The Royal Jagger

Raife cooed from where she was lying on the floor, adding her agreement to the plan.

“Oh, Raife, what would I do without you?” sniffled Marissa as she got off the bed and went to pick up the crawling baby. Raife kissed her on the nose, and Marissa kissed her back.

“So, I suppose we’d better do it right away,” Peter said. “I’ll go down and scope out the possibilities, and your uncles are sure to help me secure a good door and all that. We could have it ready for our little family in just a few days. Do you love me, Marissa?”

“Of course I do,” she grumbled. “Didn’t I just tell you so this morning?”

“Mm, this morning was a very sweet reminder,” he agreed with a smile.

Stop talking about s*x while you’re holding me! You’re hurting my innocent little ears.

As if. You’re always asking me what it’s like. I don’t think Victoria did you any favors, giving you memories of her exploits at your age.

Raife giggled again.

“What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing at all,” Marissa said innocently. “Now why don’t you put action to your words and go find us a home. I’m sure my uncles will want to help you choose as well. You should go talk to them.”

“I will,” he agreed, and kissed her on his way out the door.

*****

Marissa and Raife were locked inside their new cave the day before Peter was expected to move to the shifter area. The Agents were watching Peter closely, so he did not interact with anyone that day except for the officials who were helping him get everything in order. They also would have been watching Marissa had she and Peter not just had a very public break-up about two days before, which had of course been nothing more than a smoke screen.

It was ironic, in Marissa’s eyes, that the first real kick she felt from her baby happened that night as she and Raife laid together in her bed, which Darius and Eric had smuggled down earlier when they knew they would be unobserved. She couldn’t help but wonder how her uncles were going to explain her disappearance, but she didn’t trouble herself over it too much.

It’s not as safe here as it was in your cave, Raife pointed out. We didn’t have to lock ourselves in there.

No, Marissa agreed, it’s not as safe, but here we can all be together. Here, it doesn’t matter that Peter is a shifter and I’m a werewolf. It doesn’t matter that you’re the only female wolf alive, that we know of, who can still have female children. None of it matters here. And in that regard, we are very safe.

I wish something could be done to stop the Agency from hurting everyone as they’ve done. The paranormals might even be happy here, if they’d only just let us be.

Lock the door and throw away the key? Marissa scoffed. They can’t do that, they have to continue to feed everyone, and to provide us with water and clothes and goods.

The magicians have been producing their own food in the magical fields. Perhaps they would help to feed us all, if it came down to that.

We must eat meat, Raife. Are the magicians going to provide that as well?

The child sighed and gave it some thought. All they need to start are a few producing cows or something. They could magic a grazing pasture for them to breed in and we’d be all set.

Yes, I suppose. In an ideal world, that would work just fine. Now go to sleep so it can be tomorrow.

Goodnight, Marissa. And I’m glad to be here with you. I think I will be happy here.

Goodnight, Raife, she replied, and the two drifted off to sleep.

*****

“Wake up, Marissa,” said Peter in her ear. “We’ve got to talk.”

She opened her eyes and quickly took Peter’s hand. “You’re home!” she smiled.

“For now,” he agreed. “But I can’t disappear completely as we had hoped. I think they might be watching me. The Commander has come to the Black Hills Facility. I think she’s trying to find Raife.”

“Oh, no!” Marissa gasped. “Commander Elsa is evil incarnate. You must avoid her at all costs, and much as it pains me to say it, you may need to stay clear of this place until we know she is gone.”

“I’m not staying away from you,” he protested. “You are my wife, Marissa, in every way but one. If I could, I would pledge my life to yours in front of every wolf, shifter, Agent and human.”

“What, not in front of the vampires?” she teased.

“I wouldn’t spit in the wind in front of them,” he mentioned as he kissed her cheek. “But don’t worry, I’m going to keep my nose clean. I’ll only ever come here by impersonating an Agent along the way, and then ducking out of sight when I know I’m not being observed.”

“Gwen said she’s willing to teach you the invisibility spell,” said Marissa. “Perhaps you ought to learn it.”

“That’s a great idea,” he agreed. “Then I could just walk right out my door and come here as I please.”

“The baby kicked me last night,” said Marissa proudly.

Peter grinned, and leaned down to speak to their child. “Hey, in there, don’t get too rough on Mama, she’s new to this pregnancy thing.”

Marissa giggled.

“Come, I brought food,” Peter said then. “Raife, come and eat. And where’s my hugs? We really need to teach you to talk so I can be in on the conversations around here.”

Raife giggled as she hugged Peter and then took his hand, trying to pull herself to her feet.

Marissa smirked. “Your body isn’t ready for that yet, Raife. You’re stuck with crawling for now.”

The small girl cast her niece an annoyed look that exactly matched the one Victoria used to give her, and it made Marissa chuckle. She really did think they would be happy here.