Timeless

chapter 6

"Damn it, Angelo, back the f**k off! I just want to go and talk to him," Frankie shouted from

behind Vik.

Morgan almost lost his hold on Angelo when he lunged at Frankie, snarling, "You aren't

going anywhere near Manny! I swear, if I see your d**k come within feet of my son I will cut it off

and shove it so far up your a*s a proctologist will have to be brought in to surgically retrieve it!"

"He's my mate, Angelo!" Frankie snapped.

"Bullshit! It took me one hundred forty-seven years to find my mate. Manny isn't even

twenty-one yet," Angelo argued, still struggling in Morgan's arms.

Frankie sighed, "And I'm one hundred twenty-five, Angelo."

Ollie took another bite of his burrito, barely swallowing before saying, "What I don't

understand is how you're just figuring out that Manny is your mate? Manny said he's been in

Crystal since he was sixteen."

Angelo pointed and wiggled his hand, exclaiming, "Exactly! It isn't like you haven't been

around Manny since my baby boy came to Morgan and I!"

"We have been around each other, but it wasn't until Oliver and Pascal brought him back

from the pixie realm that I started smelling the scent of my mate," Frankie quickly replied, then

turned to Oliver. "You guys passed my desk and it was just a light whiff. Hell, I wasn't sure if I

was right or not, but I knew the scent was coming from one of you. Then I went to Twixie's and

Manny was there waiting for Angelo, and that's when I knew for sure. What I found odd was he

didn't' seem to know," Frankie said thoughtfully.

Shrugging, Ollie grabbed a pickle and bit into it, garbling, "If he's a fairy like Rune said he

is, then he might not know. If I understand fairies, they're basically human until they turn twentyone.

They might have a pull towards their mate, but it's like a kid with a crush. I bet if you asked

him, Manny's tell you he's been j*********f to images of you for quite some time, Frankie. What

confuses me is how his scent didn't alert your phoenix, but then again, maybe it has something to

do with being a fairy."

"Ollie! Don't be crude. And for the love of the Gods, stop talking with your mouth full, it's

not only disgusting, it's rude," Pascal hissed.

Rolling his eyes, Ollie set his burrito on his plate. "Pas, I haven't eaten a decent meal in

months! I don't mind trying to help Manny, but I will be doing it while I stuff my face. Now, hand

me that bag of chips."

Pascal pursed his lips, but tossed the requested bag at Oliver. "What my i***t brother is

trying to say is Manny is going to need to learn about being a fairy. There are changes that are

going to take over and he has no clue how to control them. That could be dangerous to the public."

Angelo stopped struggling, asking, "What kind of changes?"

Ollie snorted, "Pas and I don't know all of them. I mean, we know a few things, but not much.

It isn't like fairies sit and chit chat with others. They're pretty much loners. Which is why we were

shocked to learn they were working with the elves. Fallon is a mean son of a b***h and he thinks

of himself as an absolute power. To work with Kerrick makes no sense. My suggestion is to find Rune and ask him to help Manny out. Oh, and maybe ask him what the f**k is up with this elf/fairy

colab thing. Cause I'm serious, Fallon does not work well with others."

A soft knock had Angelo pulling away from Morgan, glaring at Frankie, and snapping, "Make

one move to go up those stairs to my son's room and I will kick your nuts so hard you'll think you

have an extra pair of tonsils."

Angelo opened the door, Illan, Justice, and Avery walked in. Avery looking anxiously

around. "Where's Manny?"

Justice grasped Avery's hand. "Sweetheart, you're going to need to calm yourself if you're

going to be any good to your friend."

Avery pulled his hand back. "And I told you and Illan, Manny is my best friend. He's been

there for me through some really tough times, and I will do no less for him. Now, where is he?"

Angelo pointed up the stairs. "He's up in his room, but he refuses to come down. He says he

has nothing to say and wants to be left alone."

Avery started for the stairs, when Angelo stopped him. "Avery, I need to warn you, Manny

hasn't been himself. I never would think my son could be considered dangerous to others, but right

now he is struggling with something and he could lash out."

Shaking his head, Avery replied, "Manny would never harm me, Angelo. He's going through

something and just needs someone he can talk to."

Angelo gasped and tearfully said, "But he can always talk to me! I'm his dad."

Morgan hugged his mate close. "Baby, Manny knows we love him, but he might need

someone closer to his own age to talk to right now."

Frankie started following Avery when Angelo snarled, "Not you, wonder d**k! I told you to

leave my son alone."

"And I told you he is my mate! Angelo, we have known each other our entire lives, what the

fuck is your problem?" Frankie argued.

Before Angelo could say anything, Illan growled, "Everyone sit down and let's talk about

what the hell is going on."

Frankie reluctantly watched Avery disappear up the stairs as Frankie went into the kitchen.

Another knock came and Jett walked in with Zev, Finn, Marco, and a very pregnant Twix.

"Holy s**t! Toby told us you were prego, but he didn't tell us you were already whale size. I

thought you were just a few months along," Ollie gasped.

Pascal slapped Oliver's arm. "Ollie, would you please shut up! Damn, how are we going to

get accepted if you keep insulting people here, especially the prince of pixies, you a*s?"

Oliver's eyes widened. "Sorry, Prince Desdain. I wasn't trying to be insulting, my mouth

tends to speak before my brain tells it what to say, sometimes. I meant to say, you look good fat."

"Ollie!" Pascal snapped, hitting Oliver again.

Twix laughed. "I've heard a lot about you two from Manny. He wasn't kidding when he said

you were a handful. I know I'm big, but Rhys is bigger. Besides, I'm happy and the baby is healthy.

That's all that matters. Oh, and please call me Twix."

"Ollie, Pascal, just please stop talking. We have a lot to go over and little time to do it.

Manny is set to turn twenty-one in less than thirty-two hours. We don't know what is happening to

him and we can't help him until we do," Frankie argued.

Illan nodded. "Frankie's right. Now, why don't you tell us what you do know."

Frankie repeated what Manny had told him. When he was through Illan and the other

newcomers were just staring at him.

Illan turned to Angelo. "Did you ever have any indication that Manny was anything other than

a phoenix?"

Shaking his head, Angelo replied, "No. This was as big a shock to me as it was to all the

people in this room. Hell, I walked Manny through his first shift."

"And you all feel this Rune was telling him the truth?" Justice asked.

Nodding, Frankie replied, "When Vik and I got here this afternoon, Manny bowled into me

and when he got really upset with Angelo his eyes changed and his skin turned green. Now, it was

only for a second, but he definitely changed."

"That makes sense, since Fae are typically green in their true form," Ollie replied as he

picked his teeth.

Pascal smacked at Oliver's hand, whispering angrily, "All you left out was belching and

farting at the table. Honestly, Ollie, you act as if we are heathens and it's embarrassing."

Ollie gave Pascal his best innocent look and failed miserably, saying, "I got a piece of...."

"Stop it, Oliver! Just stop. What are you doing? I thought you wanted to ask Leader Sutherlan

and Leader Abruzzo for our ajutor status so we can stay in Crystal? Why are you going out of your

way to make us look like heathens and uncivilized? I don't understand," Pascal said practically in

tears.

Illan cleared his throat. "What is an ajutor and why do you need us to give this to you?"

"Seriously? Toby never once said anything to you about us coming to Crystal?" Oliver said

with a huff.

Nodding, Illan replied, "He asked if you guys could be a part of Crystal some time ago and

we told him then that you all were accepted into Crystal. So, what is the problem?"

Ollie looked at Illan in that diva, angry eyed way that few actual men could pull off.

However, Frankie could see that the man was pissed, just not at them. “So you're saying that Toby

asked if we could come to Crystal, but never once explained about the ajutor?"

"Calm down, Ollie. Toby had to have a good reason if that's true," Pascal said desperately.

"Good reason? Toby had to have a good reason? What f*****g reason could be good enough,

Pas? Tell me. Tell me what good reason Toby had to leave us in that f*****g cave for damn near a

year, telling us that the time wasn't right yet when he had asked Illan and Justice for approval for

us to be in Crystal but not talked to them about being their ajutor?" Ollie asked getting louder and

louder with each word.

A shimmering began, everyone jumped, prepared to fight as Destrain walked through with

Baldwin by his side.

"Just frickin’ fantastic," Vik muttered

Pascal gasped, stood, only to drop to his knees in an exaggerated bow. "King Destrain. It is

my honor and privilege to be in your presence."

Frankie watched Pascal slapped Ollie's leg, hissing, "Ollie, stop being rude."

Sighing heavily, Ollie brought his arm out and bowed. "Fine. It is an honor to be in your

presence blah, blah, blah, your highness."

"Um──well──thank you, whoever you are," Destrain said as he looked at the others for an

explanation.

llan scoffed, "Just go with it, Destrain. We are. Besides, you might be able to help us here.

Have you ever heard of an ajutor?"

Shaking his head, Destrain replied, "No, should I have?"

"Well, you are the creator of all shifters. I'd think you would know when one of your

creations has some clauses on becoming part of a shifter grouping," Illan replied

Destrain shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You know, I came here because you said my

assistance was needed. You said nothing about figuring out riddles."

"I know you've been busy Destrain, but Manny needed us and it seems Pascal, Oliver, and

Toby do as well. They were saying something about not being able to be a part of Crystal or

anywhere unless they are made into something called an ajutor," Justice replied.

"Maybe if we all just stop talking, Pascal or Oliver can explain what in the heck they're

talking about," Jett replied.

Pascal sniffled and pulled out what looked like a powder mirror, dabbing his eyes, lightly,

saying, "An ajutor is an assistant. Every Santorini fox must be brought into a pack, clutch, blaze,

whatever, by way of making us their ajutor. If no one in the grouping agrees to allow us this

access than we must move on to another until one does."

"Why?" Justice asked in confusion.

Pascal shook his head. "We can only tell the keeper of the ajutor."

"Because of our powers. What we can bring to a clutch, blaze, pack, whatever, will not only

increase the power of that group, but it will make them almost impossible to destroy. It's one of

the reasons Toby, Pas, and I are the only remaining Santorini foxes we know of," Ollie said as he

sat back down.

"Ollie, you aren't supposed to say anything! Now they're going to eat us and we're going to

die!" Pas exclaimed.

"Hey, the only thing my mate better be eating is my d**k or a*s, all others are off limits," Jett

said with a grin.

"No one is going to be eating anyone," Frankie exclaimed in frustration.

Jett snickered, "Says the man that hasn't mated with his man yet."

"Jett, I like you, but if you say another word about Frankie doing anything with my son again,

I'm going to castrate you," Angelo snapped.

Frankie ignored Angelo, turning to Ollie and Pascal. "I promise as soon as we help Manny

with his transition, we can work out something for you guys. I'm only asking for another day.

Please."

Ollie sighed, "Fine. I like Manny and if giving the guy a day or two extra is what it takes then

a day or two is what you're going to get. But, when that's happened we really need to be brought

in as someone's assistant, because I don't want to keep living in that damn cave."

"I know you want to help Manny, but I might be able to help these guys now. If you bring so

much power into a grouping, then why would no one choose to make you their ajutor?" Destrain

asked.

"Because with our powers we tend to attract some not so nice people wanting to steal what

it is we offer. This has actually brought down some of the strongest packs and covens," Ollie

explained.

"Look, Dain has the final say, but he is in desperate need of help and when he gets back we can talk and you guys can explain how this works. If it is acceptable, then maybe you can be

Dain's ajutor," Destrain replied.

"You'd do that?" Pascal asked in amazement.

"Of course. Now, what is going on with Manny?" Destrain asked.

Just as Frankie went to open his mouth a blood curdling scream came from upstairs. Frankie

gasped, "Manny!"