Author's note: Please read "Like Minds" before this chapter, only three more chapters in the story.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Kross to Bear

She watched as he left the front of the house she found him at. It helped that they shared a blood bond now, made him easy to track; it also had the side benefit of the Vannas allowing her onto the island. They believed she was a Vannas and now here she was. She watched as two men followed Adrian out, each holding a baby and she watched as her 'child' leaned down to kiss each one in turn. The younger of the two men grabbed Adrian in a quick hug, which turned her young creation bashful before he pushed the man gently and walked away from the house.

DK found it interesting that she did not find Adrian with his sisters, the royalty of the Vannas because they were the reason he told her for leaving her behind. She was a danger to his family and he couldn't allow her among them.

She understood the danger she represented but she also knew that if there was anyone on the planet who could find a way to cure them both and those others who were turned in Zarranth's need to make his own magical warriors, it was here on the island of power with the queen and her healers.

Maybe she needed to find out from the men why Adrian would leave her behind. She stepped out from the shadows and walked towards the house.

It had been several weeks by Jack's estimation; Vannas don't really keep time like humans once did, since Daniel told him about Adrian's changes. He understood in hindsight that the younger man really wasn't going to hurt their children and he had gladly taken Adrian on as a surrogate Godfather at Daniel's request. He was glad they discussed it more than once, many times with Adrian himself but Jack also knew that Adrian was still not discussing his new circumstances with Zarkina and that worried him. If the Magis within the twins were to reawaken and Adrian was around, would his hunger overpower the need to protect those children that he loved? Adrian wasn't working in close contact with Vannas, hiding from the need for power he now possessed which meant that he was 'safe' in theory but that wouldn't last and the hunger and the need would only grow with time.

His thoughts were interrupted by Daniel's laughter where he was laying on the floor of the living room, his head tucked into Taj's stomach and the twins tucked around him. Taj looked like he was about ready for a run so Jack nudged Daniel's foot and his young husband leaned off of the big tiger and Taj walked to the back door where he let himself out.

"That will help this whole process," someone spoke up from behind Jack who couldn't believe he hadn't heard her move. He jumped to his feet, wishing he had a weapon in the living room somewhere as a dark haired woman walked into the room with a thin sharp looking sword and a dagger in the other hand. He looked down as Daniel got up to his knees, putting a hand on each child gently. Jack knew Daniel was trying to keep them calm as well as still. "Go and keep the creature out," the woman commanded. Jack held his hands out in submission, god sometimes he hated this place.

"He won't be back for a while, this is his running time," Jack said in a low tone.

"Lock the door!" she responded.

Jack motioned for Daniel to do it, so Jack could stay between the woman and their children. Daniel took Jack's hand as he stood, Jack could feel the tremor of fear run through his spouse. Jack squeezed his hand gently and Daniel moved quickly to the back and turned the lock that would keep the tiger from returning. He turned back and moved to stand next to Jack, just behind the Colonel who was standing stiffly staring at the woman before them. Zada didn't like the idea of being left alone on the floor; she started to whimper and crawled closer to their legs.

"What do you want?" Jack demanded.

"I need to know why he chose you over me!" she responded which only confused Jack more so.

"What?" he asked.

Zale started whimpering as well, dragging himself closer to his fathers and sister. Each child was grabbing awkwardly at their pants and Jack could feel Daniel's desperate need to pick them up.

The woman stepped forward and slipped the dagger close to Daniel's neck all before Jack could react.

"Get away from him!" Jack hissed. She holstered the sword and touched Daniel's neck; feeling something there but her confusion just worried Jack. Then she reached over and touched Jack as well. He wanted to jerk away but didn't want the motion to cause the dagger to press any closer to Daniel. Then she pushed the blade to Daniel, forcing him to kneel down and she reached out for Zale who was closest to her and Jack gripped her wrist gently. "What are you doing?"

"Adrian stays here with you, he told me it would be dangerous for me to be here near his family and now I find him not even with his family. Why you?"

"Adrian? You know Adrian?" Daniel asked gently.

Jack still had a hold on the woman's wrist and she tugged it away, "I changed Adrian and I needed to know why I couldn't be here with him. I needed him to help me and he left me there, after everything that we went through together. I know I hurt him but after that, we were there for each other until he came home."

"Adrian is the guardian for our children, that's why he's always here. He would do anything for them, including hurt you, so please you need to get your hands away from our children!" Jack hissed at her when she continued to try to touch Zale.

"I need to know why he's here instead of with me," she reiterated.

When Jack started struggling to keep the woman's hand off Zale, she switched and pressed him back with they dagger to his throat. Jack jerked back and she reached down and touched each child then stepped back. "They have powers, but it's not accessible. He's not hurting any of you?"

Daniel shook his head, "No like I tried to say before, he stays here because its easier for him and he just happened to fall in love with our children."

She frowned at them, "But you would be safe from me as well, he could have helped me." Jack watched as she moved away from them, Daniel immediately lifted Zale even as Jack held his hands out for Zada and picked her up as well. Their visitor wasn't going to hurt them most likely but the babies wouldn't be ignored anymore. They didn't like strangers touching them because each twin was still capable of feeling the emotions of others through skin-to-skin contact.

"Adrian had no idea who we were, he was coming home to be with his family. The Queen still has no idea what happened to change him, only we do and the only reason is because he was having such a hard time controlling himself around his sister. You cannot go to the castle, it would be to much temptation for you as well."

Jack watched as she deflated with Daniel's words. He looked over at the small shell on one of the side tables and noticed the inside was flashing a dim light and figured she had about another minute before Zarkina's people burst through the door. "You should go now while you can, Adrian is not the only royal member who protects us and our family and if they catch you here they will not react kindly."

"What?" she shouted. She turned just as the door slammed open behind her and Adrian ran in, just ahead of Kirkan Greer and his brother Harvard. Adrian waved the brothers back as he watched the stranger.

"What are you doing here Demetria?" he demanded.

"I needed your help, I cannot live like this. I was able to get on the island and I came to find you. You told me that I would put your family in danger and you aren't even with them!"

"Demetria, I didn't know Jack and Daniel when I made that decision. I didn't know that they would become my safe haven. You could have joined me here but now they are going to take time to trust you are not going to be a danger."

"Adrian, I needed you!" she whined and she hadn't pulled her weapon again. Jack understood that her ability would be damaging to Kirkan and his brother but Adrian was also standing back, and looked as though he was going to let her come to him.

"Could we possibly move this out, away from the children. If Taj realizes this is going on in here, he's going to attack her without any warning," Jack didn't really want to clean up the blood and deal with the trauma from the twins and Adrian.

Adrian reached out for Demetria, "Let's go and talk to the queen, you need to leave this house right now otherwise you will not be welcomed here."

"You left me," she whimpered quietly even as she gripped his hand and they started to walk out.

Adrian turned back to Daniel and Jack, "Are you alright?" they nodded, "I will return later."

With that Adrian led Demetria out of the house and Kirkan walked inside. He reached out and touched each child, "How are you?"

Jack rolled his eyes, "Seriously, why are we so special? People always seem to be coming to us first!"

Daniel touched Jack's shoulder gently, "She must have seen him leaving here earlier otherwise she wouldn't have come. This wasn't about us, it was about Adrian."

"Jack, how many times have you been bothered in the last couple of weeks?" Kirkan asked gently and Jack did think that they had had a time of peace and he had to believe they would again. He nodded and Kirkan and Harvard both left and Daniel moved to open the back door again and Taj immediately pushed his way into the door.

Babies hurt?

"No Taj, the babies are just fine. Come see."

Daniel and Jack both sat down on the couch and Taj nuzzled at both the babies before he curled down on the floor, content that his people were all alive and well. Daniel tucked himself in close to Jack, "You realize she wasn't going to hurt us, she needed answers and I think she was jonesing for a fix."

Jack nodded, leaning his head against Daniel's and looked down at Zale and Zada who didn't seem to be all that bothered by everything. Zada didn't feel like she was scared by the proceedings but it was possible that Demetria really had no intention of hurting them, just needed answers.

"I hope they talk to Zarkina, get something figured out otherwise someday possibly soon Adrian and that girl are not going to be able to fight the cravings anymore," Jack said.

Daniel nodded, "I think this is going to push Adrian to tell the truth to his sister, there is no more hiding this from her."

"I hope so."

"Do you think there are many of those people who can drink magic?" Daniel asked, Jack knew he was having flashbacks to another time and another magic drinker that tried to damage him, steal his life from him instead of magic.

Jack wrapped his arm tightly around Daniel; "I'm not going to let them get you again Danny."

"I know," Daniel replied softly.

"I think Adrian really would protect the twins over any other, including this Demetria person," Jack responded.

"Yes he would, he loves them. Its pretty hard not to."

Jack smiled and turned to kiss Daniel on the top of his head. "Yea-sure-you-betcha."

Daniel laughed at that, "No matter what happens, was it worth it?" Daniel suddenly asked.

"What was worth it?" he asked.

"Being with me, having the twins. It seems like all we do is bring you more drama and I am curious as I sometimes am if you think after almost a year together, was it worth it?"

Jack moved the arm that was around Daniel's shoulder to turn his head towards Jack, he leaned down and kissed Daniel gently. The passion was still there, under the surface as always but this wasn't going anywhere. He pulled back, "Yes Danny, this is worth more than anything I had before. You are worth all the drama and more."

Daniel smiled sweetly, "Good because I love you so much no matter how much drama we have to deal with to be together."

Jack grinned, leaning down to kiss once more.

Adrian dragged DK behind him towards the castle, never releasing her even as he threw the door open and walked through the entry way and into the throne room where his sister and William were hanging out. "I have something to tell you, sister. I need to tell you what happened to me in the city."

Everyone in the room watched as he spoke, as he kept pulling DK along with him and Akina motioned for everyone to leave the room. Just the four of them were left behind and Adrian turned, as they got close enough for him to feel the power rumbling beneath the surface of Akina's skin. Then DK gasped and fell to her knees, "I cannot stay here with her in the room," she screamed out.

"What is it?" Akina demanded.

"This is Demetria Kross, she was killed and changed by drinking Magis. Now she feels the need to drink power from others and she did so to me after being starved. She bit me, turned me and now I sense the power beneath the surface of each individual Vannas and I wish to drink it. She can feel the well of power within you and she wants to taste it."

"How could you hide this from me?" Akina demanded.

Adrian swallowed convulsively, "I did it because I wanted to be your little brother for a little while longer. I needed for you to trust that I wouldn't hurt you ever."

"Only you might, because you are not learning to contain and control the thirst you feel. That is why you have been with Jack and Daniel all this time? They have no power so you feel no need to drink?"

"I did what I had to do to survive, for everyone to survive."

"What about the twins?" Akina demanded.

DK and Adrian both shook their heads, "The Awakened Magis within have receded and so I cannot feel them nor do I fight the hunger when I am with them."

"Adrian," DK cried, tears rolling down her cheeks in fat pathways. She was tugging away from Adrian and fell to the ground to break his grip. Her knees hit the ground and almost pulled Adrian with her and she scooted away as quickly as she could.

"DK," he whispered as he moved up close to her, "You have to breathe through the pain, the hunger. Just allow yourself the idea that this is not a hunger that can be sated and as such should not be allowed to continue. You can learn to contain and control, to accept this part of who you are now."

DK stopped inching away then she straightened and took a deep breath. "Do you smell that? Sense that?"

Adrian quieted his mind and listened to his senses for a moment. That was when he realized that he could sense DK, with his eyes closed he knew when she shifted and moved around the room then reaching out further, he sensed the other much like them. The one who thought this ability was meant to harm, meant to kill.

"No, she's going for Daniel!" Adrian said.

"What? Who?" Akina demanded from behind them.

"There was another, someone who was fed to me when I was trying to contain my hunger. The problems I have now are nothing compared to when I was first turned." DK took a deep breath and it evened out and Adrian could sense that she was no longer focusing on the power in Akina and so she wasn't feeling the desperate need to drink from his older sister. "Her name now is Amada, she is here."

Adrian turned to Akina, "We can fight her, but she could hurt Daniel and Jack."

"Can you guarantee the safety of my people against this woman you brought before me?" Akina demanded.

Adrian nodded, "Against one of our own we cannot harm one another, I will keep her from others and we will learn the way to control this needless hunger."

"Go and protect my brother Daniel and Jack, protect your precious twins."

They ran out the way they came in, Adrian hoped they wouldn't be too late but sensing they would be.