I am Leo (Book 3)

Chapter 29

John POV“There was nothing wrong with it earlier” Dean groans but pulls open the door and I glance around the corner. He glances around the car and steps back

“It looks fine - OH f**k!” he yells as the little snake pokes its head out from under the seat making him jump back, stumbling and falling flat on his ass. I struggle to contain my laughter but Josh is crying with laughter

“Oh my god! That was hilarious!” he screeches and I can’t hold it in anymore, I burst out laughing

“You!” I hear Dean’s angry voice and look up

“Scared of a little snake Dean?” I say trying to catch my breath and he jumps to his feet and charge. I take off running, dodging him as he tries to grab my shirt

“Too slow old man!” I yell over my shoulder and effortlessly jump over the fence surrounding the open field

“I’ll get you!” he yells and scales the fence, Josh’s laughter echoes and I glance back

“Come on slow poke!” I joke and Dean grunts again, struggling to catch me

“Run Tank!” I hear Violet’s voice and duck to the right running back to the house. They’re all outside now watching Dean struggle

“Hey grandpa over here” I say stopping giving him time to catch up, just as I’m within arm’s reach I jump to the left

“f**k! Keep still!” he yells and I laugh

“You say that to the creatures too?” I chant and he hisses

“No, I shoot them!” he yells making me laugh harder

“Dude, you’re like 30, pick up your feet!” I tease

“You asshole!” he yells and stops bending over

“What you done already?”

“Screw you, I hate running”

“Maybe if you trained with me a bit you’d be in better shape” he stands there bent over heaving as I step closer, but I stop as a putrid smell fills my nostrils and I turn my head nose in the air

“Urgh” I groan before being tackled to the ground

“Gotcha!” he says but I hook my leg around his neck and pin him down

“Not so easy” I say but the smell makes my eyes water. My face contorting in disgust, I lower my nose sniffing him but it’s not him

“Hey dude, the hell are you doing?” he asks struggling and I turn my head into the wind

“You smell that?” I ask

“Get off me fat ass!” he moans and I stand helping him up

“You smell that?”

“No, only you” he grunts and I slap him upside the head

“That way” I point to the direction of the smell

“No man, geez I don’t smell anything” he says rubbing his head. I walk closer to the smell, sniffing the air

“What am I supposed to smell?” he asks and I glance back

“It smells like something rotting, like a dead animal or something” I say stalking closer

“No, I don’t. It probably is a dead bird or something” he says and I nod

“Yeah maybe” I say but the hair in the back of my neck stands up and I look back scanning the far off trees but I see nothing

“Come on douche” he says walking away and I turn and leave but I still feel like someone is watching us.

“Now that was fun!” Violet says as we walk up the driveway and Dean groans

“Asshole, get that thing out of my car” he commands and I laugh

“The big bad hunter is scared of snakes” I joke earning me a punch to the jaw

“Hey!” Violet yells but I just laugh harder

“Training, tomorrow morning at 05:00. Be there Dean” I say as I retrieve the snake and place it down watching as the scared little snake slithers into the field

“Screw you” he mumbles going inside

“That was so funny!” Josh says giving me high five

“It was” I say and look up, two angry faces scowling at me. Oh boy, here we go.

Amala POV

“Alles, please calm down” I soothe but he’s furious

“Not now Amala!” he yells and I step back flinching at his tone

“Brother, sit your ass down or I’ll make you” Dimitri hisses, stepping between me and Cayden

“Mahjmblejdbandb” Cayden mumbles sitting down huffing

“What was that?” Dimitri commands stepping closer

“I’m a king, not a child”

“Then stop acting like one and I’ll stop treating you like one”

“Fine” I sigh and round the desk taking my seat next to him on the arm rest

“Alles, you need to calm down please” I say in my soft voice

“Fine, I’m calm” he says the scowl still deep on his forehead

“Cayden it was a joke, you need to lighten up” Dimitri urges

“Stop telling me what to do” he growls and I run my hand through his hair slowly pulling him toward me

“I need to punch something, or someone” he growls his eyes flashing bright gold

“Fine let’s go” Dimitri says his eyes glowing red

“Enough!” I yell and they still

“For the love of… would you stop it? Both of you. I’m sick and tired of fights, tantrums and the constantly having to walk on egg shells!” my anger now rising in my chest

“Leo is alive, where we don’t know. We all miss him, we’re all worried but this s**t needs to end. It’s been two years, two years of crying, worrying and almost no sleep” I state looking between them

“But he-“ I glare at him and he sinks back in his seat

“I’m done. This is done. I will no longer let the kids endure this, either you accept the fact that he’s fine and move on or you can do this alone” I state and he looks at me with wide eyes

“Baby girl no” he whispers but I square my shoulders

“You have been a pain in the ass for years. You have no time for the kids or me Cayden. We can barely look at you and then all hell breaks loose” Dimitri gives him a satisfactory smile “And you! You walk around like a f*****g thunder cloud. Snapping at the staff and guards, those poor recruits almost died Dimitri! Oh and Mila and the kids, they’re constantly avoiding the both of you! Enough!” I yell, my voice making the windows tremble. Cayden jumps to his feet and moves away and so does Dimitri, looking scared

“We have all had enough, so choose!” I yell my voice deep and commanding

“Amala… I’m sorry” Cayden says, his eyes wide I step closer pointing a finger at them

“Don’t make me ask you again” I growl and they glance at each other

“We choose our families” Dimitri says his voice trembling

“You sure?” I say with and evil smirk

“Y-yes” Cayden confirms and I stop, straighten my dress and smile

“Good, that’s settled. Now Dimitri go home, make this up to your family. Whatever it takes, even if you need to go on vacation I don’t care” I state and he nods

“Now dear” I say and he bows before bolting out the door

“Baby girl?” Cayden speaks but his voice is soft

“Yes Alles?” I say and he straightens up

“You feeling okay?” he asks and I nod

“Yes of course” I say stepping closer but he backs up against the wall

“What’s wrong?” I ask he lets out a nervous laugh glancing behind me

“N-nothing” he says and I wrap my arms around his waist, loving the sparks running through my body

“Amala?” Nessa says and I hum

“We might have a little problem” she says and I frown

“What’s wrong?”

“Well that wasn’t me, what was that?” she asks and I sigh stepping back looking into Cayden’s frightened face

“Sit, we need to talk” I say and he hesitantly makes his way to the couch

“Okay so I have this thing when I get really angry”

“Yeah I noticed”

“I’m not sure what it is but it only happened like twice before” I look at him “When I was young, the first time was when they tried to assault Nadia, we were 8 I think and I killed a guard” his eyes go wide “The second time was when they beat a little boy for no reason, I was so enraged they had to make me sleep, I was 11” I finish and look at him but he’s stunned in silence

“Cayden? Say something” I beg and he blinks

“W-why didn’t you use that to fend them off with you?” he asks but I only shrug

“I don’t know. I never got this angry when they abused me, only others. I took many punishments in their stead” I say and squeeze my eyes closed

“Baby girl” he says softly and I open them

“This is scary and weird but it’s okay, you’ve managed it for so long and so well” he says and I smile

“Thanks” I whisper and scoot closer to him

“For what?”

“For not rejecting me” I whisper but he lifts my chin and gives me a kiss so sincere it feels like I’m floating

“I’ll never reject you, I put you through hell and the kids. I’m sorry, I have no excuse for my behavior. A true king doesn’t act like I have, and what you said is true. We all miss him and are worried but we still have each other. Come on lets go find the kids and do something fun” he says standing holding out his arm to me and I take it

“So you have a serious rage problem” Nessa pipes up

“Yeah, but I really don’t get this angry easily” I say

“Let’s just keep that in check shall we?”

“Sure thing Nessa” I chant as we make our way to their rooms

“Hey Kit! Come on buddy” Cayden chimes and my son looks up

“I didn’t do it I swear!” he immediately defends himself and my heart aches

“What? No come on, we’re going out” Cayden says and Kit glances at me

“You’re not mad?”

“No son, I’m a butthead come on” Cayden urges pulling him off the bed

“Is he on meds?” Kit asks and I giggle

“Hey ouch” Cayden says but he’s still smiling

“Raine! Zia! Come on twins!” he calls down the hall and they reluctantly step out of their rooms

“We’re going out” he says and they nod. Zia runs up to him hugging him tightly

“Hey daddy”

“Hello monkey”

“I missed you”

“I’m sorry monkey” he turns to the boys “I’m sorry for being a butthead. I missed you guys so much” he says and they wrap their arms around him

“We missed you too dad” Kit says and I wipe at my happy tears. Finally we’re a family again. Leo be safe monster, see you soon.

“So what do you guys wanna do?” Cayden asks taking my hand. Zia is in his arm, Raine is hanging down his back like a sloth but Kit takes my other hand giving it a squeeze

“Oh how about we go to the lake and have a picnic” Zia says but the boys aren’t happy

“Okay how about this, we go to the lake and have a picnic and we take the football with, we can play a game?” Cayden says and they all nod happily

“Good grab the football, meet you guys outside” and they scamper off

“Thanks Alles” I say and he kisses me again, backing me up against the wall

“You I will deal with tonight” he says in a low sexy voice and my insides clench

“I’ll hold you to that” my voice filled with lust

“Let’s go, tell the staff to bring the stuff” he says and I walk to the kitchen smiling. Well until I find Dimitri’s kids standing in the foyer

“Oh hey guys, what’s up?” they bow and Caylee looks at her siblings

“We don’t want to be home right now” she motions for me to come closer “Mom and dad are going at it again” she whispers and I nod

“We’re having a picnic, wanna join us?” I ask and their faces light up

“Cool, let’s go” the rest of the afternoon is spent with us playing and the kids having a blast. They were unsure at first, being weary of the king but he quickly wins their trust and it’s a blast

John POV

The others left a few days after my prank and Dean was called to assist his sister on a hunt so Violet begged me to go out with her. I caved and now we’re standing in line waiting to get into the club when a big strong hand grips my arm and I react as I was trained

“Hey whoa there Johnny” Biggy says his hands raised and I smile

“Hey Biggy! How have you been bud?” I ask shaking his hand

“Well look at the little soldier boy” Jeff jokes walking up

“What are you doing in line? Come on the boss would like to see you two” they say and we step out of line following them inside. After all the greetings and chatting a long while we’re seated in the VIP area with Carl and some of Violet’s friends, or rather clients

“Hey wanna dance?” I ask her and she nods happily. I take her hand and lead her to the dance floor. We dance having a great time and she heads to the VIP area, I have to go to the restroom. When I walk back my eye catches a head of red hair and I stop. She’s standing with her back to me and I divert my path to see her face. Making my way through the crowd I keep glancing at her, but then she turns her head and I’m stunned. Her hair is the color of red hot flames, neatly tied back, her face is that of angel her eyes are the color of a clear lake. A perfect balance of green and blue, encircled with a dark green rim. Her lips the color of pink roses in bloom, plump and begging to be kissed. A small slender nose sits between those two pools, flanked by fine cheek bones.  She locks gazes with me and my heart stops, the noise of the place drifting away and my brain is scrambled. What should I do? Her eyes scan me up and down, slowly drinking in my body and I feel hot under her gaze. She leans over and says something to her friend before walking up to me. Her toned body accentuated by the figure hugging black dress she’s wearing. She’s about 5’7” and I gulp when she stops in front of me. Okay John, play it cool, she’s just the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen