Lost Souls Found 8 Chapter Seven - Rest And Reminiscing

d.a.m.n, what happened? Confused, he sat up and blinked in shock. No clothing. No illusion either. Wow, what happened must've done a number on the spells he generally held in place at any given time. He yawned and espied a figure slumped to one side in a chair.

"Jethro?" He began looking around more thoroughly. "Jarl, and everyone else crowded in here." Now he really knew something awful happened.

Jethro roused as if hearing his voice. "You've awakened. It only took four days. There are four impatient personages trying to see you."

Confused, he closed his eyes. At last he sighed. "Jonah, Thorn, Rose and Jessie, I a.s.sume?" That wouldn't surprise him in the least. "What happened to Ramon?"

"Ramon is fine. He was more spectator and reinforcer of the s.h.i.+eld than anything else."

Gradually memories returned to him of what happened before. He rubbed his forehead. His head pounded so hard that he cursed the pain. "Well, I'm remembering everything I didn't want to recall." He muttered at last.

"Well that's uncool." Jethro grumbled. "I want to know what the h.e.l.l happened to you that made you so hostile toward portal openers, with the exception of Tamerlane."

Jarl and the others nodded.

"Did any of you see the one called Eleanor?" Eduard inquired.

"We all did. She tried wrecking this household." Maisie growled. ", Tamerlane threw her a.s.s out through the portal straight into town as close as he could to where you would be." She sighed. "I became aware of the disturbance when Rose began cursing all the deities in the pantheons and derailed straight to where the disturbance occurred." She shrugged. "I saw Tamerlane appear in the well, and everyone else suddenly went into the stores."

Eduard grimaced. "I'm afraid I don't remember too much other than Orlin trying to ambush me. Eleanor hid her presence during the time he was occupied trying to kill me." He rubbed his forehead. "I don't recall much after that."

"You squeezed her and Orlin into inky black tornados." Denise spoke in a husky whisper. She held up a small monitor. "I found this recording when I checked my room before coming in here." She handed over to him.
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Now he wondered just who managed to sneak in past all his guard spells. "Did everything crash with me, when I pa.s.sed out?"

"Nope." Jethro shook his head. He smiled. "Just watch."

He observed all the activity. "This came directly from Ramon's mind." He realized in some shock.

He never knew what to expect from those females who accompanied him. He immediately recognized Jonah and Thorn. "How'd they survive?"

Jethro cleared his throat. "I think they're the guests that Ramon referenced."

Now that he thought about it, it made sense. Eduard sighed. He suspected they would soon receive visitors and surprise appearances from them whenever they felt like exploring the grounds and gaining inspiration, especially Jonah.

As for Thorn, he might do something unusual as well. He had a feeling that both brothers were finding their niches in the world. Now it would take more time for them to acclimate than before. "This is going to be interesting to watch them acclimate." Even with centuries behind him, he still wasn't sure how to deal with people.

"They'll be here soon." Jethro hinted. "I want you to be prepared for them."

Right, he wasn't sure he wanted to meet them when he first awakened. This was awkward and not in a good way either. Eduard wasn't sure what to think about Ramon. He listened to the repartee between him and Tamerlane. He yawned in rising fatigue. Then he saw who pa.s.sed out and others were slowly sagging from everything happening, including himself.

"Well, what do you think?" Jethro eyed him.

"I'm an embarra.s.sing wuss." Eduard grimaced. "At least I managed to hold my own until the end." He hadn't known how much power he'd stored through many times of hibernation.

"Well, I think you did a good job. The rest of us just hung around making sure no one else screwed with you." Maisie smirked. "There were several who thought they were going to enter the fun." She shook her head. "They didn't work out, to say the least."

Eduard began chuckling when he saw what happened to the troublemakers. "Ah, so that's what Tamerlane deemed suitable punishment." He shook his head. "I hope those two don't consider making trouble for anyone again anytime soon."

Maisie grimaced. "Uhm, that might not be possible." She sighed with disgruntlement. "I think they are hoping for readmittance into the pack."

"Not happening." Eduard stated flatly. "If they haven't learned from that last incident, they never will." The deities only knew how many other enemies lurked out there searching for his location.

His statement obviously shocked them all. Their general sigh of relief made him smile. "No, I won't inflict them on any of us." He considered them thoughtfully. "I don't know if you're going to like what I have to say next though."

Maisie stared at him. "Just as long as they're not allowed on the property." She muttered. "They will trash it and render it useless."

Clearly not what they needed. "Nope, they aren't going to stay on this property. However, do you remember the one in the wasteland desert?" He smirked. "they want a place to destroy, they can have that to vent out their fury." He nodded when they began comprehending what he considered as just punishment to deal with the havoc they'd created on purpose.

"nah, I don't think they're going to escape justice that easily." Jethro murmured. "I think, someone else has a suitable ending for them." He shrugged. "We'll have to see what Ramon might be able to tell us." He frowned. "Though lately he seems preoccupied with research of all kinds."

Tamerlane s.h.i.+fted. "I may have stirred up painful memories for him." His shoulders hunched. "He never knew that one of his male offspring from a very long time ago actually survived." He glanced at Eduard uncomfortably.

"Ah, I think I understand."

It took Eduard a moment and he sighed. "Well, I'm not tossing you out on your ear. Who knows how he'll react?" Sometimes it was good or bad, mostly bad. He rea.s.sured Tamerlane with a faint nod. "You'll always have a home with me and the others."

There was no point in making him feel uncomfortable.

"Well, what else should we discuss before they come back?" Eduard didn't want to think of what else might go wrong.

"What if they want you to go with them?" Maisie ventured. "You are their brother after all." She sighed. "I think one of those girls is interested in you, in a romantic sense."

Ah, that was too bad since Eduard had zero interest in either of those girls. He grunted. "I'm not leaving any of you." He wasn't going to invite them into the pack either. Too much time pa.s.sed, and he wasn't the same pushover as he'd once lived as. All it had gotten him was changed into a vampire far too soon and an interrupted lifespan that killed whatever dreams he once possessed of a normal life.

They all glanced at each other. "You should probably get to know them again, at least to understand why they kept looking for you." Jethro suggested. "I'm just thinking there's more to why they chose such drastic measures than expected."

Eduard sighed. "It may have to do with the babies." He murmured. His hands clenched into fists. "Eleanor was pregnant with children when she chose to murder me and them simultaneously." That was the only thing he could come up with.

Tamerlane stiffened. "That sounds too much like my beginnings." All the others nodded in consternation.

"Aye well, you all discovered me not long after all and decided to adopt me despite my surliness." Eduard regarded them dubiously. "I'll be honest, I still don't know why you chose me rather than the others who came through our lives."

There were so many good people and yet, they chose to remain with him, one of the world's surliest b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Eduard just didn't understand.

"It is because you accepted us just as we are." Denise murmured. "You knew I had a voice but didn't force me to speak until I felt comfortable doing so."

Eduard grinned. "Your nightmares were interesting." He watched her flush and lower her gaze. "Now, now, don't worry about it too much. I'm not going to reveal what I've heard." He saw her sidelong glance at Jethro and Jarl who stared at her in bafflement. He shook his head when the two men glanced at him bewildered. "Just wait until she's ready to talk about what happened." He stopped teasing Denise.

Maisie smiled despite herself. "You remind me of Puck or Loki." She growled in exasperation.

Eduard grunted. "Fortunately, I'm neither of them." He shook his head wearily. "I'm tired. Could I not have one more day before speaking to them."

A soft cough garnered his attention. Eduard looked to the door. They stood there watching him with concern. Even Ramon stood quietly slightly behind the three. He shrugged. "Sorry, I couldn't stop them though I tried." He held two bundles in his arms. They stirred.

Eduard sighed. "Fine, come in." He gestured. "There's room for six more."