Chapter 270 - In your Shadow

The echo of beeping barely penetrated the deafening throb rapidly spreading through Jos's brain as she stared up into her ex-lover's eyes. "R...Russ..." Her cheeks flared as she forced clarity back into her brain. She covered the beeping watch with her free hand, holding it tight as if it would silence the device. She cleared her throat as she lowered her gaze and moved to step past him.

Russ tangled his fingers into the material of her shirt. "You have nothing else to say? After everything, you're fine with a simple awkward exchange of names? Are you sure you don't want to push aside our first names and rely on titles, instead?" He bit out in growing irritation. He bent. "Come to think of it, I may enjoy you calling me Sir..." His lips turned up in a wickedly menacing smile. "Though I can think of several other things I'd prefer you to call me..." He whispered hauntingly as he stepped closer.​​

Jos pressed one hand against his c.h.e.s.t as she shoved his hand away from her shirt with the other. "I'll address you differently when you learn to behave differently..." She moved to step past him again, but his tight grip caught her wrist. She turned a glare up to him. "Let go." She bit out sternly.

"And if I don't want to?" He snarled back, closing the distance between them as he ignored the snarling from the floor beside them. "Are you going to have your new f.u.c.k kick my ass?"

Jos gritted her teeth. "Keep up this asshole act and he won't have to... I'll kick your a.s.s myself."

Russ's lips twisted into a hate-filled snarl as he tightened his grip around her wrist. "So, you're not even going to deny the two of you are f.u.c.k.i.n.g now?"

Jos returned his glare. "Why should I if it's true?"

His upper lip twitched with rage as he shoved her hands away from him. "Figures... You're just a cold-hearted whore anyway... I bet you f.u.c.k.e.d all those men right before you ripped their hearts out too." He pushed past her violently.

Tears burned her eyes as she called out after him. "F.U.C.K YOU, A.S.SHOLE!"

A wicked smile curved his lips as he turned back toward her. "You already have, or did you forget so soon?" He barked back.

Before Arei could even get to his feet, Jos was already closing the distance between her and the kid. He knew everyone in the room had to be staring at the two of them in equal levels of shock as her hand made contact with his smooth cheek causing a loud pop to echo through the silent room. Arei shook away the surprise and quickly made his way over and stepped between them as he pulled Jos into his arms.

Ry ran his hand over his short hair. "Well, that just happened..."

Giorgos leaned forward toward Ry. "Is it always like this with them?"

Ry nodded. "Yeah... What can I say the kid's young and overflowing with hormones and passion, and she's overflowing with siren-powered pheromones and a killer temper... puns intended."

Poseidon rolled his eyes. "Well since the cat's already out of the bag... or rather the Pomeranian..." He lifted his hand and snapped.

Russ's eyes went wide, but before he could protest, he had already been shifted into the small dog form. He began to growl, but even that was cut short when a powerful mouth scooped him up. {How embarrassing... to be carried like a baby by your own twin sister...} Russ could only pout as he was carried over to the sectional and placed on the sea god's l.a.p.

Poseidon patted Shelly's head. "Thanks, dear."

Giorgos forced his mouth closed as his attention moved from the small Pomeranian to the princess. He nodded a bow. "Princess..."

Shelly held her paw up to shake, her own eyes bugging when the man placed a kiss on it instead. She arched a wolfish brow at the man before tugging her paw away and moving back beside Poseidon.

He chuckled, "Your princess is no more accustomed to being treated like royalty than her brother." He moved his attention back to his son and Jos. "If the two of you are ready to join us?"

Arei nodded as he led Jos over to the sectional, settling down beside her. He set the papers that had been dropped to the floor when Russ had been shifted onto the table. "What do you guys have so far?"

Ry leaned forward and tapped the files. "You may not believe this, but that vamp kid ended up coming through. We have what we need to prove the poisonings mentioned in Cam's diaries and multiple formulas for various blood mixtures." He smiled brightly. "With any luck, the kid will be able to show us to the women and children being held in that damnable bas.e.m.e.nt within the week."

Jos couldn't help the excited smile that curved her lips. "That's amazing! We need to work out lodging and medical care for them until they can be reunited with their families." She said as she sat forward and began going through the files on the table. "Has Peg and Andy been able to compile a list of suspected prisoners yet?"

Ry and Arei exchanged knowing looks. Arei wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. "Kitten... There's a huge chance the gir-prisoners may not even be alive." He nodded toward Ry. "The boy said Fern has been dealing in rare and exotic organs and bloods... that means..."

Jos swallowed hard as his meaning sank in. She could feel tears burn her eyes as she nodded slowly. "I... I see..."

Giorgos sniffed back the burn of his own sorrows as he watched the emotions play out across the silver-haired beauty's face. It was hard to believe she was THE Kraken. Had it not been for the conversation last night around the card table, he'd never been able to pick her out from any other extraordinary beauty. His eyes shifted to the mammoth man beside her, coddling and soothing her as if she was nothing more than the fragile young woman that she appeared to be.

Jos nodded as she turned toward the others in the protective arms wrapped around her. "We must prepare for the best and worst-case scenarios, then."

"Of course, kitten." Arei murmured soothingly with his lips still pressed against the side of her head. {So much for the professionalism...} He thought to himself as he continued to soothe her. "If we are going to try breeching the most restricted portions of the palace, we need to get Fern out of the way. What's the plan for that?"

Poseidon sighed. "I doubt we'll be able to trick and pressure him into drinking with us again. What's more, I imagine his suspicion and desperation will begin to increase significantly over the days to come." He unfolded one of the maps. "Our best bet will still be in finding safe passage leading away from the palace, for now."

Arei nodded. "So, Jos and I need to continue investigating the shops and possible tunnels." He retrieved another map and spread it out across the table and studied it. "We need a location that could easily be converted into temporary living quarters and possibly a makeshift hospital."

Giorgos leaned forward and studied the map Arei was examining. He pointed to an old inn. "This place fits all those requirements... plus some. It was closed and abandoned about five years ago when the previous owners could no longer afford to keep up taxes and general maintenance with so few visitors."

Poseidon rubbed his chin. "I'll work with Chary and see what would be needed to take over ownership of the place." He idly stroked the annoyed puppy in his l.a.p as they continued to discuss plans.

Nearly two hours later, everyone was standing and stretching. Poseidon tucked the puppy under his arm as he leaned over and patted Shelly one last time. "Good evening, sweet girl." He said before turning toward Jos and Arei. "I suppose we should head out and give you time to settle in." He looked around. "I look forward to seeing what you guys do with the place." He winked down to Shelly. "I added some things I thought you'd need to your room." He walked toward the door with the puppy still shoved under his arm.

Giorgos stared at his alpha with troubled eyes. "Um... don't you think you should turn him back..."

Poseidon shrugged glancing down at the snarling dog. "Nah... I'll switch him back in the cab closer to the palace... can't trust this little bastard to behave otherwise." He went to boop the dog on the nose, but it snapped at him. He gritted his teeth in a warning smile. "See what I mean?"

Ry rolled his eyes as he followed behind them. "See you guys later." He called over his shoulder as he threw a hand up. He paused long enough to give Shelly an affectionate pat.

Arei watched as the door closed behind their house guests. He let out a long sigh as he leaned back against the thick padding of the couch. He turned his attention to Jos. "You alright?"

Jos nodded not making eye contact. She pushed up from the couch and moved toward the bags that had been set just inside the door. "We should probably unpack..."

He frowned as he moved his gaze from Jos's rigid back to the wolf. When she only shrugged and turned toward the hallway leading to her new room, he stood and walked over to Jos wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "Talk to me, kitten. What's wrong?"

Jos turned in his arms resting her head against his c.h.e.s.t. "I can't help but feel guilty..."

He gently tilted her chin up, bringing her watery aqua eyes up to meet his. "You have nothing to feel guilty over."

Jos swallowed against the realization that continued to bubble to the surface. She tugged her face away from his grip as she turned back to her bags. "I just want to get settled in, if that's alright..."

Arei frowned. "You don't have to ask permission for something like that, you know that." He bent and grabbed his own bags and followed her up the stairs. When she paused between the two bedrooms, he forced a calm he didn't feel into his voice. "If you need more time to think things over, we don't have to share a room. You'll be perfectly safe within these walls." He nodded toward the other room. "If you'd prefer your own room... that is..." He hoped his own disappointment and hurt didn't reflect in his voice as he waited for her decision.

Jos frowned as she looked nervously from one room to the other. "I..."

Arei let out a low sigh as he set his bag down in the hallway. "Choose whichever room you'd like, and I'll take the one you don't want." He didn't wait for her response as he made his way back down the stairs. He couldn't face her right now as tears threatened to spill from his stormy eyes. Movement caught his attention briefly as he pulled open the front door and stepped out into the setting sun.

Shelly c.o.c.ked her ears back and swallowed against the lump seeing tears stream down the giant man's face had caused in her throat. She turned her attention toward the stairs. Equally teary eyes stared down from about halfway down them.

Jos settled on the step she'd been standing on, resting her face into her hands. "Shit..." She muttered. Soft fur brushed against the back of her hands bringing her attention away from her denim-clad t.h.i.g.hs. She lifted her eyes to Shelly. Reaching out and stroking one soft ear, she whispered. "I messed up..." She shook her head. "What do I do?" Shelly w.h.i.n.ed as she nudged Jos's knee. "What?" Shelly w.h.i.n.ed again as she nodded toward the door. "Go after him? What would I even say? He's pissed..." Shelly shook her head and nodded toward the door again. Jos huffed out an exasperated sigh. "This is probably a bad idea..."

Jos walked to the door but froze with it pulled open. Arei's massive silhouette was outlined against the beautifully colored sky. A sunset she'd missed more than anything... and a man she'd missed more than she'd ever admit..." A nudge brought her back to her current task. She shook her head. "I can't..."

Shelly arched a wolfish brow at her before nudging her harder out the door.

Jos stumbled forward and turned back with a gasp as the door slammed shut behind her. She glared at the wolf smiling from the other side of the half glass door. "You brat..." She muttered as she tugged at the now locked door. "Fine!" She growled as she turned and stomped down the stairs. The closer she got to Arei the harder it was to force her feet to move.

"You should go back inside and get some rest if you're not going to unpack." He murmured in a near whisper.

Jos could hear the slight break in his voice as she lowered to the sand beside where he sat. "Arei... you misunderstood... Well... I guess you can't misunderstand what I haven't said... What I meant was that... I... it's not that I want a separate room, rather that I should want one or at least take one to make things like this evening easier... but I don't..." She rested her hands on his bulging bicep. "I feel guilty about all this because I want it so much... I want you so much... I should feel bad about the pain I'm causing him but it's a necessary evil for both him and me. This evening only further shows that he and I could never work together..."

Arei turned his red-rimmed eyes toward her. He lowered his lips to her fingers and placed a kiss to them. "As happy as those words make me, you don't have to explain yourself. If you want to sleep separately that's fine." He turned and ran his fingers through her hair as she stared into his eyes as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Arei..." She whispered as she moved her hands to his face. She ran a thumb under his eye. "Why..."

Arei chuckled awkwardly as he moved her hand away from his eyes and brought it to his lips. "You're right, I misunderstood... I took your indecision as questioning us rather than you simply overthinking things as usual..." He pulled her into his arms for a tight hug showering the top of her head with kisses as she crashed against his c.h.e.s.t and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "I could lie to you and say I only want you to be happy, but in honesty, it would tear me apart if you were to leave me after..."

Jos pushed away from him slightly, sliding her hands between their tightly pressed bodies back to his face. "I am happy with you... no matter how badly I may have wanted something with Russ to prove I wasn't still broken after all those years... it only showed me all the ways I was still broken..." Her lips turned up warmly. "The two of you are as opposite as day and night." She searched his eyes. "With you, I finally feel like I can heal... and it's not just our private relationship, it's all of it... your personality and demeanor in general, the ease I always feel around you... your family, and the wholeness I feel around them... even your dad..." She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his lips before resting her forehead against his chin. "I love you..."

He kissed her forehead as he tugged her into his l.a.p. "I love you." He whispered as he slid his hand up her spine and into her hair.

Shelly shook her head with a wide wolfish grin as she lowered back to the floor from the window of the door. They were a picture of love silhouetted against the sunset and sea, even someone whose heart wasn't currently breaking would be touched by the sight... unfortunately for her, the breaking was growing steadily with every movement of her growing baby.