Kith and Kin

Chapter 5

Kiri couldn't stop herself from touching Jamie. She had been so worried that she'd never hold him again that keeping her hands to herself was unthinkable. It took every bit of her willpower to ease her bear hug around her son's wiry body when he started making exaggerated gasping noises. 

Instead of scooping Jamie back up she breathed deep and took in the man who'd found her baby. He was tall, his great height towering over their kneeling forms, and looked intimidating with his broad chest, thick arms and shaved head. Icy blue eyes stared down at her and her son, their color mired with mixed emotions. 

It was startling to realize she was looking at a New Species up close and personal. She'd been so worried about Jamie that the other men hadn't really registered to her but now here she was, kneeling in front of a being she'd only ever seen on television. 

"Mom?"

Giving herself a little shake, she turned back to her son. "What is it, honey?"

"Can we go feed Ven supper now?" Jamie inquired, twisting his fingers in a strand of her hair. "I want to show him my new room!"

Kiri nodded and rose to her feet, taking Jamie's hand in her own. "If he wants, Mr. Van is more than welcome to come over for supper."

Jamie snickered. "It's not Mr. Van, mom! His name is Venjens!" 

"Vengeance." The large man corrected, his voice rough. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kiri apologized, embarrassed by her mistake. She'd heard that name in passing from the other New Species but hadn't paid any attention. Now her cheeks were heating as those blue eyes fixed squarely on her.

"I would be happy to share supper with you both." Vengeance said, gaze flicking down to the small boy at her side. "I am curious to try dinosaur nuggets. Jamie assured me they were not made of dinosaurs."

A giggle bubbled up and Kiri grinned at the tall man, nodding.

"Oh no! Not happening!" The man who'd identified himself as Tiger stormed forward, shaking his head vehemently. "You are not going into the out world!"

Kiri pulled Jamie in close, tucking his smaller form behind her own, worried about the sudden shift in the security officer. He'd been so helpful and reassuring on their way here and the change was alarming.

A broad muscular back suddenly blocked her view and a low growl broke out between the men as Vengeance took up a protective stance in front of her and Jamie. 

"Don't bother growling at me, Ven!" Tiger hissed back. "I can see what you're doing! There is no way I'm going to allow you to follow that human home."

Vengeance breathed deep, seemingly about to voice his opinion, before he suddenly shot a glance over his shoulder at them. His nostrils flared and those blue eyes iced over. He turned back to the approaching man and growled low. "You are scaring the young one and his mother."

Tiger froze in his tracks and his gaze landed on her and Jamie, taking them in. He took a deep breath and released it in a grand sigh. "We need to talk Ven."

The big man before her nodded before turning to her. "Jamie's shoes are in the house. Please stay inside while I talk to Tiger and arrange safe transportation home for you both."

Kiri hesitated, not used to taking orders from a man, but after casting a glance at the angry New Species beside Vengeance, she followed Jamie's insistent tugs into the house. She looked back once more before shutting her and her son inside, watching as the other New Species, spectators until now, approached the angry pair. 

With the door firmly shut she turned back to Jamie who was trying to scale a tall chair. She smiled, going over to give her son a hand. He got onto his knees and reached across the table for a plate of cheese and crackers, popping a cheese cube in his mouth. "Isn't Ven nice? I found him in the woods and he brought me here and made me a snack."

"That was very nice of him," Kiri confirmed, sitting across from her son. Jamie continued to chatter as he munched and she let him get his excitement out, listening as she looked around and took in the small space. 

The house wasn't much more than a cabin, the main room a kitchen/living room blend with two doors leading off it. Everything was neat and tidy but not quite homey. There were no pictures on the walls, no blanket on the comfortable looking sofa. Nothing but two remotes on the coffee table. There was only a single used mug and plate by the sink waiting to be washed and a small pile of folded towels sat in a little basket beside the armchair. 

"Mom, do you think that other man will let Ven come visit?" Jamie asked, squishing a cheese cube between his forefinger and thumb slowly. 

Kiri returned her attention to her son and smiled at the precious little boy. "I hope so. I would really like to thank him for taking care of you. That was very kind of him."

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Thank you guys for sticking with me! I know it's been a long wait! Now that A Demon in My Bed is out in both paperback and ebook and officially launched I'm going to bounce back and forth between my three current projects. Namely the next Sons of Sariel novel, a brand new scifi romance, and my NS fics. Whatever my muse directs me to! Thankfully I have some great ideas for Ven so you shouldn't have to wait too long!