Secrets From the Grave (Sinister 1.60)

Chapter Eleven Gaia the Mother

Dedicated to MajenBeos02, bethansarah, Babyalex34, carmeapple.
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May 4, 2019, 6:06 pm, Diana's POV

    'If the last four days have shown me anything, it would be that I can be at peace with doing nothing. I can enjoy being at home, without missing the urgency of being Empress... I can still find joy in the quiet. It is not my preferred state, it is not where I wanted to be, but it has a place in my spirit just as the Madhatter does.' I fiddle with the paint swatches in my hand while grinning at Moonie, as she very carefully decides which color she likes. 'In the quiet, I checked in with not only the Pack but the house itself. I am homebound, but I am still an Empress. That afforded the privilege of ordering curtains, table clothes, wall paint, new chandeliers, a whole bookshelf of romance books, and new furniture for the downstairs foyer from various Dynamic merchants all over the island. I expected the Alphas to be annoyed, in the moments they were here, but Nilo noticed and then fingered out thirty bands from the safe. Telling me, in his rich smoky voice, 'go fucking crazy.'

    "You like that one, Tesora?" I ask and Moonie nods. 'The construction Betas have worked almost around the clock to build the third floor. And now it is starting to look more like a floor and not like a skeletal construction site. When it finishes, it will be a replica of the second floor, fit with a second full-nest for Hermes. And anyone that shares a room, will have their own room on the added floor. But most importantly, I planned it with the children in mind. As they get older Alex and Aurora will not want to share, and they should not have to. The unborn five also need future space.

    "Oh, that's pretty," Aisha says and Moonie smiles. 'Aisha, Pandora, Drago, Basilio, and Hermes will be moved to the third floor. Initially, only those that wanted space were meant to go there, but Aisha asked to be in the connecting room to Baby A and B. Then Drago eagerly asked to connect to Baby C, D, and E. I then drew up the plan to put Pandora, Drago, the three newborns, and the children Aurora, and Alex in the third-floor Eastern wing. With a small round staircase descending through the floor into what will be Mino's new room. Then Aisha, the two newborns, Hermes's nest, Basilio's new room, and then Ciro's will be in the third-floor Northern wing. This left the third-floor Southern and Western wings temporarily empty or reserved for guests... Jules joked, 'or for more children.''

    "Okay, so Moonie, Peace, Orion, Aver, Jules, and I are remaining in our prospect rooms. So you can choose colors if you want." I say looking at each person. Peace looks hesitant until Massimo drops into the chair next to him and shows him paint colors. 'Ooh, because an Alpha dad said it was cool, now it is fun?' I think watching Peace turn eager when Massimo talks about the colors he, Massimo, likes. 'Massimo, Dante, and Basilio are going to be the only Alphas here in three hours. In three hours most of the Upper Pack, Jules, and Pandora will be leaving.'

    "Where are the babies going to sleep while we wait for construction?" Dante asks me tossing Reese's pieces into Jules's mouth. Drago and Pandora look scandalized, every time Jules drops to catch the flying candy... though the scandalization might come from the heated look Basilio is sending Jules, every time Jules's mouth drops wide to catch the candy. I giggle into my elbow trying not to make it clear I'm laughing at the girls.

   'Over the last few days, the Upper Pack left early in the morning and returned late in the evening to swoop me up and carry me to my Nest. Whatever Alpha picks me up, members of the Quattro or the Sei come in and snuggle me. Vico and Nilo join the Quattro or the Sei, without an invite from either mini Upper Pack. They just appear and order the Alphas to scoot over. Basilio protested once the day after Peace's birthday. And in a frightening display of dominance, they rolled off my nest onto the floor. Then Vico lowered his canines to Basilio's neck. Rumble after enraged rumble ripping out of his throat. Until a smiling Basilio submitted. Basilio has canines AND long claws, but he did not try to use them. He just went still and purred at Vico, until Vico realized Basilio was not resisting. Then Vico just got on the nest like it never happened, and gently closed my mouth. Moments like that remind me that with them biology took a step back. They may seem normal, but they're savages. Silent, shadowy creatures... our Monsters.