Taking Back His Life [Nakaka 2]

CHAPTER 1 Khall pulled Deld along as he struggled to get free, shouting, “Let me go you big brute bully! I said I didn’t want to come here and I meant it. I’m claustrophobic! I’m…” “A pain in the ass is what you are, Deld, and if it wasn’t for the fact that you are the brother to Hron, I would have already knocked your ass unconscious and just carried you here, and we both know there is nothing claustrophobic about you, you’re just a spoiled brat that doesn’t know what’s good for you.” Khall snapped back. Deld slapped at Khall, “You and I both know that’s bullshit. I am the freak of the great brothers of the ancients who is only ever spoken to when they need something. Well, I’m done with being used. I just want to be left the f**k alone.” Khall stopped walking and turned to Deld, “You have no idea what’s even going on, Deld. If you would stop struggling and just listen to what Hron is asking…” “See! See! All he wants is to use me like everyone else has my entire f*****g life. Well no more! I refuse and not you or my brother can make me do anything I don’t want to do.” Deld shouted, loud enough that a crowd stated to form. Nakaka were some of the nosiest paranormals Khall had ever known, and that was saying something, since in his two hundred and nine years he had run across just about every species of shifter and paranormal there was… well, except for Dragons and Phoenix. Those paranormals were thought to be extinct, but Khall had always thought they had just gone into hiding when the humans took over the outside world. Humans… Khall had a huge issue with those beings. If not for them, the Nakaka would still rule the skies and be the great warriors they were created to be. Long ago Madam Pele met her mate, God of the Living, Aumakaua. The gods came together with great love for all things living and to please his beloved, Aumakaua created the humans and placed them on a group of small volcanic islands. Madame Pele loved them all dearly and worried for their safety, so she and her mate used parts of souls and pieces of animals, insects, man, and volcanic rock, mixed them together and created the Nakaka to guard over the human world. They were all men, because in those times men were considered the strongest and most able to watch over the people. However, as time went on the humans became more distant to the Nakaka and began to call them gargoyles, a French term meaning a fearsome dragon that terrorized the people. This became a great concern to many Nakaka. Some of the ancients warned the others that the humans might become a threat. They wanted to talk with the people, but other ancients ignored the warnings and felt it was not their place to interfere with the people of the lands. That was a decision they would all live to regret. One night the humans planned and executed an attack on all Nakaka forcing them to leave their homes and go into hiding. The gods were not happy with the Nakaka for leaving. They felt the ancients should have done something to relieve the tension of the people, and therefore took away their ability to have a Viata, or if you were a shifter they were known as mates. This meant that there would be no chickpeas born into the clutch to grow their numbers, since only those mated could create life. This had gone on for centuries until Petree… Hron’s mate. Because of his great sacrifice for his people, the Gods spoke with him and offered to bring back the Viatas to the Nakaka. The sad part was this meant returning to the living with no wings, but thankfully, at least he still had his tail. Petree was still Nakaka, but to all Nakaka their tails and wings were how they were all defined. Khall, himself had beautiful black vulture wings showing his strength and fierce nature to all that looked upon them, and his long snakelike tail was one of his best weapons when in battle. “What’s going on, Khall? Who is this?” Nug asked. “Is this man a prisoner? Is he the one that is trying to kill our clutch?” Jory asked, as he moved nervously from one foot to another. Seeing Nug and Jory walking towards him, Khall barely suppressed a groan. They were both absolutely adorable, although Khall would never tell them that, because they were so tiny compared to his seven feet. Jory was barely over five feet tall and Nug was only a few inches taller than that, and that was seriously small for any Nakaka. Hearing more people coming into the area they stood, Khall just wanted to get the hell out of here. Khall did not like attention of any sort… well, except for when it came to his Viata. Khall would give the man any attention he wanted, but alas, Elijah would barely even look his way. Gods he wanted his soulmate. Khall knew he just needed to be patient. Elijah had been through so much and quite frankly, Khall had no idea how to even try and woo his Viata, but he did know how he might help him feel safe once again. “I am not a prisoner and I don’t even know you buttheads. Just back the f**k off, or I’ll show you just how bad I can be.” Deld snapped. Seeing the fear in the two men’s eyes, Khall turned to Deld giving him a shake, “You are making a complete ass of yourself, Deld. If you had any idea the hell these people have been through, you would feel like a rat bastard for speaking to them in such a way.” “Well I don’t know and to be honest, I don’t care. I just want to be left the hell alone.” Deld snapped once more. Jory walked forward and started waving his finger in Deld’s face, “I don’t know who you are, but I do know you’re the poop head here not us. You think you scare us? Well, trust me bub, we have had much bigger and much badder buttheads than you to do that. Compared to Chantal, you are nothing more than a pesky mosquito on the butt of a donkey.” Turning to Nug, Jory smiled, “See how I used the “A” word without using it?” Nug nodded, “You did good Jory. Now why don’t we go. We’re supposed to be meeting Petree and Elijah along with the others and we’re going to be late.” Jory gave Deld the stink eye, then gave a harrumph and turned to leave with Nug. “Wait! Did you say Chantal? Chantal is here?” Deld asked. Khall could hear the fear in Deld’s question then turned to Nug and Jory, “Go. I’ll talk with Deld. Will you tell Elijah that I have returned and I will stop in to see him when I can?” Jory and Nug nodded, Jory puffing his chest out with pride, saying, “See I’m learning to stick up for myself. Doc Oleander will be really proud of me, don’t you think?” Nug quickly replied, “Yeah he will. Now we just have to work on your insults.” “But isn’t that rude? Maybe I should apologize for calling that guy a poop head. I feel really bad.” Jory said nibbling on his bottom lip. Nug shook his head, “No, Jory. We have to stick to our guns here. Remember what Doc Oleander said.” “Stay the course. Yeah, I get that, but, Nug, I was pretty mean. What if I hurt his feelings? Two wrongs don’t make a right you know.” Jory said, then turned back to Deld. “I’m sorry I called you a poop head, even if that’s what you were being.” Jory started to turn, but then stopped, “Oh, and sorry for calling you a mosquito on the butt of a donkey… even though that’s how you were acting.” Jory stood there a moment, then nodded, looking at Nug, “Okay, I think I’m done. Let’s go, we’re supposed to be putting on some kind of show at the club with Elijah and it sounded like lots of fun.” Nug sighed, gripping his friend’s upper arm, “We might want to think about doubling up on your appointments with Doc Oleander.” Khall really wanted to laugh. Those two were something else, but he didn’t want to hurt Jory or Nug’s feelings. “Khall, answer me. Is Chantal here?” Deld asked nervously. Looking at Deld, he shook his head, “Chantal is dead. Now can we please go to your brother. He will explain everything.” “He’s dead? Thank the gods.” Deld said, giving Khall no more struggles as he led the man to the elevator. Once they were on their way to the top floor, Khall stood there looking straight ahead. Deld asked, “Who’s Elijah?” Khall didn’t answer and Deld said, “If you tell me who Elijah is, I promise to listen to whatever Hron and my dads have to say without interruption.” Pursing his lips, Khall muttered, “That’s blackmail.” “Maybe so, but it sounds more like an opportunity to me.” Deld answered. Letting out a loud breath, Khall replied, “Elijah is my Viata.” “Viata? But we don’t get them anymore.” Deld said in shock. “We do now.” Khall said. The elevator stopped and when the doors opened Khall went to step out, but Deld pressed the door close button, and then shut the elevator down. “We’ll go in a minute. My family has waited over fifty years to even see me. They can wait a few minutes more. Now explain to me how we have Viatas once more, and what has you so troubled about yours.” Khall hated talking out of turn. “This is really for Hron to explain.” “Maybe so, but I’d rather hear it from you.” Deld replied. “A few months ago, a raven shifter came to your fathers’ ancient home. He told us about how Chantal had killed Caliph Tamale and taken over his clutch. Your fathers sent myself and a few of the ancient guards to come here and check out what was going on. When we got here we were almost immediately attacked. We killed Chantal and his inner circle and your fathers assigned Hron to be the new Caliph. When we got here we found that Chantal had been terrorizing the people that lived here. He did horrible things to so many. Taking all their food, credits, and anything else he felt he deserved.” “Son of a bitch.” Deld said, with a breathy tone. Khall thought about the clutch when he first arrived, and got lost in his memories, “Everyone was so scared of us. No one would talk to me, or even Hron when he arrived. We tried to show them we were no threat, but they had been so traumatized. Then Nug, that small Nakaka you just insulted, worked up the courage to come to us and say that we might get further if we let the prisoners go free. We didn’t know anything about the prisoners. Chad, the raven shifter hadn’t told us about them… at least, not before I had left from the ancients’ home.” “So you rescued the prisoners and everyone started talking?” Deld asked. Shaking his head, Khall said, “If only it had been that easy. No, we went down to the cells and we found many of the Nakaka locked up inside. Jory… he was one of them. Then Hron started insisting we needed to keep going. So, we followed our Caliph and that’s when we found six men down in the dungeons. Abe, Spencer, Mason, Bryant, Elijah and Petree. Abe, Bryant, and Spencer are shifters, but Mason and Elijah are both human.” “And Petree is Nakaka?” Deld asked, when Khall stopped talking. Khall was seeing his mate looking at him through the cell door, appearing filthy and scared to death. The smell of dried blood and body odor had Khall ready to vomit, but it was those terrified ocean-blue eyes looking into his pale yellow shocked ones. It was that very second that he had felt the flicker. A flicker to the Nakaka was just like the special scent that a shifter had when they found their mate. Except for the Nakaka… their eyes met and a spark hit them right in the heart, spreading throughout their body like fireworks on the Fourth of July. It rolled through the Nakaka’s body like a ball of sizzling sparks, until it rested in their balls and they couldn’t stop themselves from ejaculating right then and there. It was that response which had Elijah freaking out, and Mason threatening to cut off Khall’s nuts if he even thought of coming near them. Khall was so shocked that he had flickered, since no Nakaka had done such a thing in over two hundred years, that he hadn’t spoken at first. Then scenting their fear, Khall shook off his shock and quickly explained who he was and that they were getting them out of there. Elijah and Mason told him to go and help Petree, then come back. Khall felt pride hit him that his Viata would think of someone other than himself at such a time. It spoke of the true bravery the man had within his heart. Khall told them that Hron and the others were freeing Petree right then, and they carefully slid past Khall. That’s when the other scent hit Khall like a baseball bat to his face… another had touched his Viata. From the look of his shredded clothing, Khall knew it had not been consensual, and from the way his Viata clung to the man in the cell with him, he knew it had not been the touch of that one. “Earth to Khall. Come in Khall.” Deld said loudly. Still in his own world, Khall spoke words he had never said out loud, “He was raped.” “What? Who was raped?” Deld asked, with wide eyes and complete shock. “My Elijah. He was raped in front of his brother. His sadness is so deep. He tries to pretend that he’s fine, but I can see his torment. I can hear his torment and I have no idea how to help him.” Khall whispered, then looked at Deld, “That’s why we need you, Deld. I know you think that we use you, but this isn’t about your feelings for Hron, your brothers, or even your fathers. This is about people… Nakaka, shifter, paranormal, and human. Chantal took over this clutch, because he was in on a plan that we don’t fully understand. We know that there are people here that are trying to continue what Chantal started, and we need your help to find them.” Khall rasped, saying, “You need to help me find them, so I can kill them and make my Viata feel safe once again. It is all I have to offer him.” “Me? How can I help you? I don’t understand what it is you even want.” Deld insisted. Khall looked up and saw movement. Hron stepped forward with Groth, saying, “We need you to help us figure out who here are traitors to our people.” “But my gift doesn’t work that way, Hron. You know this.” Deld insisted. “Deld, you find lost things. It is a gift that has helped so many throughout your two hundred and forty years. Please come with me and I’ll explain everything.” Hron said, turning to leave. Deld huffed, “Yeah great to see you too, brother. It’s been a while. I’m doing great, thanks for asking.” Hron turned to Deld, looking very tired, “I’m sorry I can’t be more polite, but I am trying to save our fathers and oldest brother as well as the rest of the ancients of our kind. I’ve not slept in over two weeks, and I can only say I wouldn’t have called for you had I not tried everything else. We are running out of time here, Deld. Whatever the f**k is going on is bigger than even that chip you carry on your shoulder. Now please, come in and I will explain.” Hron left Deld standing there with Khall and Groth. Khall said, “It is not only my Viata who was violated, Deld. You promised you would listen to him if I answered your question and I have.” Nodding Deld whispered, “Okay, I’ll listen, but I have a feeling I might puke before all is said and done.” Groth snorted, “You won’t be the first to do that and you damn sure won’t be the last.”