117 Final Say (2/2)

Orion's eyes shot open. ”EACH?! How many damn times… you know what never mind…”? He went back to rubbing his temples. ”So, you were able to maintain partial form numerous times during- physical- activities without difficulty?” He aimed his question to Jos raising his hand to cut Russ off before he could answer. ”I'm asking her.”

Jos nodded again. ”I… I had to switch back before… before I finished each time…” She stammered.

Orion nodded. ”So not to completion, that's good. If you were to lose control that would be the time, I'd expect it most. Did you hold back up until the last possible second or did you- before…” Orion shook his head and swallowed deeply. ”Ugg… This is like talking to you own damn kid about sex for the first time…” He pushed his seat away from the table and walked over to the pantry. Removing a bottle of rum, he walked back over and pored a good portion into his coffee. ”I'm going to need this if we are to discuss this further.”

Raven lifted her cup to Orion. ”Hit me with some of that, daddy.” She winked at him teasingly.

He arched a brow in her direction, ”Funny.” He said as he passed the bottle over to her. ”You know, I may be old, but I still have a life outside of hunting and training lil beasties. I know exactly what you're implying.”

Raven forged innocence as she pored rum into her coffee. ”What do you mean, daddy?” She batted her eyelashes at him.

He narrowed his eyes. ”Unless you're wanting spanked, I suggest you stop.”

Raven fluttered her lashes again as she pressed her finger to her lips in mock innocence. ”Yes, daddy.”

Russ nodded an amused grin still spread across his face. ”I do.” He cupped her hands again. ”You've only seen the worst of us together, but believe me after nearly 19 years together, I can promise you we are much better together than we will ever be apart.”

Raven nodded. ”I've been with her nearly constantly for the past 400 years, and I have to agree with him. It's why I encouraged them in the first place. I suspected it when we first started hanging around Camilla, but once the twins came into the picture… It was the first time Jos has ever looked at herself as more that a monster... as someone who wanted to be seen as more…” She sent Orion a knowing glare. ”There's things you missed from the shadows.”

Jos's head popped up for the first time since the conversation started. ��The shadows?”

Raven nodded. ”You never felt his presence? He has kept an eye on you all this time, haven't you.” Her gaze held Orion's.

Joss turned her attention to him. Her brows tented in confusion. ”You have? Why? Why did you never say anything? All this time… I thought…” Her words died off. She could not force the words past the lump in her throat as her eyes moved from Orion toward the stair Arei had vanished up. Her heart felt like a vice grip was wrapped around it as it thumped uncontrollably.

Orion sighed heavily, ”I thought it was better that way. In part because it was ordered by father. He did not- doesn't trust you, a grudge held over from his distaste of your father. After what happened with you and Arei, I just assumed my face would be the last you'd wanted to see.” He could feel a tug at his chest as tears built in her eyes.

”I thought you'd abandoned me. Do you know how hard it was for me to lose both of you at the same time?” Jos yelled as anger and hurt battled within her. ”You… you were everything to me for so long… my first fr…friend…” She scrunched her brows. ”My first real family.”

Orion sighed as he rubbed his temples. ”I assumed when you told Arei you never wanted to see him again that extended to me as well.”

Jos grinded her teeth in frustration. ”You idiots! Both of you! I didn't want either of you to leave, I wanted you to tell me the truth!” She fisted her hands digging her nails into her palms.

”Shhh. It's ok, we have plenty of time to work all this out now. No one's going anywhere now. We are all here for you.” Russ said in a low soothing voice as he pulled her against his chest. He shot Raven a look then stood pulling Jos up with him. ”What do you say we take this to the patio as you can get some fresh air.”

She nodded and grabbed her plate. She turned stormy eyes toward Orion. ”Thank you for the breakfast.”

He frowned and nodded. He watched as Russ led her out the large glass doors to the back deck. ”Fuck!” He growled once the door was closed. ”This is a damn disaster. If it's not the kid's mood swings, I have to deal with, now it's her too?!”

Raven let out a long sigh. ”That's the thing, though. Her physical age doesn't really match her mental age, now does it. She'd never really seen herself as a anything but a monster until you, as a person until Camilla, or an adult until Russ…” She gave him a sad smile. ”Our babies are growing up and all we can do is help the along the way.”

Orion shook his head, ”That's a fucked-up way to put it, but I guess you're right. So training, any ideas?”