Split in Time Ch. 03

Cass came around with her horses; Amy walked up to Bandit, the beautiful stallion Cass had raised from a colt. "Hello Bandit." Amy said stroking his face, she focused for a moment and the horses vanished as did the cart full of their things.

Amy smiled at Cass's stunned look, "Yeah... I'm complicated." She said in explanation.

"One of my horses is missing." Cass said just as Boadicea rode up on Cass's missing horse.

"We have about twenty minutes before they get here." Boadicea told them as she dismounted; she patted the horse for a moment thanking it before making it vanish.

"I'll hurry the women." Cass said a little frantically as she raced off, she did NOT want to be here when the merk squad came. Ten minutes later Cass ushered the women out of her family's home, she stared at it for a moment saddened by the fate that was to befall it. Her family's most prized possessions were packed neatly into the box and bag she had, her clothes she had already sent ahead with her horses.

Boadicea held a glass bottle. "Take them Amy, we'll finish up." She said knowing that Cass would fall apart if she saw her home set alight.

Amy nodded and focused, all the women and children vanished with her leaving the three ancients to finish their work.

Cass blinked as her eyes focused on the ancient looking building they had appeared in front of. "Where are we?" She asked a little dazed.

"England... but don't worry, anyone who sees this building sees a ruin not what you are seeing." Amy told them.

"Then why can we see it." A little girl asked.

"Because we let you." Mryddin said as he walked around the building, "Just settling the horses." He explained, "That stallion by the way is magnificent." He said with a smile. He held up a stuffed duffle bag, "Who does this belong to?" He asked.

Cass shuffled her load and lifted a hand; he nodded and hooked it over his shoulder. He went to the front door and opened it. "Just a warning, the doors leading out of the house only open for those with Ancient blood so make sure if you want to come out to play or see the horses to grab one of us. Also, don't open any yellow doors, they are dangerous."

He stepped in and held the door wide open. "Please come in." He invited. Everyone moved to enter; Taliesin was waiting for them and smiled in welcome.

"You all look hungry, put your things down and get something to eat; once that's done we'll show you where you'll be staying." Taliesin said, he waited for them to do as he suggested then led the way to the dinning room. With Were in the house they were making sure there was enough food on hand to feed them, much to Robin's glee as he loved to cook and finally got to cook for a group of people who couldn't just make what they wanted to eat appear.

He was in the process of putting freshly baked bread rolls on the table next to everything for sandwiches. He smiled, "Yes... more guests," he said pleased. Electra and Alanna were already making sandwiches, much to Tarval's amusement.

"You just ate." He exclaimed.

"Were... we have a high metabolic rate." Electra answered.

"Aren't you meant to be in a pod?" Amy asked as she walked in and took a bite of Electra's roll, Electra gasped and pulled her sandwich away from Amy who smiled at her.

"Rhun said I could go to sleep in one tonight and that I would heal faster if I eat more food." Electra explained.

"What I said was you would heal faster if you weren't squirming around in the pod." Rhun said as he walked in. "So I suggested she finish her treatment at night while she sleeps. You suggested food."

Amy chuckled as she quickly made herself a roll then got out of the way. "Girls." Amy jerked her head, telling Alanna and Electra to get out of the way and let the others get something to eat; they nodded and obeyed. Shannon walked into the room following Vivian, she had only needed twenty minutes in a pod to fix the rest of her problems, her eyes landed on the heavily laid table and licked her lips. She grabbed a plate and got in line her eyes picking out the foods she wanted and hoped that those foods wouldn't run out, high on her list was the freshly baked bread.

Robin was gently showing the ones he knew Amy didn't need for the conversation to come, to the kitchen courtyard where they could eat outside yet sill be protected by the Temple. One of the new women stopped next to him, "I am getting the feeling you have some things to talk about with Cass and... Shannon... if you want I'll keep everyone here until you come and get us."

Robin smiled at the woman, with her practical short brown haircut but the kind eyes, "Please... the kitchen courtyard is quiet big, you can wander around and if you can get the children to pick two buckets of apples when we're done, I'll bring them into the kitchen and show them how to make apple pie." He explained.

She nodded, her deep chocolate brown eyes watching as several of the children she knew walked up to the Were child Vivian had rescued from the detention centre. The little girl quivered in anxious fear, humans had always meant pain to her, but these children had been raised without bigotry, as Cass wouldn't stand for it. Thomas, the little African orphan Cass had found a few months earlier offered her a bite of his sandwich; she shook her head and showed her own sandwich. The children all moved off to sit together on a blanket Robin had put down.

Robin smiled, "Good, I was afraid for a moment, little Sasha hasn't had a good experience with humans." He explained.

"Cass was very..." She stepped out of the way of another person. "Cass was very adamant with the people who lived in her home, racism and bigotry wasn't allowed, that it was those acts which ruined our world. She even kicked a woman out and told her to never come..." She cursed and went back into the dining room. "It was Kaylee." She told Cass.

"What was Kaylee, Sally?" Cass said as she stuffed a roll with roast beef drenched in gravy.

Sally rolled her eyes, "Cass you kicked her out a week ago and we suddenly get hit by merks, I've lived with you for nine years and that was the first group of merks to come to us. After she was kicked out. She gave us up."

Cass sighed, "If that's so Karma will get her." She said firmly, a little disappointed in Kaylee. She finished loading her plate and went to join the others but Vivian directed her to the sitting room.

Sally went out into the courtyard, her eyes snapping in fury. Robin got out of her way with a smile, she reminded him of his first love, Marian, he made a mental note to get to know Miss Sally.

When the last of the guests were in the courtyard he shut the door and went to the sitting room, Vivian offered him a sandwich. Boadicea sat next to a very docile Susan.

Amy glanced around the room, "Okay... I promised answers to most of you. Cass, Shannon, Susan, as humans you're the ones who are going to have the most trouble with what I am about to tell you." She explained and took a deep breath, "This is not my reality, I was dragged here to fix this world."

Cass glanced around the room, "So why have you hunted us down?" She asked curious and a little in disbelief.

"Because in my world you all had a hand in preventing this from happening." Amy explained honestly. "But please... if my words are not enough to convince you perhaps my memories will be enough."

"Amy you can't..." Taliesin started to say.

"Yes I can, I have done this before, with humans, Were and Ancients." She said cutting into what he was trying to say.

Vivian chuckled. "Taliesin, don't try to tell her she can't do something because she'll just turn around and do it anyway."

Amy grinned a little cockily and turned to Cass, Shannon and Susan. "Close your eyes and open your minds. You too Tarval. Everyone close your eyes and open your minds." She coaxed.

Everyone closed their eyes and did as she asked. Amy took a deep breath and brought them into her mind and through her memories, showing them what had happened in her world, everything, up until this very moment. She opened her eyes and waited for them.

Vivian got up and walked into a corner to hide her tears as she fought to control her emotions. Amy had not been able to keep Lupa and Rhiannon from her memories, as they were too much a part of her life. Amy stood and went to her and hugged her, "I'm sorry," she told her grandmother honestly, wishing she could have saved her from that kind of pain.

Vivian hugged her back, "Later can you show me everything about them?" She asked.

Amy nodded and returned to her seat; Vivian wiped her face to clear away the last of her tears and returned to her seat.

Alanna and Electra watched each other for a moment, letting the fact that the strange woman who had freed them was also their mother, that they had a family, sink in; it also explained why they trusted Amy down to their very souls. They then turned to their respective mates, Tarval was still with shock as he processed the love and affection Amy had shown him between him and the woman he had met only yesterday. Mayhem lunged at Electra and wrapped her up in her arms.

"Do you want to turn me again?" Susan asked.

"That is your choice." Amy told her. "Think carefully about it Susan. The last time you asked it was in a battle situation and it was the only way to save your life."

Susan frowned, "Has my life been hard since I was turned?" She asked.

Amy shook her head, "Nope... the opposite in fact."

"So... are you going to reunite us with our mates?" Shannon asked a little hopefully, something was tugging at her, a need to be with the man who had stolen her heart in that other universe, a need to know his love and protection.

Amy turned to Cass who had a very thoughtful look on her face, she felt the need just like Shannon, a hollowness that had been in her heart for so long but which she had only just noticed was there, longed for him as she knew that he would fill that gap. She turned to Amy.

Amy nodded, "Yes, but I want to warn you, the men in this realm, they will be slightly different to the men I have shown you."

Cass shrugged, "Count me in."

"And me." Shannon added before taking a bite of her roll.

"So are you doing what you did before, getting the Alpha's together?" Cass asked.

Amy nodded, "Yep, we're going to organise a gathering. However, we will start tomorrow. For today just relax, bathe and eat."

****

Keira grunted and moved her head rubbing her face against Ghan's chest. Some time last night they had both moved, him to his back and she to using his chest as a pillow, her injured arm was wrapped loosely around him. He watched her as she slept, he knew when she woke she would be furious, but for the moment he was content. During his existence he had watched many friends die knowing he couldn't join them, he had even watched her die a few different times, but for the first time in ages, he was truly happy.

She blinked slowly as she woke; she yawned and squinted to focus her eyes. Grunting, she pushed herself violently away from him disgusted by her own actions. She would not give this man any ideas that she wanted him to pursue her. The chink, chink, chink of the chain moving followed her movement but for the moment she didn't really notice it.

Scrambling from the bed, it took her a moment to realise that she was again naked. She glared at the man as he appraised her body and grabbed the upper most blanket, jerking it around her body wearing it like a sarong. He chuckled at her bashfulness wondering how she could be shy when she was raised by Were. He waited for the explosion as her hands found the chain that was connected to the collar around her neck. She pulled on the chain and saw it connected to a loop in the wall.

She turned to him, her glare turned murderous. "Release me." She demanded tugging on the chain to get her message across.

"No." He said playfully tucking his hands behind his head as he saw flashes of her rage come to the surface.

She tugged on the chain wondering if it would come free of the wall under her own strength.

"It's designed to withstand Were strength." He told her guessing her motivation.

"Please... you have to let me go." She pleaded; she wanted to go to her mother.

"No I don't." He replied completely unmoved by her pleading.

There was a knock on the door. She judged the length of the chain he had allowed her, it was long enough to let her get to the bathroom and the toilet but not long enough for her to answer the locked door. He smiled as she glared at him again. He got out of bed and walked to the door. She was happy to note he was at least wearing some form of underwear.

He opened it and Grey took a step into the room.

She blinked in shock and surprise as her eyes drank in a familiar person she had not expected to see again. "Da." She said before she rushed to him forgetting that she was chained up. The chain pulled tight as her body kept moving, she slammed onto her back. Grey raced with Ghan to get her up and check to make sure she was all right. She coughed as her eyes watered and she tried to breathe. Gabby hobbled in on crutches, alarm on her face as she saw her daughter on the ground and the chain, which held her captive.

Ghan was carefully checking the back of her head to make sure she hadn't cracked her head open when she landed. Grey gently clapped her on the back as Keira rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. Gabby carefully moved further into the room and sat on the bed to wait for Keira.

Ghan picked Keira up gently and sat her back on her feet, when she was safely on her feet Grey helped her rearrange the blanket she wore to cover her body. Keira saw her mother out of the corner of her eye as she hadn't seen Gabby enter and raced to hug her; Gabby wrapped her arms around her daughter and kissed her temple.

"Ma..." Keira said pleased to see her ma was safe and that her leg had been set.

"Sweet baby girl." Gabby said using the same words she used whenever she comforted her daughter. She took a deep breath and rubbed her face against her daughter's hair.

Grey sat on Keira's other side and hugged his daughter, creating a Keira sandwich just like they used to when she was young. Ghan watched the scene; he couldn't wait for that to be him and Keira comforting their own child or children.

Keira glanced at Ghan for a moment then turned to her parents as they had rights, rights that could free her from his chain. "Why won't he let me go?" She asked them.

"You've been claimed." Grey explained.

Keira shook her head in denial. "But I'm not old enough. He can't claim me." She stated, she knew her law, a woman was not a woman until a moon after her nineteenth birthday, and un-mate-able.

Grey nodded agreeing with her, she was right but she was forgetting something. "That is true but that can't stop him from laying a verbal claim on you," he explained.

"But..." Keira started to say ready to argue for her freedom.

"He's the Alpha Keira." Grey said firmly, telling her in that sentence that they could do nothing to free her. He could do nothing but sit back and let events unfold. Parents guarded their daughters fiercely, as they were keepers of the future of their race, but the moment a claim was made, this close to her coming of age, the parents had to sit back, to let go, within reason.

Ghan waited, he knew that she would turn her anger and frustration on him now that her parents had told her that they could nothing.

Keira turned and glared at Ghan. "Let me go. I want to be with my parents."

Ghan shook his head; he wasn't letting her go ever.

Gabby got up sensing a fight brewing and didn't want to be here for that. Grey followed her out silently, so quietly that Keira didn't even notice their exit.

"You can't do this, I'm not nineteen, you can't remove me from my family until after my nineteenth birthday and you can't claim me for a moon after that." Keira demanded.

Ghan growled annoyed that she was lecturing him on law. "I know the laws..." He snapped. "I wrote them." He told her as he paced just out of her reach.

She frowned; those laws were written long before man came out of the dark ages. "But... that would make you immortal." She surmised a little thunderstruck... immortals were in a league of their own.

He stopped pacing and smiled at her. "Yes... I am over ten thousand years old." He told her truthfully.

She glared at him, if he wrote the laws then he knew what he was doing was wrong but was doing it anyway. "What you are doing is wrong, you..."

He was suddenly looming before, his shoulders heaved as he tried to rein in the rage he had gone through when she ran away. He trembled as he gripped her shoulders. "YOU RAN AWAY." He roared explaining exactly why he was not going to let her out of his control until he had fully bound them together.

She was frozen in fear, she had seen her father's fury, once, so being confronted with a furious male Were reminded her just how volatile their emotions could be and how she shouldn't be pressing his buttons like she was. She also knew they were obsessively protective of their mates, more so in the world they lived in, which explained why he was acting the way he was, he thought she was his mate but she didn't want a mate.

He stepped back releasing her. "You ran away, if you had asked I would have gone and gotten your mother, I would have brought her here. Then I might have given you your freedom. But you ran away." He said through gritted teeth, trying to control his emotions, he could smell her fear and more than anything he didn't want her to fear him. He started to pace, to release some of his anger in a way that he hoped wouldn't frighten her further.

She remembered the lessons her parents had drilled into her. She had been basically raised as a Were child only she never had to learn how to shift and control her beast as she wasn't truly Were. The laws were easy enough to follow, they applied to all Were, it was the day-to-day rules of each individual pack that were difficult to follow. However, one thing was common, what the Alpha wanted he ultimately got and he wanted her, his beast wanted her, they were mates and nothing would keep him from claiming her as his.

A woman popped her head in, "Sorry to interrupt." She said stepping into the room. Keira had the distinct feeling that this woman was his second in charge. She was tall, lean and had the hairs on the back of Keira's neck standing on end; the woman was dangerous her senses screamed.

"Crystal... this is Keira. Keira this is my second, Crystal." He said performing introductions.

Crystal nodded her head in greeting, she knew what was going on in Keira's mind, benefit of being what she was, she could read minds. She dug her hands into her pockets and tried to be as unthreatening as possible. Humans always had this reaction to her, more so now that the world had gone to crap. She looked a little wilder, which is what had alarm bells going off in most human's heads.

She liked the life she had in Ghan's pack, people accepted and even liked her; involved her in the day-to-day goings on in the pack. She even had real friends, outside of Ghan's influence, for the first time in her life she was accepted for being what she was and not treated like a freak.

"We got those deer you wanted, we need help butchering." Crystal told him. He nodded and went to join Crystal to take care of the kills.

"What do I call you?" Keira called out as he reached the door. Crystal snorted in amusement and ducked out as Ghan glared at her for her reaction. Crystal couldn't help it and peals of laughter filled the hall.

He rolled his eyes at her laughter, as he turned to Keira and frowned; how was it possible that she didn't know his name. He suddenly realised that no one had said his name nor had he introduced himself. He turned rubbed the back of his neck feeling foolish. Crystal continued to laugh out in the hallway.