Her Rockin' Shifter (Shifter World - Book Twelve) (Series of 13 Short Stories)
Chapter Five: Sorrow

“That actually turned out very well.” Lyvia said as she and Shar sat at one of the tables in their bar, going over the books.

Shar smiled as she nodded to her best friend. “Yep. I knew it would.”

“Even with the lead singer absent, it was a fun night.” Lyvia said as she looked up at the stage.

Shar shrugged. “His back-up singer was pretty good. But there was no booing when they left the stage.”

Lyvia laughed.

“Mommy!”

Shar looked down at her one-year-old son as he tugged on her pant leg. “What is it, Easton?”

“Daddy say dat you gotta finis so we cans goes to da store.”

Shar smiled. “Tell Daddy that Mommy will be out soon.”

Easton nodded, then took off for the door.

Lyvia chuckled. “He’s getting so big.”

Shar sighed. “They all are.”

Lyvia snorted. “At least you only have two.”

Shar shook her head. “Will you be able to finish this?”

Lyvia nodded. “Yep. Go, have your family day.”

Shar grinned. “Thanks.” She said, then leaned over and kissed her best friend on the cheek, before she stood and took off out the door.

“Need any help?” Josie asked as she stood next to Lyvia.

Lyvia shook her head. “Nah, I’ve got it.”

Josie nodded as she sat down next to her.

“Oh look, a pow-wow.” Maddy said as she sat down next to her sister.

“Oh, I’ll join in on one of those.” Mara said as she sat on the other side of Lyvia.

Lyvia smiled. It was nice to have so many sisters.

“Where’s Sharissa?”

They looked up at Tate, who stood at the table they were all sitting at, his arms crossed over his chest.

“She left to have a family day with Dustin and their cubs.” Lyvia informed him.

Tate took a deep breath. “Something is on the horizon, we need everyone here, in thirty minutes.” He said, then disappeared.

“Ah shit.” Mara said as she looked at the other three women at the table.

“Sounds like the bar may be closed tonight.” Lyvia said as she closed the book she was working on.

“I’m going to go grab my mate.” Maddy said as she got to her feet.

“Grab your daughters too.” Daryl said as he walked up to them. “This is important, we need everyone, including the rugrats, here.”

The women nodded as they headed out to gather their families.

~🎸~

“But Mommy, I want this.” Joy pouted as she held a doll up to her mother’s face.

Shar sighed as she rolled her eyes. “You already have that one…”

“But this one has sparkles…”

“Sparkles are for sissies.”

They looked at Easton, and Dustin chuckled.

“Nuh-uh.” Joy said with a pout.

“Sorry to intrude on your day out.”

The four of them turned to the voice of their guardian.

“Uncle Tate!” Easton said with excitement as he ran to the Vampire and jumped into his arms.

“Hey there, kiddo.” Tate said with a grin as he held his Godson.

“What’s going on, Tate?” Shar asked as she watched the Vampire with her son.

Tate looked at her and his smile faded. “Pack meeting. Mandatory.” He said, then vanished, with their son.

“Damn Vampire.” Dustin cursed.

“You said a bad word, Daddy.” Joy said as she looked up at her father.

Dustin smiled down at his daughter. “So, I did. I’ll put a dollar in the curse jar when we get home.”

“Come along.” Shar said as she took the doll from her daughter and set it on the shelf.

“We can try this again next week.” Dustin said as he kissed Shar’s cheek.

She shrugged as they walked through the store. Joy held onto her mother’s hand as they walked outside to their car.

~🎸~

“Did you seriously kidnap your Godson?” Chelsea asked with a laugh as she watched her mate set Easton on the floor with their daughter.

Hope squealed with joy to see the boy.

“You know too.” Chelsea said with a smile as she watched the two play together on the floor.

Tate nodded with a wide grin.

“Does Shar and Dustin know?”

Tate chuckled. “They practically attacked each other when they were first placed in a playpen together. I think everyone knows.”

Chelsea grinned. Couldn’t ask for a better mate for her daughter.

“We need to get going.” Tate said as he lifted Easton back into his arms.

“No.” Hope said when her mother tried to pick her up.

Tate chuckled as he reached down and lifted his daughter into his other arm. Hope reached out and touched Easton’s arm. Easton gave Hope the biggest, brightest, cutest smile.

Chelsea sighed with a smile. They were just too cute. “Do I need to get my brother and sister?”

Tate nodded, then vanished.

Chelsea shook her head as she left the house and headed to her siblings’ dwellings.

~🎸~

“Did you really have to disappear with our son?” Dustin asked Tate as he took Easton from the Vampire.

Tate grinned. “Yep.”

“Jerk.” Shar said as she punched Tate in the arm.

“Ouch, little mama, don’t be so rough.” Tate said as he turned to her.

She made a face at him, then took her Goddaughter from his arms. “Hello, Hope.” She said, then tickled the adorable pup.

Hope giggled as she pushed Shar’s hand away.

“Is everyone here?” Daryl asked from the stage.

“We are now.” Chelsea said as she and her siblings entered the bar.

Daryl motioned for her to come onto the stage with him. She nodded, then turned to her brother and whispered to him. Lambert immediately walked over to Dustin and whispered into his ear. Dustin nodded as he set his son on his feet, then turned, and walked over to the door with the other pack’s beta.

“Come over here, Easton.” Shar said as she held her hand out to her son.

Easton walked over to his mother and she set Hope on her feet, next to him. They instantly held hands and Shar smiled. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“The Goddesses have sent us a warning.” Daryl started.

“Who did they send it to?” Raj asked.

“Me.”

Everyone turned to Tate as he made his way to the stage.

“What’s going on, Vampire?” Dylan asked as he watched Tate walk up onto the stage.

“Wait, we’re missing someone.” Shar said as she looked around for Sebastian and his mate.

“Fu…dge.” Daryl said as he looked around the room at their cubs and pups.

The adults laughed.

“We’re not used to him having his mate.” Lyvia said as she looked at her fellow Fated Mates.

“I’ll go get him.” Tate said, then disappeared.

“I hope they’re not naked.” Shar said with a laugh.

“What the fu…” Sebastian stopped and looked around him at all the Fated Mates and their offspring.

“Oh, hello.” His mate said with a wave. “Sorry, we didn’t get to meet properly last night. I’m Winter.”

Everyone smiled at her.

“Hello, Winter, I’m Sharissa. You can call me Shar.” Shar said as she held her hand out to her new sister. At least they weren’t naked.

Winter grinned. “The first Fated Mate.”

Shar nodded. “The one and the same.”

“Okay, now that Sebastian and Winter are here, let’s get this meeting started.” Daryl said from the stage.

“What’s going on?” Sebastian whispered as he leaned in closer to Shar.

“Pack meeting. We forgot about you.” She said.

He chuckled. “I’m that forgettable, huh?”

She gave him a shove, then pointed to the stage where Daryl was still talking.

“According to Tate, there is a coven of Dark Witches and Wizards, who have been searching for Fated Mates, and capturing them, then letting Shifter fu… um, take advantage of them.” Daryl said as he looked at the little faces in the room.

“What are dey doing to dem Daddy?” Brianna asked as she watched her father on the stage.

Daryl cleared his throat. “Not very nice things, baby girl.” He said, then looked at the adults.

“How are they finding them before us?” Drezden asked. He knows what it’s like to almost have your mate taken from you, and he hated to think what the men who have lost their Fated Mates are going through. If they’re even still alive.

“That’s what happened to me.” Winter said. Everyone turned to her.

“Before she was saved by a White Witch.” Sebastian said.

“A White Witch made it into a Dark Coven alone?” Pearl asked, shocked.

Winter shook her head. “She was born there. She’s the only White Witch in her family.”

Everyone stared at her and she smiled as she told them her story. Everyone growled as they listened. They were glad the White Witch had saved her and brought her to Sebastian.

“But that doesn’t explain how they know, and who’s telling them who’s going to be activated next.” Daryl said.

“Lucifer.”

Everyone stopped and turned to the newcomer.

“Kota.” Pearl said as she rushed to her brother. “Are you okay?”

Kota shook his head as he looked into his sister’s eyes. “Lucifer is giving them the Fated Mates. He’s also trying to get to you, and someone else, but not sure who…”

“How do you know all of this?” Daryl asked from the stage, as he watched the half Demon.

Kota looked up at Daryl. “My mother sent me a message. Lucifer is onto the source he has been waiting for.”

Pearl sucked in a breath. She knows what that means. The black-eyed child has arrived.

“But who is it?” Pearl asked softly.

Kota shook his head. “I do not know.”

A loud crash of thunder had everyone hunkering over the children as lightning, rain, and wind blew through the bar.

“Father.” Pearl and Kota said at the same time.

Kristoph and a woman appeared close to the bar. The rain settled but the wind continued to blow.

“Father!” Kota hollered.

“Daddy!”

Kota blinked as he watched his daughter run from Kristoph, right into his arms.

“Orabella.” He whispered as he held onto his daughter.

“Dad! Make it stop!” Pearl hollered over the wind. She could hear the children whimpering.

The storm in the bar settled and everyone stared at Kristoph and the woman beside him, who held something in her arms.

“Where have you been?” Kota demanded of his father. “I have been searching everywhere for you.”

“Um, is no one going to say anything?” Saffron whispered as she stared at the half Demon and the young girl clinging to him.

“Kota?” Pearl asked as she looked from her brother to the girl and back to her brother again.

Kota looked at his sister. “I am sorry, Sis. I had wanted to tell you. But I had to keep them a secret. We had to hide them…”

Pearl nodded. “Like when I was hidden.”

Kota nodded, then looked back at their father and the Witch at his side. “Elise. Why aren’t you protecting… Where’s Amelia?”

Kristoph stopped Elise from talking and walked over to his son. “He got to them before I could.” He whispered.

Kota blinked at his father, his arm tightening around his daughter.

“Daddy, too tight.” Orabella said out of breath.

Kota loosened his grip on his daughter as he looked into her green eyes. “I’m sorry baby.” He said, then looked at his father. “What happened?”

Kristoph stopped in front of his son and placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders. “She fought well, Son.”

“No.” Kota said with a shake of his head. “No, you can’t…no…”

“I’m sorry.” Kristoph said as he pulled his son into a hug.

“No. She can’t be…she…”

“Kota?” Pearl whispered as she placed her hand on her brother’s arm.

“Why didn’t you protect her?!” Kota yelled as he pulled away from his father and glared at the Witch who was supposed to guard his family.

Elise sniffled as tears streamed down her cheek. “I couldn’t get to her fast enough.”

“Bull shit!” Kota hollered.

“Son.” Kristoph said as he forced his son to look at him. “She was protecting Orabella. There were too many for her to handle alone. Lucifer killed your wife…”

Kota let out the most horrifying scream anyone had ever heard. The cubs and pups started crying as they held onto their parents.

Pearl cried as she held onto her brother’s arm, trying to keep him grounded.

“Daddy.” Orabella cried as she clung to her father.

Kota’s scream ended in a growl and he looked down at his beautiful daughter. All he has left of his beautiful wife.

“How did he find them?” Kota asked as he looked at his father, his eyes a smoldering purple.

Kristoph knew that color meant his Demon was clawing to come out.

“He found them by following the scent of…”

“Of what?!” Kota yelled.

“Of your son.” Elise whispered.

Everyone looked at the Witch.

“My what?” Kota asked, confused. “I don’t have a son.”

Elise smiled as she walked up to Kota. “Meet your son, Milord.” Elise said as she held the bundle in her arms out to the half Demon.

Kota stared at the baby wrapped in the blankets.

“Lucifer was on their trail for a long time. I didn’t know it, until today. I barely made it there in time to save Elise and your children.” Kristoph said as he watched his son. “He wants your son, Kota. Your wife gave her life protecting him.”

Kota blinked as he took the bundle from the Witch. He looked to be about a month old. Which would mean he was conceived the last time he had seen his family. The last time he had…

“What’s his name?” He asked as he looked up at Elise.

The Witch smiled. “Amelia called him, Linkin.”

Kota chuckled as he looked at his son. The first song they had ever danced to, was by Linkin Park.

“Hello, my sweet boy.” Kota said with a smile.

The boy opened his eyes and looked straight at his father.

Kota sucked in a shocked breath. “No.” He whispered.

“Oh no.” Pearl said as she covered her mouth with her hands.

“Goddesses why!?” Kota asked angrily.

He understood now why and how Lucifer had found them.

His son is the black-eyed child.

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