Treasure Tides

Chapter NINE

Kurt had plugged his phone into Vic’s charger while he unloaded the equipment from his truck. As soon as the text had come in alerting him that the panic room’s door had been locked, he had jumped back in the truck and broken land speed records getting home. As Kurt pulled into the cul-de-sac, he saw Landon pick Joanna up and haul her into his house. He saw evidence of a fight, but most of the casualties had been cleaned up. There were still a few Werewolves in shifted form prowling around to make sure the area was clear. Soon there would be no evidence of the immortal battle that had obviously been fought.

Royce was walking toward the house with Becki in his arms. That meant she had locked the girls in the panic room but elected not to stay there herself.

Kurt crossed the yard and entered the house. He barely had time to close the door before Becki launched herself into his arms. She was sobbing and trying to talk at the same time, making no sense at all. He let her fall apart for just a minute. Giving her a gentle shake, he asked, “Everyone is ok, right?”

He felt her nod against his chest.

“Ok, I need to get the girls out of the panic room,” he said. Seeking Royce’s eyes, Kurt nodded to indicate that Royce should take Becki while he released the girls.

Kurt settled her in Royce’s arms once again and continued, “We’re not going to mention what happened here. We don’t know who those men were, but Royce and Landon scared them away. Right?” he prompted meeting her eyes to make sure she understood.

She nodded once again and then regaining some of her spunk, she lifted her head and announced, “Someday, you and I are going to have a serious conversation about the interesting array of weapons and ammunition in your gun safe.”

“Ok, some day,” Kurt agreed with a sigh.

Becki relished being in Royce’s arms. It felt safe and secure. Just like home should feel.

#

Even though Landon was exhausted, he was even more livid. After preventing Royce from putting a bullet in Trevor, he took his leave and stalked purposefully toward Joanna.

Her eyes widened at the expression on his face. She began to back away and move her hands as if to cast a spell. Since she would not dare attempt to control him with magic, he could only assume she was preparing to run.

“If you move, even so much as one molecule of your body, I will hunt you down and make you very sorry,” Landon promised softly.

Landon’s threat immediately ignited Joanna’s rebellion. All she needed was one more man trying to control her, thinking they could tell her what to do. Not in this lifetime! She lifted her head defiantly and began to whisper, “Winds of the East--”

Damn! She had forgotten how fast he moved. Before she could finish the vanishing spell, Landon planted his shoulder in her stomach and lifted her off her feet. He strode across the street with her flung over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. He then carried her directly to his house and through the front door. Once inside, he kicked the door shut with a bang! The entire house shuttered under the force of his fury.

In the next instant, he had dumped her in the middle of his bed and was in the process of climbing on top of her. Panic took root in the very core of her being and quickly flooded her body and mind. Trapped! No way to escape. She couldn’t breathe. Joanna began gasping for oxygen, clawing him as she fought to escape. Her body began to shake as tears streamed from her eyes. “No-- No,” she sobbed. The hell-cat turned into a child before his eyes.

Landon immediately rolled to one side. He had only thought to prevent her from escaping while they discussed what had just happed. He knew she would be pissed, but he never expected sheer panic.

As her attacker’s weight left her body, Joanna curled into a ball. She was curling up, protecting herself, protecting her… “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Don’t hurt me. Please, don’t hurt us,” she sobbed.

Landon was struck immobile by what he saw. He knew the signs of abuse. These particular signs might as well have been flashing neon. Exhaustion ebbed and his body was quickly consumed by rage. His Were began to stir, and he forced himself to breathe deeply in an effort to calm them both. Joanna definitely did not need to deal with that part of him right now.

He moved closer to Joanna, wrapping his arms loosely around her. He began whispering softly. “Joanna, it’s me. You’re safe. It’s Landon, honey. Come on, Jo, come back to me. Calm down. Breathe, baby. It’s Landon. I’ve got you, you’re safe. I’m so sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m sorry, Joanna. I’m so very sorry.”

He continued crooning softly, reassuring her that she was safe. Joanna began to quiet down, but still sobbed softly. He continued to whisper to her. His fingertips stroked her back soothingly.

Oh God, why today? Why did this shit have to happen today? She had put all of that behind her. No one knew…. Royce didn’t know, her parents didn’t know.

How could she explain this to Landon? Shame and embarrassment filled her. She knew Landon would never harm her. He would surely think her mentally unstable. She hated feeling helpless and trapped.

“Jo, I’m going to get you a glass of water,” Landon said. “Will you be ok?”

She nodded her head. As he planted a soft kiss on her head, he gently slipped his arms from around her. Joanna waited until she heard the water being turned on before she slid off the bed. Once again upright, she scrubbed her eyes free of tears and looked around frantically.

She needed to get out of here, right now, before Landon came back! He would know she was damaged. Joanna could only hope he wouldn’t mention this ridiculous scene to Royce. She couldn’t face Royce with this, and she didn’t want to talk to Landon about it either. Joanna believed she had buried her fears, but evidently not deeply enough. It was time to go.

“Joanna, don’t you dare run out on me,” Landon called from the doorway.

Joanna covered her eyes with her hands and swallowed a sob. “I have to go, Landon. Please understand…I have to go.”

“You can’t outrun whatever happened, Joanna,” Landon said softly. He gently turned her to face him, pressing the glass of water into her hand.

Joann forced a laugh. “This whole water thing is becoming a habit.”

Landon placed his finger under her chin and tipped her face forcing her to meet his eyes. “Don’t do that. Don’t minimize your feelings or make a joke of your pain,” he said softly.

Tears flooded her eyes again spilling over to run down her face. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Promise me you won’t tell Royce,” she pleaded.

After a moment of silence, Landon shook his head. “That’s your story to tell, Jo. Whatever it is, and whenever you’re ready,” he promised. “If you would like to talk about it, I’m here to listen,” Landon said catching her tears with his thumbs.

“I’m so sorry I frightened you, Joanna,” Landon said, tears hovering in his own eyes. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”

Joanna cupped his face briefly with her hand before resting it on his chest. “I know that, Landon,” she reassured him. “Thanks for the offer,” she said as she forced a sad smile, “but I just can’t talk about it, Landon. Please understand,” she whispered. Joanna kissed his lips softly and then disappeared.

Looking at the empty glass sitting on his dresser, and then around the equally empty room, Landon growled. “You may think you’ve escaped; that this is over…but it’s not over, Joanna. Not by a longshot. Just so you know,” he announced, certain she could still hear him.

#

Kurt entered the combination to the panic room. As the door opened, Leann and Mandy threw themselves at him. They were sobbing.

“It’s ok. You’re all fine. Everyone’s ok,” Kurt reassured them while he hugged them tightly.

“But, those men were scary,” Mandy insisted.

“And they wouldn’t leave us alone,” Leann wailed.

“I know, but they are gone. They won’t be back,” Kurt promised. With a look at Royce he added, “I guarantee it.”

“Who were those creepy men?” Mandy asked, wiping her eyes.

“Yes,” Leann seconded her sister’s inquiry, “who were they?”

“I’m not entirely sure,” Kurt soothed.

“Well…they weren’t exactly kid-friendly,” Leann observed. “They wanted to come in and wait for you! Everyone knows you don’t let strangers in the house when parents aren’t home,” she said rolling her big brown eyes.

“That’s right, you never do,” Kurt agreed, stroking her hair and thanking God his girls were safe.

As Leann and Mandy ran toward Becki to scold her for not locking herself in with them, he turned to Clarissa. She had not poured out of the panic room with the other two girls. In fact, she hadn’t moved since he opened the door.

“Are you ok?” Kurt asked as he moved toward her.

She looked pale and couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the monitor in front of her.

Shit! Kurt felt something unidentifiable move through him as he realized what she had just witnessed. She was still staring at the monitor connected to the security cameras surrounding the house and yard. Clarissa had just witnessed Werewolves and Vampires, who were not supposed to exist, clash in a raging battle outside her home.

“Honey?” he questioned, nodding toward Mandy and Leann. He asked without words what the two younger girls had witnessed on the monitor.

Clarissa shook her head and whispered, “No.”

He should have known better. She always protected her sisters. Kurt opened his arms and Clarissa ran into them. As she sobbed on his chest, he felt as if he had been stabbed through the heart.

“It’s ok, honey. You are safe. Everything is ok. I promise.” He continued to reassure her that everything was fine. Yeah, right.

“Dad,” she whispered, “I thought they were mythical creatures.”

“That’s what you are supposed to think, honey. They aren’t all bad,” Kurt said, thinking of Landon. How was he going to explain that “Uncle Landon” was a big, bad, hairy creature with larger than normal incisors?

Landon, who always seemed to have perfect timing, chose that moment to walk in through the back door.

Kurt felt Clarissa stiffen in his arms. She had figured it out on her own.

Landon smelled Clarissa’s fear increase drastically as he entered the house. He looked at Kurt questioningly. Kurt nodded once.

Landon closed his eyes as pain tore through him. Clarissa was afraid of him. He understood her fear, but it was debilitating to know that she would never love him the same way again. Feeling more tired and defeated than he could ever remember, he opened the door and slipped out.

“He’s still the same man, babe. He still loves you with all his heart,” Kurt explained. He loosened his hold so he could look into Clarissa’s eyes. “I can’t imagine how confused and frightened you are, but you can count on this. That man would give his life for yours just like always.”

Clarissa smiled a watery smile. Kurt’s heart lightened tremendously as she said, “I know, Daddy.” She stepped out of his arms as she wiped her eyes. “I’ll be right back,” she announced.

With that being said, she ran to the back door and threw it open wide. Of course she let it slam shut behind her…as usual. Kurt laughed and shook his head. Some things never change.

Clarissa ran toward Landon, who was already standing just inside his house.

“Uncle Landon,” Clarissa shouted as she ran.

Landon heard his name and looked up to see Clarissa sprinting across the yard. He was reminded of the countless times he had watched the girls run to the swing hanging from the oak tree in front of his house. He smiled as he remembered putting up a toddler swing in that very tree. He had replaced it, all too soon, for the girls when they had out grown it. His mind flashed forward to Clarissa’s first day of school and then to her first pair of “grown-up” shoes. He and Kurt had made a disaster of her first date, but he had hoped she would eventually forgive him. Now, he was afraid to assume anything.

“Uncle Landon,” Clarissa cried as she launched herself into his arms. “I love you,” she said, burying her face in his neck and hanging onto him tightly.

Landon felt the weight of the world slide off his shoulders as tears fell down his face. He wrapped his arms around her.

“I love you too, baby,” he croaked. “You weren’t supposed to find out, at least not like that. You shouldn’t have to deal with this shit. I’m sorry,” he apologized as he hugged her tightly.

“It’s ok,” Clarissa said as he set her gently back on the ground. Then with an impish smile, she teased, “I guess this explains your moodiness before the full moon.”

Landon growled playfully, “I’ve never been moody a day in my life.”

“Whatever! Maybe you’re just delusional,” she argued tugging him out the door. “Come on let’s go back to my house.”

As they crossed the yard once more, all was right with his world. Well, almost; he still had Joanna to think about.

“Uncle Landon,” Clarissa’s voice pulled him from his musings.

“Yes?”

Grinning from ear to ear, she continued, “Does this mean there really is a Santa Clause?”

Landon chuckled. “As far as you’re concerned brat, yes there is.”

#

“We need to get some DVD’s for that TV in the panic room,” Mandy decreed, as everyone sat down to eat dinner. “Clarissa couldn’t get it to work right. Dad, you need to take a look at it.”

All of the adults at the table stopped eating, and looked toward Kurt. “Yep,” he responded as he continued to cut the chicken on his plate. He didn’t make eye contact with anyone. “I’ll just get an all-in-one unit to stick in there. Do you need anything else while I’m at it? Refrigerator, microwave…waterbed?”

Everyone laughed as Mandy looked at her father with a horrified expression “Dad, we would never have to stay in there that long, would we? It’s not even got a bathroom! That was almost a big problem! Leann had just eaten a bowl of pears right before Becki made us go in there. You know what they do to her!” she complained, pinching her nose closed and laughing at the same time.

“Mandy,” Leann said, “why don’t you just be quiet and eat your mashed potatoes before I eat them. By the way, they have the same effect.”

“No way,” Mandy protested, covering her plate to protect it from Leann.

Landon watched the girls and laughed at their antics. Dinner was never dull when they were around. He wondered how Joanna was doing. He had promised not to mention her melt-down to Royce and Landon would keep his word. However, he really wished that she would confide in her brother. Royce would be devastated to learn that she had kept something so substantial from him.

Becki hadn’t seemed to want to leave the girls. Royce understood her unvoiced reluctance and decided he could take her out to dinner at a more appropriate time. When Clarissa mentioned having a cookout, Royce immediately volunteered to man the grill. Becki’s grateful smile and subsequent hug and kiss were worth the sacrifice.

Tomorrow the girls would board a plane to visit their grandparents in Indiana for a few weeks. They always took two suitcases each. One suitcase was packed full of clothes; and one remained empty for the journey. After all, they had to have room to bring home their loot. Shopping trips with Mamaw were always one of the highlights of their visits to Indiana.

“Is everyone packed up and ready to go?” Becki asked.

“I’m packed,” Mandy answered.

“Me, too,” Leann said.

Clarissa hung her head and covered her face. “I hate packing…I have to clean my room to find the clothes I want to take with me.”

“I guess there’s hope that I will be able to see the floor soon then, huh?” Kurt teased.

“Not nice Dad,” Clarissa scolded with a mock frown.

Becki stood up. “Come on, I’ll help you. I have experience with messy rooms.”

“That’s for sure,” Kurt muttered under his breath.

“Not nice, Kurt,” Becki said, mimicking Clarissa as she too tromped up the stairs into the abyss.

Kurt, Landon, and Royce cleared the dinner mess and then retired to the garage. They needed to plan for tomorrow.

“The girls have to be at the airport at ten o’clock, and their plane leaves at noon. We have to get them through security and teamed up with the flight attendant who will accompany them to Indiana. I should be ready to go by two o’clock,” Kurt said as he calculated their time schedule.

“That sounds good,” Royce said. “Landon, Sean, and Joanna will meet you at the dock around ten o’clock. They need time to set up their equipment. Arimus summoned me to meet with the council at eleven o’clock tomorrow,” he confessed as he grabbed a beer. He absently patted his pocket for a cigarette. “Evidently, the survey team they sent to Kentucky failed to check in yesterday.” Taking a long swallow of his beer, he took a deep breath and continued, “They want a report on our findings as well as an estimation of the expected wrap-date for this mission. They want to relocate the team to Kentucky as soon as possible.”

Royce drained his beer. “Tomorrow we find the coin gentlemen. I want to return it to the council by tomorrow night. That is my estimated wrap-date, and then we move on to the next assignment.”

Becki had been lounging in the doorway, admiring her man. She certainly didn’t expect to hear that he was so anxious to leave. As Royce announced his impending departure, the glass of iced tea slipped from Becki’s numb fingers.

The sound of shattering glass drew Royce’s gaze just as Becki’s wide eyes and pale face disappeared from view.

“Becki,” Royce called as he slammed his beer down on the drafting table and turned to follow her. As he reached the threshold of the door, he slipped on melting ice and glass. Royce narrowly missed hitting his head on the door as he struggled to maintain his balance.

“Shit! That woman is going to be the death of me,” he growled.

Becki took the stairs two at a time on her way into the house. Grabbing her purse and keys as she passed by the kitchen table, she forced a smile for the girls. “I’ve got to get home. I love you all very much, and I’ll see you when you get back from Indiana. Text and email me, ok?”

The girls ran over for a group hug and promised to keep in contact with her while they were gone.

Becki heard Royce enter the house through the back door as she exited through the front, slamming it behind her. With shaking hands, she wrenched the door to her car open, only to find it slammed shut immediately by Royce’s large hand. If only she had been a few seconds faster!

Spinning her to face him, he took a step forward, pinning her between his rock- hard body and the car behind her.

“I guess this is where you say I told you so, right?” Becki forced a laugh. Her eyes glistened with tears that she refused to shed; at least until she was home… alone.

“I told you so?” Royce questioned in a deceptively mild-mannered voice.

“You told me at the beginning, right?” Becki sniffed. “You ‘couldn’t get involved’. You ‘had a job to do’.” Becki tried to push Royce away. “Hell, after today, I understand more than ever!”

Lifting her head to make eye contact she announced, “It’s ‘time to move on’; I believe was the phrase you used. No big deal, I understand. By all means, move on Roy--”

Royce stopped her mid-sentence by sealing his lips to hers. He smothered the words she so desperately wanted to throw back at him. Royce kissed her deeply. Taking advantage of her open mouth, he ravaged her with his lips and tongue as he pressed his body fully into her.

She stopped fighting, against her better judgment, and then began kissing him back. Meeting his tongue with hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave in to the pleasure of his kiss. Sliding his hands down her body, he lifted her against him and continued to rock her world with his passion. Becki’s automatically wrapped her legs around Royce’s waist trying to get closer still.

Royce’s phone rang, bringing an abrupt halt to their make out session. As Becki wrenched her lips from his, she dropped her head on his chest in defeat and sniffed as tears silently fell.

Royce walked around to the front of the car with Becki still wrapped around him like a blanket. As he placed her gently on the hood of the car he said, “It may be ‘no big deal’ to you,” he said looking into her tear-drenched eyes, “but it sure as hell is a big deal to me.”

Confusion flared in Becki’s eyes for a brief moment and anger quickly followed. “But you just said--”

Royce placed a finger across her lips, thinking that might be a wiser choice to stem the flow of her words at this point. “I know exactly what I said. You have to learn to trust me, Becki, trust us. And for the record, I’m getting damn sick and tired of you running away from me,” he said as he wrapped his arms more tightly about her.

Becki dropped her head on his chest and whispered, “I don’t want you to leave. I love you, Royce.”

“See, that’s what I’m talking about. I love you too, baby,” he said as he kissed her tears away. “I don’t know what comes next with the team, but I do know that I want to be with you. I want you at my side, whether I’m working at a desk or working in the field.”

“I love you so much, Royce, but I don’t know if I can handle fighting Vampires and Werewolves, and God knows what else,” Becki said fearfully.

Royce laughed. “Leave the creatures to me, babe. Do you really think I would let you anywhere near danger?”

Royce’s phone rang again. He pulled his phone from the front pocket of his jeans, which seemed to be tighter now than they were when he put them on. Sean’s phone number flashed across the screen, and Royce pushed ‘ignore’. Sean could wait.

With a quick kiss he suggested, “Why don’t you stay with the girls tonight?”

Becki flashed him a questioning glance.

“There is a lot of work to be done tonight. Kurt, Landon, and I need to try to pinpoint the exact location of the coin and plan the recovery. The Council is getting antsy. Unfortunately, there are too many people who know the coin is in the Charleston area and there are still at least five more coins out there somewhere. We need to find them and return them to the council as quickly as possible. Who knows what kind of havoc we could be looking at if the wrong person found one of them?”

“Ok,” Becki consented as she gave him one more hug. “You boys do your thing. The girls and I will put on mud masks and paint our nails while we watch chick-flicks. Kurt has to take them to the airport in the morning, but I think I’ll sleep in. Let me know when you get back in tomorrow. And Royce,” she said grabbing a handful of his shirt, “be careful. Come back to me in one piece. I love you.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Royce promised, gently unclenching her hand. “You have my word.”

“Royce,” Landon shouted from the garage. “Sean said he couldn’t reach you on your cell, so he called mine. He said he needs to talk to you…now.”

“Duty calls,” Royce said with a grin.

Shaking her head, Becki asked, “You love this stuff, don’t you?”

Royce was suddenly very serious as he said, “Yes, I do. But not as much as I love you.”

Patting his chest, Becki assured him, “Well big guy, lucky for you, you don’t have to choose.” Hopping down from the hood of her car, she blew him a kiss. And then she proceeded to give her hips an extra wiggle as she strutted toward the house.

Royce growled and shifted uncomfortably in his jeans. “You are playing with fire woman,” he called suggestively.

Becki laughed and responded without turning around, “Go take your call. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

* * * *