couple of older boys had come by and thought it would be great fun to throw him onto the ice. There was only two problems the ice was thin and Blake didn't know how to swim. The boys had run away laughing, they thought it was great fun. Kearia at the young age of fifteen had dived into the freezing lake and fished the boy out, using craft to break through the ice. She had saved his life and he had been loyal to her ever since.

With a smile that melted his cold face he turned to one of the women they had brought back with them. In a voice that was filled with warmth and love, he introduced his wife Althea. They never broke eye contact as he went on to describe his wife as a very gentle healer who wore opal, and her ability to blend in with the shadows, that she had taught to him. She was tall and graceful, with black hair and brown eyes just as he did. Her eyes just a tad bit lighter than his. He ended his little speech with a kiss to her lips, which had all the married women inching toward their husbands.

"And they have been like this since the day they met. A couple centuries at least." Kearia said ruining the moment. With an innocent smile at the glare the two sent her she turned toward Hallmar who stood near the window, hunched over trying not to let his head hit the ceiling that was at least six feet above everybody else's head.

"You all already meet Hallmar. Honey do you feel up to telling everybody else about yourself." She asked him a hand on his arm, rubbing gently.

"No. You do it." he said softly.

"Okay" Kearia said, shaking her head slightly to get rid of the ringing of Hallmar's deep bass of a voice. "Hallmar here is the sweetest, kindest, most gentle person you will ever meet. His mother was a Giant, his father a human. His mother brought him to the guild and gave him into our care. She knew that he would at least live with us, where as he would have died with her. She loved him so much." She said her voice getting deeper as the emotion leaked into it. A few of the other women were teary eyed as well. Jaenelle had tears flowing down her cheeks as Daemon held her close. "I always looked after him. Taught him what I knew in secret, so he could keep up with the other children in the other weapon classes. He excelled at the hand-to-hand combat, with the strength of a giant and the flexibility of a human, he was a joy to watch fight. Blake was about 23 at the time Hallmar first came and took to him right away as a younger brother. Hallmar would follow Blake around all the time. When Hallmar was five, me and Blake were sent out on a mission, and some bullies from the guild, grown men and boys alike, cornered him in the stables, they beat him and left him close to death." The story was interrupted for a moment as Hallmar lifted Kearia into a Hug and let her hold him as the rest of her gang gathered around him. " He never really aged in his mind since that day. And we all love him just the way he is. Wouldn't trade him for the world."

It took a few moments to calm everybody, tea was brought in and everyone took a seat, or leaned against the wall. Everyone was looking toward Kearia expectantly; she was still sitting near Hallmar, who had a large platter of cookies all to himself. Placing another cookie, from his plate, in her mouth she nodded to Ryder.

Ryder got up and made his way to the petite woman who was looking over the pastry dishes. "My love, please face the world with me." He said passionately kissing her hand while she blushed and giggled coming to stand by his side near Kearia. The other woman in her room giggled as well. Kearia sent a look to Dracin and Dalcon under her lashes, her face flamed as she caught them staring at her with a burning heat in their eyes. She knew that look and felt answering warmth in her body. Turning her head away she focused once more on Ryder who had not let his wife's hand go.

"Beautiful ladies I regret to tell you that my heart is stolen so please do not yearn for me no more. This flower of light by my side has taken my entire soul into her keeping. Her name is Ivi, my yellow Jeweled princess, the very name of heaven to my ears. The most divine cook in the world, the maker of ambrosia in my life. Poisons of the finest degree to slay a man as quickly as she stole my heart. My match in every way." At this point Kearia cleared her throat and with a pointed nod in Ivi's direction, who was as red as a poppy in spring.

"I am called Ryder, Opal warlord, named for my way with horses, so to say. Kearia gained my blood, one night on a winter road, as most of you I hope remember. My mother has moved on to the peaceful Night. And before you say anything Lucivar, catch." With that said he tossed a small ball to Lucivar.

"What the Hel…" was as far as he got before the small ball exploded and left his hair standing straight behind him and dyed and unusual shade of pink. Blinking his eyes to clear them, revealed a group family and friends laughing hysterically at him.

When the laughter died down the circle turned to the last two members of the gang that had yet to introduce themselves. A quiet man with light brown hair and blue eyes and a woman with blond hair and blue eyes. Both oddly comforting and normal in appearance and presence. The man was the first to step forward.

"I am Galen, this is my wife Tala." With that he was back against the wall as silent as ever.

"Galen wears the Red, I wear the Rose. Galen is our scribe and field healer, he does what he can until we can get them to Althea. Kearia and Galen met through his hawks; they like and trust her, so he trusts her. Lucivar I believe you already met one." Tala said gesturing to his face. "I raise half wolf, half dog tracking and fighting hounds. If you couldn't tell by now I am the more talkative one in the relationship."

"My gang was my family before I met all of you. Now you are my family as well. And nothing would please me more than to have my two families at peace with one another." Kearia said softly as she stepped up after Tala was finished, turning in a circle she looked everyone in the eyes.

With that hanging in the air the room was tense with so many emotions the space was filled with them. Saetan gave a tired sigh and moved around his desk until he stood next to his daughter in front of her gang.

"Welcome to the family." He said strongly his hands outstretched.

Saetan moved back to his chair with much relief. Sighing to himself he thought about what had just happened. The ice was broken and the circle began to introduce themselves to the gang of assassins with much unusual glee. The makings of a weird but never bored family in the makings. Saetan laughed, compared to what it was before he would be surprised if the they lasted a year with out blowing up the keep.

Kearia came to stand with her father, Jaenelle right behind her. "It wont be that bad father. We'll keep an eye on things." Kearia said with a pat to his shoulder and a smile that was instantly matched by Jaenelle, who nodded vigorously.

"Oh Mother Night and May the Darkness be merciful. We're all going to die." He said before laughing.

The girls didn't think it was that funny, but hey it was better then crying.

Chapter 26

Kearia sighed as she leaned against the wall in the corner. Men were pressing on her from every direction, and Dracin and Dalcon were acting like bucks in season. They would growl at any passing male. Dracin actually threw a guy against the wall when he tried to introduce himself. She blamed it on the dress she was wearing; Jaenelle thought that it would drive the men crazy. Well it worked. Kearia couldn't help but smile at the thought that if they acted this way now when all she was doing was just standing there, what were they going to do at the guild event that she and her group had planed for tonight.

She couldn't understand it, why all the unattached males in the room were acting like a bunch of peacocks, prancing about but ready to kill each other at a moments notice. Males where stupid when unclaimed females were around, she decided as she headed to the punch bowl. Dalcon running to catch up with her, not caring who or what was in his path. While Dracin was still holding they guy against the wall. Kaelas was already out side with Bloodlust, both of them had been keeping their distance lately and it was starting to really annoy her, it almost broke her heart. She had tried to ask them what was wrong, but they had simply said that they would be back when she made up her mind. And that just annoyed her even more. She knew what they were talking about but she didn't want to face it quiet yet, she didn't know how.

Her boys had already left a while ago to set things up for her. They had enjoyed the ball almost as much as Saetan did, she could bet that most of the non-relations went home a little poorer then when they arrived. Her boys just could resist showing off there skills. Hell Lucivar still had a hint of pink in his hair that wouldn't come out. Father was moving to the middle of the room when she was almost finished with her drink.

"Thank you, neighbors and friends for coming tonight. I know it is still early yet, but we must call it a night for the ladies are tired." To prove his point most of the females in the room yawned, bringing their hands up to cover their smiles. The males got to work and with in ten minutes the room was clear. During this time Kearia had managed to slip out the back door and up to the clearing on top of the hill.

Back at the Keep Dracin had just noticed that Kearia was missing, with a growl to Dalcon, they decided to split up. He started to search for her using his jewels. Sensing her pattern in the web close by he went after her. Saetan watched him stock out the door and quickly told everyone to follow Dracin for a special show from the guild. He grabbed Dalcon and shoved him the right way, after his brother. The coven followed him quickly, the women ran ahead in a group all happy, with smiles reserved only for women, the men followed at a more sedated pace but just as curious as the girls.

When they came to the base of the hill they could see a small fire that was growing larger by the second. As they moved closer they could see Dracin walking back a forth, like a caged tiger, in front of the circle that consisted of all the male members of the guild. Dalcon ran to join his brother. The assassins each had different instruments in front of them, each of them tuning them with ease. As the coven gathered around quietly talking to one another, the tension in the air was rising to an almost unbearable level, thanks to Dalcon and Dracin.

As the night around them started to quiet, the coven settled as well, until the only thing left in the night was the sound of the fire and the wind. The males of the guild softly started playing, so lightly that it was barely heard. The music increased as it drew everyone into it silken hold.

The fire roared suddenly and four figures appeared before it. The women of the guild had arrived for the ceremony. There power drenching everyone in the circle with power. Everyone was silent as they began to dance.

Ch 27

The figures came through the smoke each one gracefully moving to the rhythm of the music. As they got closed the forms revealed themselves to be the females of the assassin's guild. Kearia led them as the danced progressed becoming faster and faster. The outfits they wore consisted of many scarves tied together and bound at the waist. The fabric moved like the wind making the dancer seem like mist.

The twins stood with eyes riveted to the figure in red. They had never seen anything so amazing in their entire lives. They wanted her, to serve her, to belong to her in every sense of the word. She danced with her eyes half closed with expressions of such intense emotion ranging from sadness, lust, to joy, in anything but an instant. With a glance at each other they vowed then and there that she would be the keeper of their hearts forever.

The music began to slow and the figures began to move to the circle of musicians, all the figures but one. Kearia still stood in the circle next to the fire, moving so close to it that she looked to be a part of it. She was a creature of extraordinary grace and beauty. As everyone thought the night was about to end the music sped back up this time darker, harder, black, powerful. Everything that was Kearia was wrapped up in this music. The crowd that was gathered around started to feel as though their hearts were being ripped out of their chest. As the beat became louder and louder Kearia began to move closer and closer to the fire until she was but a hairs breath away form it. Dracin and Dalcon started to move into the circle to stop her from hurting herself in the fire; they was a step away when the final note of the song rained out. And with that note Kearia threw herself into the fire, only to have it instantly go out. But there was no body. She was simple gone.

Chapter 28

Dracin and Dalcon were rising to killing edge so fast it began to make them dizzy. With a growl they advanced on the glide members. Before they got very far Galen stepped in front of them and pointed to the woods behind them. Quickly turning the saw Kearia leaning against a tree still in her red dancing out fit.

As one they turned and ran toward her. Her eyes widened as she saw them coming and in a flurry of cloth she was gone running through the trees, looking back every now and then to see if they were still following. Moments into the chase it turned from serious to a game, her laughter floated back to them on a breeze and brought them back from the killing edge faster then anything else could have.

Dalcon and Dracin decided that it was time to put a stop to this game, and with a jump the took to the trees, where elves like them were in their element.

Kearia still running ahead, looked back and came to a sudden halt. They weren't behind her, they had left. Kearia felt as though her heart was being used a punching bag. It hurt more then she thought. Tears were about to fall from her eyes when she was tackled from above.

Kearia found herself staring into two pairs of identical eyes filled with mischief that cleared immediately as they saw the tears that were still in her eyes.

"Oh. Kearia. Don't cry. We thought it was a game." Dalcon said as Dracin gently stroked her check.

"It was. It is just that, I thought you had given up and thought I wasn't worth the trouble any more." Kearia said calming under their gentle administrations.

"We would follow you to the ends of the earth and back, as long as we were by your side we would be happy." Dracin answered.

"How do you speak for one another like that." Kearia asked as she leaned into the twins.

"We are twins." Said Dalcon.

"We share a bond." Continue Dracin.

"And one thing we know, is that we love you." The said in unison.

"I love the both of you too." Kearia said with the love showing through in her voice.

Back at the keep.

"Finally" said Bloodlust and Kaelas at the same time.

"At least we can be around her again." Bloodlust chuckled to his friend.

"When do you think they will have cubs." Kaelas asked a bit scared to what the boys were going to act like then.

"Don't even think it." Bloodlust warned shuddering at the thought Kearia as a grumpy pregnant lady.

That night the moon watched as friends became lovers on a field of clover. And the stars danced as they too watched destiny unfold.

That is it, unless you want a sequel. Then just review and tell me and I will see what I can do.

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