The Ornament

Placerville, California

Khloe’s P.O.V.

The tears stream down my face as I go through my grandma’s things. It’s Christmas day, but I don’t feel like I have the holiday spirit this year. My grandma raised me after my parents died in a plane crash when I was five. It was always just me and her because my grandfather died before I was born. Now she’s gone, too, and I’m alone.

She was sixty-five and died of lung cancer. Grandma Lara smoked her entire life, and no matter how much I begged her to stop, she wouldn’t. When they found the spot on her lungs a year ago, she began chemo. Unfortunately, it was already stage four small cell cancer, and the chemo wasn’t enough. Even with radiation, the cancer spread. She fought for as long as she could but died a week ago.

Now I’m in the house I grew up in, going through her things to see what I want to keep and donate. I’m twenty-one and just graduated from college with a degree in social work. I plan to find a job once I decide where I want to move. I know I don’t want to stay in this house alone. When Grandma knew she didn’t have much time left, she told me to sell the house and start over somewhere new. I promised her I would, and I plan on keeping that promise.

I put my long brown hair in a ponytail and continue going through the box I found in the attic. There are pictures of Grandma when she was young. I see her with a man in some of them who I know isn’t my grandfather. I find a stack of love letters and blush when I read what the man wrote to my grandma.

My Dearest Lara,

I count the days and hours until I can see you again. My hands crave to touch your silky, smooth skin, and my mouth craves your taste on my tongue. Every time I close my eyes, I see you riding me until you scream my name. I promise you one day we will be together. Until that day comes, I will be holding on to the beautiful memories of when we were last together.

Love,

Cyril

Wow, Grandma had a lover before Grandpa, and it sounds like it was hot. There are over a dozen letters with more promises from Cyril that they would be together. It becomes obvious that, for some reason, they would never see each other again. I feel sad for them both. In the last letter, Cyril tells her not to wait for him, but he will always love her. I’m in tears again for the love they never got to share. I wonder why they couldn’t be together if they loved each other so much.

Next to the letters, there’s a white box. When I open it, I see a Christmas ornament inside. It’s clear glass with a beautiful hand-painted picture. The picture shows a young woman and a man kissing under mistletoe inside a gazebo decorated for Christmas. When I look closer, I can tell the woman is my grandmother. I turn the ornament over, and it says To my lovely Lara. Love always, Cyril.

Holding the ornament, I know what I have to do. I’m going to find this man who was in love with my grandma. I look at the address on the letters and see they came from Seattle. Hopefully, he’s still there, or someone is there who knows where he is.

Running downstairs, I get my laptop and Google Cyril. After a few searches, I find the man I believe is the right person. The age is right, and the address is the same, so it has to be him. I pick up my phone and call the number listed. It’s close to midnight, and I have no idea what I will say, but I feel like I need to talk to him. However, the phone number is disconnected, but I’m not letting that stop me.

I look for flights from Sacramento to Seattle and see one that leaves in a few hours. There’s a seat available, and it will cost me extra for the last-minute booking, but this urgency I feel won’t leave me. Something is telling me I can’t wait. I need to find this man. I book the flight, pack my overnight bag, and head to the airport.

I’m exiting the plane several hours later. Once I have a rental car, I set my GPS to the address on the letters. My face falls when I see it’s boarded up. Now, what am I going to do? I drive down to the small market on the corner and go inside. Maybe someone there will know Cyril. I head straight to the counter, where an older man sits on a stool.

“Hello, sir. I was wondering if you could help me with something.” He looks up at me and smiles. His skin is the color of milk chocolate, and his hair is white as snow.

“What can I do for you, young lady?” I pull out one of the letters.

“Can you tell me if you know Cyril Thornton?” His eyes widen, but before he can answer me, someone else does from behind me.

“Why are you looking for Cyril?” I turn and see a young, handsome man about my age. His eyes are a gorgeous blue, a beautiful contrast to his dark skin tone. Why is my heart racing as I stare at him?

“I, uh, found some letters that he wrote my grandma many years ago, and I was hoping to talk to him.” Is it legal for someone to be so good-looking? I’m five-eight, he’s at least a foot taller than me, and he’s built like a wall of muscle.

“Is your grandmother Lara?” he asks as he steps closer.

“Yes. She died about a week ago, and I found the letters and an ornament he made for her.” I tell him as my heart beats so loudly I’m sure he can hear it. What is wrong with me? I never feel this way around anyone. He smiles, and I melt. Clean up in aisle 4, please. The puddle there is me.

“Cyril is my grandfather. Do you want to come with me?” he asks. I will go anywhere with him. Don’t judge me. You would do the same thing.

“Yes,” I say. He holds the door open, and my hand brushes his lightly, causing me to jump when I feel a shock. What was that? It was stronger than static electricity. His eyes widen like mine do.

“What’s your name?” He asks when we get outside.

“Khloe. What’s yours?” I look at his hand and want to touch him again. I really have to stop thinking like that. He probably doesn’t want anything to do with me. He’s a walking god, and I’m a plain Jane.

“Devyn. Do you want to sit and talk?” He looks hopeful.

“Sure.” The longer I can spend with him, the better. He leads me to a bench in a small park across the street.

“My Grandpa talked about Lara. I don’t think he and my grandma were ever truly happy because his heart belonged to someone else.” Knowing that Cyril loved my grandma all these years but was with someone else doesn’t make sense.

“I don’t understand why they couldn’t be together. The letters I read from him were filled with love. When I saw the ornament, I knew I had to try to find him. Does he still live here?” Devyn looks away.

“No, he was killed about three years ago. He told me about Lara and hoped that I would find a love like the one he had with her. Can I be honest with you?” He looks at me sadly, and my heart breaks. Both of them died without ever being able to see each other again.

“Yes.” I want to ask him if I can touch him, but I don’t need to. He reaches over and lightly takes my hand. The shock is even stronger. I gasp, but don’t let go. My whole body feels hot like I’m on fire. Why do I feel this way?

“My family isn’t normal. I need you to listen and not scream or run away, okay?” I nod. As long as he’s touching my hand, he can tell me he’s a serial killer, and I won’t care.

“Okay.” I look at our hands, and all I can think about is the song, Ebony and Ivory. My pale skin and his dark skin are perfect together.

“Have you heard of shifters?” I look at him in confusion.

“Are you talking about shifty people? I’m a social worker, so I’ve seen a lot of them.” He chuckles lightly, and I swear I can feel it all over my body.

“Not shifty people. Shifters are people that can change from human to animal. I’m a weretiger. That means I can change from a human into a tiger.” I think he’s joking at first, but then I see the nervousness in his eyes. Before I can speak, I hear something that sounds like purring. Devyn puts my hand on his chest, and I feel it vibrating.

“What’s that?” I ask quietly.

“That’s my tiger, Mac.” I can’t believe what I’m feeling and hearing. I look into Devyn’s blue eyes.

“Why are you telling me this?” I ask, while keeping my hand on his chest.

“Shifters have mates. Mates are their other half; when they find their fated mate, they know they will do anything for that person. It can be deeper than love. Your grandma wasn’t my grandpa’s mate, but he wanted her to be. When he found his fated mate, he was conflicted because he loved Lara but knew he was supposed to be with his mate. He regretted his decision for years. I’m telling you all of this because those sparks you feel when we touch are from the mate bond. Khloe, you’re my mate.” He puts his hand over mine as I stare at him in disbelief. So not only can he turn into a tiger, which I definitely need to see, but I’m his mate.

“What does it mean to be your mate?” I slide a little closer. Is he going to tell me that he’s also in love with someone else, but he’s not going to make the same mistake as his grandpa? Why do I feel like my heart is breaking?

“I know you’re human, and this is a lot, but if you accept me, you and I will be together forever. I’ve made sure not to get close to anyone else because I didn’t want to have to make a choice like my grandpa. I’ve been waiting for you, Khloe.” When he raises his hand to my cheek, I feel like I’m going to explode.

“You’ve been waiting for me? I can’t believe this. When I found the letter and ornament, I knew I needed to come here and find Cyril. I never dreamt that I would find out all of this. Is it okay that I’m human?” He moves so we’re sitting against each other.

“We can mate with humans or other shifters; it doesn’t matter. What about you? Are you okay with me being a weretiger? If you accept me, I’ll mark you, and you’ll become a weretiger too.” This gets better and better. This man who is literally making me want to jump his bones right now is telling me that if I want him, I can be with him forever, and I’ll be able to change into a tiger.

“Are you kidding me right now? I spent all day yesterday crying because I felt so alone, and now you say I can be with you. What if you change your mind later? What happens then?” I’ve known him less than an hour, yet the thought of him with another woman makes me want to rip her throat out.

“That won’t happen. Once I mark you, then you and I will be connected. We’ll feel each other’s emotions. It’s like two halves coming together to make a whole.” I can’t hold back. I throw my arms around him, and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me against him.

“Yes, yes, please mark me and make me yours. I don’t care about anything else; I just want to be with you.” Devyn pulls away slightly and leans down to kiss me. I’ve read many romance novels, but none of them could have prepared me for how my body reacts to him kissing me. I feel like every part of me is yearning to be touched by him. When he slides his tongue into my mouth, I moan in pleasure. Is a kiss supposed to make me so turned on I want to rip my clothes off? I’m a virgin, but right now, all I want is for him to possess every part of me. When he pulls away, I feel lightheaded.

“You’re really okay with this? I know you’re emotional right now after just losing your grandma, so I don’t want you to rush into anything that you’re not sure of.” He asks while pulling me onto his lap and kissing me again.

“Yes. If your grandpa hadn’t made the choice he did, then we wouldn’t be here right now. His sacrifice made it possible for us to be together. How can I turn my back on that when both of them lived their lives wanting each other? Let’s have the love story they never got to have.” I look into his eyes, and he kisses me again.

“Where do you live?” he asks.

“I just finished college and haven’t decided where to settle down yet. I was packing up my grandma’s things in Placerville, California when I found the letters and the ornament. I left immediately to come here. Do you live here?” I turn to straddle his lap and don’t care what people think. I need better access to his lips.

“I’m actually a police officer in Portland, Oregon. I just came here because I received a call that someone broke into Grandpa’s house. I haven’t had the heart to sell it yet. I just finished boarding it up and went to the store when you came.” He slides his hands under my shirt and rubs my back, making me shiver with excitement.

“Then I’ll go to Portland with you. Can you help me finish packing up my grandma’s house? I’m almost done, and then I’ll put it up for sale.” I don’t want to leave him, not even for a minute. Is this how Grandma felt about Cyril?

“Yes. I have a few days off. Where are you staying?” He pulls me to him, and I feel his erection pushing against me.

“I’m not staying anywhere. I rented a car at the airport and came straight here.” I shift slightly, and he moans.

“Do you want to go to my hotel, and then we can go to California tomorrow?” Do I want to go to a hotel with a big, sexy tiger who said he would be with me forever? Who would want that? Me, that’s who.

“Yes, but I should tell you I’m a virgin.” He smiles and moves to whisper in my ear.

“So am I.” I guess he meant it when he said he was waiting for his mate. I’m sure I’ll have lots of questions about all that later, but right now, I want him. I want to know that he is really mine and I’m not alone in this world.

“Then let’s go. We don’t have to go far, do we?” I whisper back. Devyn stands up and puts me on my feet.

“No, it’s right across the street next to the market.” He puts his arm around me as we begin walking. I need to get my stuff out of the car, but my need for him is too intense, so everything else can wait. Devyn picks me up and runs up the steps to the third floor when we get inside the hotel. He doesn’t put me down until he’s laying me on the bed.

“Are you sure you’re ready for all of this?” he asks.

“Yes, I’m ready for everything. Make love to me, mark me, and make me yours. I want it all.” He smiles and quickly removes his clothes. When I see what springs out from his boxers, I can’t help staring. Hello, Mr. Tiger.

I sit up and remove my shirt, and Devyn takes care of my pants and panties. To say we’re both eager is an understatement. He lays on the bed beside me, running his hand over my body.

“Do you want me to mark you, make love to you, or do them at the same time?” He slides his hand between my legs, and I already feel like I’m going to burst. I know you judgy people out there are going to have something to say about me being in a hotel with a man I met five minutes ago. However, until you have felt the power of the bond I feel with him, you can keep your opinions to yourself.

“Do them at the same time,” I say as I spread my legs apart. He strokes me a few more times before moving so he’s on top of me. I can feel Mr. Tiger as Devyn smiles down at me.

“I’m going to bite your neck while I slide in. It may hurt for a minute, but it will pass. After this, you’ll be mine.” I stroke his cheek and wrap my legs around him.

“That’s exactly what I want. You and me together forever. Let’s begin our love story.” I may have read too many romance novels, but oh well. Now I get to live one. Devyn kisses me and then moves down to where my neck and collarbone meet. He bites me at the same time he slides inside. I feel pain with both, but the sparks that run through my body make the pain disappear. When his penis is in as far as it can go, he looks into my eyes.

“I need to thank whoever broke into my grandpa’s house because it made me come here to find you.” He kisses me as he moves, and I feel breathless. I can’t speak as he picks up speed, and I dig my nails into his shoulders. The intensity I feel from my orgasm makes me feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. When he rolls off of me and pulls me into his arms, we’re both breathing hard.

“Do you think our grandparents brought us together so we would both be here at the same time?” I ask as he rubs his hands over my back. I thought my first time having sex would be more painful, but it was mind-blowing instead.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. I didn’t really look around my grandpa’s old house because it was too painful. Maybe I should.” I look into his eyes as I rub my hand over his chest and abdomen.

“How about we do that today? Is it common for weretigers to mark and have sex with their mates so soon after meeting them?” Devyn smiles and pulls me until I’m straddling him.

“Weretigers and other shifters know that when they find their mate, they’ll be with them forever. The strength of the mate bond is so powerful that the need for each other is overwhelming. Once it’s agreed that they’ll accept each other, they know they’ll be together forever, so there’s no need to wait. Are you having regrets?” He rubs his hands up my sides to my breasts.

“No, I just want to understand more about what it means to be your mate. How are you different from humans?” My body begins heating up as he fondles my breasts.

“We’re together forever, we can live forever, we heal faster, we have better senses, and when women get pregnant, they are only pregnant for about four to five months rather than nine. The love we feel for our mates is deeper than human love. We have a connection with them that connects our souls. Once you get your tiger, you’ll mark me, and we’ll be fully mated.” I rise up and slide onto him. He’s so big I don’t know if my body will ever get used to his size.

“How soon will I get my tiger?” I ask as he places his hands on my hips, and I begin moving.

“It usually takes about four weeks. You may be sick tomorrow while your body adjusts to my venom, but after that, you’ll begin noticing some changes. It may be better for us to stay here tomorrow and leave the next day because you won’t feel like traveling. Can you do that?” I smile as I pick up speed. I can’t answer right away as my body begins shaking, and we climax together. When we’re done, I lay on top of him, and Devyn wraps his arms around me.

“I can do whatever you think is best. I was planning on packing my grandma’s things and then figuring out where I wanted to go. You have made the decision easy for me. I am still upset about losing her, but finding you makes me feel like she’s still here because our histories are connected. Does that make sense?” My skin against his skin, mixed with the sparks, feels like heaven.

“I feel the same. I was close to my grandpa. When he and my grandma were killed, it hurt so bad I couldn’t even do anything with their house. I think now it’s time. Are you ready to go over there with me?” I look into his eyes and move so I can kiss him. How is it possible for me to feel so connected to another person this quickly?

“Yes, let’s go, but I want more of this before I begin feeling sick tomorrow.” Devyn smiles and kisses me.

“That’s a guarantee.”

Devyn’s P.O.V.

I watch Khloe get dressed after our not-so-quick shower, and I can’t believe she’s my mate. I’m glad I listened to my grandpa and never let myself fall for another woman. The bond I feel with Khloe is so strong I wouldn’t want to be faced with the decision he had with Lara and Grandma Diane. However, I’m glad he made the decision he did, or neither of us would be here. She runs her fingers through her long hair, and my heart feels like it’s going to stop. She’s so beautiful. I don’t know how it’s possible that she hasn’t been with another man.

“Is everything okay?” she asks, putting her shoes on. I pull her into my arms and kiss her, sliding my tongue into her mouth. She moans and wraps her arms around my neck. For half a second, I think about removing her clothes and getting into bed.

“Everything is fine. I just can’t get enough of you. I have been looking for you since I was eighteen and I’m twenty-five now. You’re so beautiful, and I want to keep touching you to make sure you’re really here.” Her green eyes light up, and she kisses me lightly.

“I’m twenty-one and far from beautiful, but thank you. When we come back here, can I meet Mac?” I kiss her and put my hands on her firm, round bottom.

“Yes, you can meet him, and don’t ever say you’re not beautiful. You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Let’s get out of here before I rip those clothes off of you and worship every inch of your gorgeous body.” Khloe giggles as she puts her coat on.

“I can’t wait for that.” She winks at me, and I fall deeper under her spell. I think I’m already in love with her.

“Of course, you’re in love with her. Look at her. She’s sugar and spice and everything in between. We got lucky with her, so don’t mess this up,” Mac mindlinks me.

“I already marked and mated with her. How am I going to screw it up?” I ask him as I take Khloe’s hand going down the stairs.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way.” I roll my eyes without saying anything to him.

“I came here first before going to the store,” Khloe says as we walk to my grandparent’s house just down the street.

“I spent almost as much time here as I did at home. My dad was the police chief, and my mom was a defense attorney. They rarely had time for me, but Grandpa always did.” I take her to the back, where we can get in because the front door is boarded up.

“Where are your parents now?” I look down at the key in my hand.

“They were killed too a little over a year ago. We’re not like lions who have a pride or wolves who have a pack. Tigers live independently, which in many ways puts us more at risk than some of the other shifters. My grandparents were the Tiger King and Queen. When they were killed, my parents took over. Now I’m the king, and you are my queen.” Khloe freezes as we step into the house.

“I’m your queen? What does that mean, and why didn’t you tell me before now?” Fear trickles down my spine as she looks at me angrily.

“I’m sorry I should have told you. I was scared you would leave if you knew everything. Please don’t change your mind and reject me.” Her face softens, and she puts her hands on my cheeks.

“Devyn, calm down. I’m not going to leave or reject you. I would have liked to know that I was a queen, though. I don’t have to wear a crown, do I? I’m not fond of hats.” I burst out laughing and shake my head.

“No, we don’t wear crowns unless we have to meet with the other royals. There’s a Lycan King, Lion King, Panther King, Bear King, and Whale King. I’ve met with them all recently to see if they had heard anything about someone coming after my family. Shifters can live forever. So, for my grandparents and parents to be killed means someone knew what they were and how to kill them. I couldn’t exactly have the medical examiner look at them or call the police because that would get too many humans involved. I did have a witch examine my grandparents and parents. She said they were poisoned, but even she couldn’t tell by what.” I turn on a light in the house and look around. I have kept the utilities on here because I had planned on cleaning it out and selling it. I just haven’t been able to bring myself back here. When I boarded it up today, it was my first time here since they died.

“What if the person who broke in was the person who killed them? Maybe they wanted you to come here or were trying to find something.” Khloe says as we walk further into the house. She has a point. The house had been ransacked, but I figured it was just thieves looking for something valuable.

“You could be right. I didn’t think of that. Let’s look around and see if we see anything.” All of their furniture is still here, covered in sheets as I left it. There’s no natural light because all of the windows are boarded up, so I turn on more lights.

“Do you notice anything right away that looks like someone messed with it?” Khloe asks. I turn to her and smile.

“Were you a detective in another life?” she smiles and shakes her head.

“No, I just read lots of crime books and watch crime shows. They are always looking for things that are out of place.” I take her hand as we walk through the house.

“I’m a police officer, and let me tell you, most of those shows elaborate things for TV. However, some of what they say and do is true. So far, I don’t see anything. Let’s go to his office.” I take her through the living room to the office. This room has the most damage. All of the desk drawers were removed, and everything was dumped onto the floor.

“Doesn’t it look like someone was looking for something?” Khloe asks.

“Yes, but I don’t know what. Hopefully, whatever it was, they didn’t find it, so we can.” We begin searching the office. At first, we don’t find anything, but when I get on my hands and knees to look under the desk, I see a small silver button. I push it and jump when I hear something moving.

“How did you do that?” Khloe asks. When I stand, I see the bookcase behind the desk, which is actually a door that is now slightly open.

“There was a button under the desk. I never knew this was here.” I turn the flashlight on my phone as we slowly enter the small room. Khloe flips a switch near the door, and a light comes on.

“Whoa, what is all of this?” she asks as we walk further into the room, which has several computers and a wall of monitors.

“I don’t know.” Everything is covered in dust, but the system fires up when I find the power switch. We each take a seat, and when the main screen asks for a password, I hesitate before typing anything in.

“Do you have any idea what it could be?” Khloe asks.

“I’ll try the usuals first.” I type in my grandpa’s birthdate and then my grandma’s. Neither of those works, so I type in my grandma’s name and try mine. I look at Khloe and get an idea. I type in the word on the keyboard and it works.

“What was it?” she asks.

“Lara. She was his true love.” I smile at her, and she leans her head on my shoulder. When the screen opens in front of us, dozens of images appear. Some are of Lara and my grandpa when they were younger, and some are images of my grandma and grandpa.

“I can’t imagine he had this elaborate system only to store photos,” I say as I look at the photos.

“Click on one of them,” Khloe suggests. I click on the first picture of my grandpa and Lara. It opens a file asking for another password. Lara doesn’t work this time. I don’t know why, but I try Khloe, which works.

“The password was your name. How did my grandpa know your name?” I ask her.

“I don’t know. Maybe he and my grandma still spoke. What’s in the file?” I click on it, and there’s a video of my grandpa.

“Hi, Devyn and Khloe. If you’re watching this, I know you have found each other, and Lara and I have left this world. Certain things were set in place long before either of you two were born to ensure you would find each other when you were supposed to. Let me tell you a little story.” I pause the video and look at Khloe.

“I can’t believe that they knew we were mates. Now I wonder if that’s why my grandpa talked to me so often about Lara. Are you ready to hear this?” I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and she smiles at me.

“Yes.” We look at the screen, and I push play.

“Many years ago, I met a young woman who was my fated mate. Her name was Lara, and I was ready to mark her. However, that was not meant to be. The day before I was supposed to mark her, we were visited by the goddess Athena. She said that we needed to reject each other because there were more powerful mates who were meant to be together. Those mates were the two of you. Go to the next picture to continue.” I click on the next picture and open the file. This video is from Lara.

“Hi, Khloe and Devyn. My sweet little Khloe, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you the truth before my death. I had to keep it hidden from you in order to keep you safe. As Cyril said, he and I were mates but couldn’t be together. We still hoped that one day that would change, which is why we wrote the letters. However, when he found his second chance mate, we knew we had to keep our distance so the two of you could find each other in the future. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I loved your grandfather, and Cyril loved Diane, but not in the same way we loved each other. Devyn is a weretiger, as you know, but Khloe, you are not human. My sweet girl, you are a goddess. You are the daughter of Athena. She sent you here because all shifters are in danger of being eliminated, and you will need your power to help them. Your parents were killed because someone was trying to get to you. Cyril, Diane, and Devyn’s parents were killed because someone was trying to get to him. Please click on the next photo for the next video.” Khloe looks at me in shock.

“I’m a goddess? How is that possible? I don’t even know what that means. It breaks my heart that our grandparents stayed apart so that we could be together. This is like some screwed-up love story where I feel guilty because they couldn’t be with their true love.” I wipe her tears away and kiss her softly.

“If they had chosen to be together, we wouldn’t be together. For Athena to put you, her daughter, on Earth means you have an important role. Our grandparents sacrificed their love and happiness for us so we could fight whatever is coming.” Khloe looks at me and slightly smiles.

“I know. I already can’t imagine being told that I couldn’t be with you. So, it hurts to know they were robbed of this. Let’s play the next video.” I click on the next image and open the file. It’s a video of my grandpa and Lara together. It looks like it was recorded right before he died.

“Hi, kids. This is the last video we want you to watch right now. You two did well following the clues to find each other when you were meant to. Devyn, the break-in at the house was set up when Khloe was on her way to find you. Khloe, Lara was taken from you before her time. She didn’t die of lung cancer, as everyone believes. She died of poisoning. The people who killed the rest of us also killed your grandmother.” Khloe pauses the video just as Lara is preparing to speak.

“How are they recording this if they are both dead? This is impossible,” she says, looking at me.

“I don’t know. Let’s see if they explain it.” She nods and pushes play.

“Don’t be upset, Khloe. We always knew this was going to happen and in what sequence. Athena warned us and gave us exact dates so we could be prepared. We are recording this video three months before Cyril and Diane will be killed. We couldn’t tell you kids what was going to happen because you had to find each other first. We may have nudged you a little with the letters and the break-in. The most important thing to remember is that you have each other. You will get through this. We’re not leaving you without any help. I want you to break the ornament you found, Khloe. There’s a message from Athena inside. The message will tell you when to watch the next video. In that video, we will tell you where to find the next ornament. The message will also give you the name and contact information of an ally who will assist you in this fight. We love you both so much.” The video stops, and we don’t say anything at first.

“Can you believe this? I feel like I’m in a dream or some type of weird supernatural Indiana Jones movie. We have to get clues from a goddess inside Christmas ornaments. Have you ever heard of anything like this?” Khloe’s voice sounds a little shaky. I turn her toward me so I can look into her eyes.

“I have never heard about anything like this, but if our grandparents say we’re going to be okay, I have to believe them. We’re in this together. I love you, Khloe.” Her face softens as she stands and sits on my lap.

“I love you too. I have the ornament in my car. Let’s get my things and open it in the hotel. I feel like we should hold on to both of our grandparent’s houses until we see where this leads us.” I wrap my arms around her and breathe in her intoxicating scent.

“Okay, maybe we’ll have a little more time to have some fun before you begin feeling sick.” I slide my hand under her shirt and rub her back. Her smile widens.

“Yes, we definitely need more fun.” She kisses me quickly before standing. I shut down the computer and close the secret door, and we leave the house, making sure it’s locked up tight. We get Khloe’s overnight bag from her car and return to the hotel. When we get inside, she removes the ornament that she has in a small box.

“It’s so pretty. Should we crack it like an egg?” she asks. I get a washcloth from the bathroom and lay it on the small table.

“Put it on this, and we’ll crack it gently.” Khloe lays the ornament on the washcloth. I pull out my car keys and gently tap the ornament. It’s thicker than I first thought, so I hit it a little harder. As it shatters, the pieces swirl around like a tornado of glass shards. A woman’s face suddenly appears in the glass.

“Hello, my beautiful daughter and her handsome mate. I am Athena, the goddess of war. Khloe, you were sent to Earth to assist in saving the shifters from being eliminated. You will both have some of my goddess power once you’re fully mated. I know this is confusing, but it will all make sense soon. You can open the next video on Valentine’s Day, and you will be told where to find the next ornament. I will talk to you again soon.” The glass turns into dust and disappears.

“That didn’t answer a whole lot, but at least we know we only have a few weeks until we can find the next one. Are you able to take some more time off work?” Khloe asks. I smile as I lift her and take her to the bed.

“I can take as much time as I need. Right now, let’s forget about all of this.” I kiss her as I remove her clothes. Neither of us knows what’s coming, but until we do, there isn’t anything we can do about it. So for now I will enjoy being with my mate.

The next chapter will be released on Valentine’s Day.