BK 2 - Chapter 61 - The Agreement
"Would you like to reconsider your earlier statement?" Thatcher asked quietly, being the only one who could speak to the terrified mafia boss. The four lions were softly growling and getting so close to Luca he could feel their warm breath.
"I...I...I'm ready to make a deal. Pl...Please don't kill me." He was visibly shaking with terror. Janel holding Theo, was peeking through the doorway while trying to contain her laughter. Thatcher had told her she could watch once they had him in the room. There was no way she was going to miss this opportunity.
"Say what we want to hear, and we may let you walk out of here rather than being lion food." Atlas and Harley began growling louder while showing their fangs.
Luca stared at the lions who could kill him with one swipe of their paw. He'd seen the fate of the men he'd sent in the photos. He knew he had to agree to all of their demands because if he didn't, he would be dead. Those lions and that vampire would surely hunt him down if he didn't do as they said. Even if his men killed a couple of them, they wouldn't get them all.
"I won't send anyone else after the girl or anyone else here. If you let me go, it stops now." Thatcher looked toward the lions and saw Harley tilt his head toward him. They wanted one more thing.
"Do you agree not to tell anyone what you witnessed here today?" Thatcher asked while licking his fangs like he was thirsty for blood. Luca looked at the vampire with wide eyes.
"Trust me. I don't believe what I'm seeing, so I'm sure no one else will believe it either. I won't say anything to anyone because they'll think I'm crazy." He would take this to the grave. He may even see a shrink to prove to himself that he wasn't having a psychotic break.
Thatcher looked at the four lions, and they all backed up, still growling. He looked toward the door and motioned to Janel to hide. He didn't want Luca to see her or Theo. After he was sure she was back in the other room, he looked toward Luca, who seemed to be breathing a little easier.
"Luca Diorgano, you're free to go. If we catch any of your men sneaking around the Sacramento area, you're dead. If we find out that you ran your mouth about what you saw, you're dead. Do you have any questions?" The lions had spread apart, lining the path to the door, so Luca had to walk through them as he left.
"No, I have no questions." He looked at the lions, who looked hungry to him. He was afraid to move.
"You're free to go. Please don't get bitten on your way out. I don't like to clean up their messes." Thatcher tried not to laugh at the look of alarm on Luca's face as he tentatively took a step forward.
As he slowly walked down the path the four lions had made, they growled loudly. When he passed each one, they snapped toward him, coming close enough he could feel the air from their nostrils. Once he had reached the door leading out to the alley, he tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. He was shaking so badly he couldn't find the lock. Suddenly he felt a gush of wind and Luca closed his eyes thinking this was the end and he was going to die.
"Here, let me get that for you," Thatcher said with a smile causing his fangs to glisten in the light. Luca stared at him, unable to speak, as the vampire unlocked the door.
"Remember what we said. If you break the deal, you'll be lion food or my snack." Luca ran out the door as fast as he could, not looking back while Thatcher chuckled. Once he shut the door, he turned around, and the four lions had already shifted back to humans. They were also dressed in the extra clothes they'd brought with them.
"I think we gave him a good scare. What do you guys think?" Kitty asked happily. Aiden put his arms around her kissing her, not caring that everyone was watching them.
"I believe you're finally free of them," Aiden said quietly as he hugged her. Janel walked out with Theo. He was a good cub and hardly fussed for being only a few weeks old. Cat took the little one from Janel and kissed his smooth cheek.
"I don't think you'll have to worry about the mob anymore. I'm surprised he didn't pee his pants." Cat smiled as Trey put his arm around her.
"Actually, he did. I think he must have been wearing an adult diaper because I could smell the strong scent of urine when I pretended I was going to bite him, but his pants weren't wet." Aiden said with a smirk.
"You all were fantastic. I felt like I was watching a movie." Janel walked over to Thatcher's side beaming at everyone. She couldn't believe she was going to be part of this incredible world with them.
"I don't know about everyone else, but I'm starving. How about we get something to eat and then drive down to Monterey? We've already done enough for today, and we need to get a good night's sleep. We'll check into the hotel and face our family tomorrow." Trey looked at the others, who were all nodding in agreement.
Kitty and Aiden insisted that they eat at Sonny's. Sonny was happy to see them and treated all of them like royalty. He even insisted on holding little Theo while his parents ate their cheeseburgers. The group laughed and enjoyed themselves, not thinking about what they had done or what was in store for them tomorrow.
After they had finished their meal and given Sonny an extremely generous tip, they left. The drive down the Monterey didn't take long, being that it was so late, there was little traffic. They checked into a hotel overlooking the water and went to their separate rooms.
"Are you happy now?" Aiden asked as they were taking their clothes off to get in the shower.
"I was never unhappy. I was exhausted. It was getting old, constantly worried about someone coming after us. I know we're werelions, but that doesn't mean we can't be killed. I was scared that something would happen to you because of me. I love you and wouldn't be able to handle it if you were hurt." Kitty walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I love you too. Let's shower so I can worship my lioness before we go to sleep." Kitty wrapped her legs around his waist when he lifted her and carried her into the bathroom.
Down the hall, Cat was feeding Theo while Trey showered. She was sitting in one of the chairs at the small table, looking out the window at the dark sea. She couldn't see much but could hear the waves crashing on the beach below.
She was thinking about how everything was coming full circle. She and Trey were married and had a cub. They had almost completed the group home. Better than anything else, they had a family. Finding out that she was related to Valerie and Kitty was beyond belief. She had already considered them family before discovering they were related to her. Thatcher and Janel were becoming part of their family whether Trey liked it or not. Cat liked them and was hoping they would stay even after they were done helping with their current task.
"What are you so deep in thought about over here?" Trey asked, walking over with nothing on but a towel around his waist. Cat still felt her mouth go dry when she looked at her mate.
"I was thinking about our family and all that we've accomplished. We haven't even known each other for an entire year, but we've been through more than most people in a lifetime. However, I don't think I would change any part of it. Everything happened for a reason, and we wouldn't be where we are now if each piece hadn't fallen into place." Cat smiled at him as she covered herself before standing up with a sleeping Theo in her arms.
Trey was in awe, watching her. She seemed to have an air of peace that radiated to everyone around her. Cat laid the sleeping cub in the portable bassinet they brought before turning back to her speechless mate.
"I don't know how you do it, but you always find the light in the darkness. We're getting ready to face my hateful family tomorrow and ask them to stop their plotting against you. Yet here you are, finding everything that we should be grateful for." Trey stared at her as she walked over to him with her glowing smile that still took his breath away.
"I spent many years always being in the dark and never seeing the good side of things. It was tiring living like that. I find my heart feels lighter when focusing on the positives rather than the negatives. Yes, we will face your family. I can't imagine how hard this will be for you and Aiden. I want them to accept Kitty and me, but I know that may not be a reality. Nothing can be known until we see them tomorrow, so let's not think about that right now. Let's think about me getting you out of that towel, Mr. Lion."
Cat walked over and played with the edge of the towel, ready to make it fall so she could get to what was hiding behind it. She was almost there when Trey put his hand over hers, stopping her from going further.
"What about Theo?" He looked toward the sleeping cub, not wanting to wake him even though he was too young to understand what they were doing.
"He's a sound sleeper, and I don't think an earthquake would wake him." She put her hands on his chest and began pushing him back toward the bed.
"Have it your way, sweetheart, but once you get me started, I hope you don't plan on getting much sleep tonight." He lifted her and lightly tossed her onto the bed, making her giggle. She reached over and ripped off his towel as he crawled on top of her. He slid his hands up her thighs to pull her shorts and panties off. They made love until they were too exhausted to move, falling asleep in each other's arms.
