He nodded, suddenly overwhelmed. “Thank you, Niamh and Simon. I appreciate your assistance. But perhaps we should get my things.”

  Niamh’s gaze narrowed, and Maxim didn’t miss Simon taking her hand and tugging her close. “Of course,” Simon murmured. “Let’s give you time to get settled.”

  Maxim moved down to the vehicle and hefted the first box while Niamh grabbed a bag of groceries and Simon his suitcase.

  Two trips saw everything inside, and he waited impatiently for Niamh and Simon to leave. Once they’d gone, Maxim moved into the bedrooms, looked at them, and decided on the larger room at the rear of the house. It had a view of distant mountains, and he felt it was the most comfortable too, with a larger bed and located beside the bathroom.

  He dropped his suitcase on the bed, which was already made up. He lowered himself onto it and lay very still, thinking over his change of circumstances. He no longer had a job, though he hoped one was in his near future.

  He had a house with room to breathe, a view of the mountains, and what he hoped would be a reliable vehicle soon.

  “Mischa, if you were here, you’d smile.”

  But she wasn’t there. Instead, she was cold in a grave with the child they’d both never had a chance to meet, and he couldn’t return home because Mischa’s father had made it clear that he’d move heaven and earth to put Maxim in the ground near his daughter.

  Chapter Three

  Phillipa washed the dishes and looked out the window. Seeing a man in the yard next door, she let out a squeak.

  Peter came at a run. “What is it?”

  “There’s a man. Next door.”

  Peter peered out the window. “Niamh did say someone was moving in next door. I don’t remember his name. We should go say hello.”

  Phillipa shied away. “But what if he’s got connections to Roger?” Her heart beat so fast in her chest, she was sure it would burst out. Her hand rose and covered the affected body part.

  Peter blanched for a second, then shook his head. “Niamh said⁠—”

  “Niamh doesn’t know Roger.” What she avoided saying was she didn’t know what he was. The danger involving both of them by association. She’d already asked Peter to check, and he’d assured her the secret remained safe.

  “At some point, Pip, we’re going to have to make our own way. Otherwise, we might as well have stayed.”

  Yes, Peter was right, she acknowledged, but memories, terrifying and intense, remained at the forefront. Too many times… She shifted uncomfortably. “I’m not sure I’m ready,” she whispered.

  Peter nodded. “I know, but we need to build a life. Hiding won’t help us. If anything, it’s going to be counterproductive.” He took her hand. “I’ll be there with you.”

  She swallowed, trembled. Inside her warred emotions of fear and uncertainty with the need to follow Peter’s advice. In the end, she nodded. “O… Alright.”

  He smiled, but she saw the shadows in his own eyes too. “Come on. Sooner done, soonest over.” He dragged her away from the curtain.

  Maxim settled on the porch, simply looking out on the house opposite and the small garden. He liked flowers, and the knowledge that these were his to tend and care for filled him with warmth. But it was more than that; now he could walk barefoot on the ground, it wasn’t asphalt or concrete beneath his feet. The connection he’d ignored for over a decade was slowly flickering back to life.

  A warm breeze kissed his cheek, and the warmth of the sun, something he’d almost forgotten, settled on his skin.

  “Mischa, if you were here, you’d appreciate where I am.”

  Although, if Mischa was alive, he’d likely still be in Russia, he mused. They’d be raising their child or children. The all too familiar sharp pain in his chest shot through, and he waited for it to pass. It did, but faster and sooner than he’d experienced before, and he wondered at that before shrugging it off. It would be difficult after all these years to cast off the regrets and sorrows, but he had to if there was any hope for a future. He sighed. The vagaries of his mind annoyed him, and he grunted and rose just as a movement next door caught his attention.

  A young man, partnered by a solemn woman, were making their way toward him. She hung back, gripping the man’s hand tightly enough that her fingers were visibly white. Maxim frowned, controlled a growl that rose from his chest, and waited.

  At the fence which divided the two properties, they stopped. “Hi,” the young man called.

  Maxim walked toward the fence then stilled as the girl stepped back, behind the man. “Hello,” he answered in a low, unthreatening tone.

  “You’re new here. So are we. I’m Pete, and this is my sister…Pippa.” He didn’t sound overly sure, and something about his words scraped like a fingernail on a blackboard over Maxim’s mind.

  “I am Maxim,” he responded. “I came here this morning.”

  “Oh. Right. Yes, we came yesterday.” The man frowned. “We… We came to say hello,” and his voice trailed away, and Maxim got the distinct impression that neither were overly excited to see him.

  “That is good. I am waiting for Niamh to bring me a car…” He let the words trail off as the girl tugged on Pete’s sleeve.

  He waited as the man listened to the female, then nodded. “Pippa says she’d like to learn to drive and wonders if it’s as difficult as we’ve been told.” The boy spoke with an earnestness that betrayed his concern.

  Maxim opened his mouth, then shut it again. Neither of them knows how to drive? It was one of the things he’d learned before coming to this country, and most young adults were trained at an early age. Surely…? He shrugged off the questions. It wasn’t for him to concern himself with their inabilities. He had enough on his plate, getting himself re-established and rebuilding his life. Too many years hiding and wallowing had stunted him emotionally.

  He almost laughed at the serious way he was evaluating his emotions. He would have never examined his emotions like this during the time he’d been with Mischa. Maybe it was the influence of America? He shrugged internally.

  Pete cleared his throat. “Maybe, one day, you might show me…?”

  Maxim started. “Perhaps. But my first priority is finding a job.”

  Pete nodded, and Maxim felt like he’d somehow hurt the boy’s feelings. “Yeah, I understand.”

  Before Maxim could speak again, the girl tugged on Pete’s sleeve. “We should go inside. Niamh said she’d call.” The words were a whisper, and he craned to hear her perfectly modulated voice.

  His hand twitched, an inherent need to touch rising, and he frowned, stepped back. The two looked at him.

  “Okay, well, we better go, like Pippa said.”

  Maxim watched as Pete slid his arms around the girl’s narrow shoulders, she trembled, then they both walked away.

  It was only when they were inside that Maxim inhaled deeply and caught a whiff of her scent. Human…he thought. He’d ceased using the techniques his Ded had taught him long ago once his affinity had emerged. Too long in the concrete world, he thought sourly.

  “I have much to remember and relearn.”

  But something about them both… They appeared to be similar and strongly connected. Twins? He shrugged. Something to consider another time.

  Phillipa watched from the window. “You need to be careful. We don’t know who Roger knows. He could be an infiltrator.”

  “Pip, we have to live,” Peter countered.

  She sniffed. “I would have thought you’d remember all the other times you trusted someone and it got us in more trouble. We need to find our footing carefully,” she said, but she attempted to soothe the reminder with a soft rub on his arm. The way she’d been doing since their childhood.

  He stared at her then nodded. “You’re probably right. So, what next?”

  Dragging her hands through her ragged locks, she sighed. “We wait for Niamh.” And even as she spoke the ringer on the phone trilled.

  They both startled, but it was Phillipa who answered, “Hello?”

  ”Hi, Phillipa. It’s Niamh. Are you home right now? I’m dropping off a car to your neighbour, then I’ll come over to you. We have some appointments to set up, and it’s going to be easier with you both there. Does that suit?”

  Glancing in Peter’s direction, she caught his eye. “We’re both here, Niamh. So, please feel free to come over.”

  Niamh thanked Phillipa, and they ended the call.

  “When?” Peter demanded once his sister had replaced the receiver in its cradle.

  “After she delivers the car next door. Niamh says she has appointments to make.”

  He nodded. “So, the next step in our evolution begins.” Phillipa winced at his word choice, and he immediately grimaced at her jerk of recognition. Evolution. It was one of Roger’s favourite terms. Only, when he said it, there was a negative connotation attached. “Sorry, Pip. Not quite the word choice I should have chosen.”

  She shrugged, trying to ignore the seeds of terror in her mind. “I need to get used to others using those terms in that manner. Not like Roger…” Her mouth dried, and she had to battle to regain her equilibrium. “Not everyone is seeking to use people like he does.”

  Peter gripped her hand. “No. Some are better than that. That’s how I met Julian. And through him, Niamh and her husband Simon.”

  Phillipa turned away and headed to the kitchen, scooping up the kettle and filling it, trying to ignore the warring emotions which told her to run, to lock herself away, find safety. She had to breathe slowly, in and out, until she controlled the initial pulse of emotion.

  “I just…” Her eyes burned, and she blinked rapidly, wishing she could ignore everything negative in the world. “Yes, it’s fear that holds me back, but Peter, too many times we’ve paid the price for trusting the wrong person. I can’t…” Words failed her, and she shook her head, trying to get the words out. She spooned instant coffee into the two cups she grabbed from the drainer.

  “We must take this chance, Pippa. Otherwise, we’re still in Roger’s prison.” He stood behind her, placed a hand on her shoulder. “He wins and we lose. I’m sick of losing, and so are you.”

  Pouring water in the coffee cups, she pondered how to respond. “I know I need to be more trusting, but it’s hard. I know you took the brunt of his beatings, but…” She sighed. “So much happened to us. Too many things to make throwing off my caution an easy task.” She turned back to look at him. “I don’t think I can take any more failure. I can’t go back either. It would kill me.” Roger will kill me.

  “I know, Pip. I do. I understand.”

  A bubble of fury rose, and before she could squash it down, she growled, “You have no idea, Peter. I know many of his secrets. Things I’ve never even told you.”

  He stared. “Like what?”

  She shook her head as the slash of sudden terror whipped her. “I can’t… Don’t ask me. Not now. Maybe someday.”

  “Pip?” A thread of uncertainty filled his voice.

  “Not now,” she murmured, and carried her coffee out to the small porch.

  The car wasn’t small, but it wasn’t large either. It reminded Maxim of the pigs Ded had grown when he was a child. Not any single breed, but a bit of this and a bit of that, both solid and reliable for their needs. The engine sounded strong, and he ran his hands over the steering wheel.

  “Your license is up-to-date, isn’t it?” Simon enquired as Maxim climbed from the vehicle and settled on the porch, Niamh and Simon joining him.

  “It is due to be renewed. I was going to…” Maxim started to explain.

  Niamh smiled. “There’s a friendly DMV nearby. I can take you or⁠—”

  “I’d rather take myself, Niamh. I need to learn my way around, and that’s an opportunity, if you can tell me where it is.” Maxim didn’t want to be difficult, but he knew aspects of his life needed to change, and this was the first step. Standing on his own two feet without shying away from life.

  She nodded. “Perhaps you could take Peter and Phillipa there then.”

  “Peter and Phillipa?” he queried.

  “Next door,” Simon clarified.

  Interesting. They hadn’t told him their actual names. “They introduced themselves as Pete and Pippa.”

  “I can understand why. They will be hedging their bets a bit,” Simon added. “But will you take them to the DMV office?”

  “Take others?” He wasn’t sure that suited his needs.

  “They’ll need to get their learner permits sorted out. Neither can drive, and that’s going to be important to them.” Niamh reached out a hand. “I know you’re a loner, but we need your assistance. We won’t ask more than you can give, but we will need your help.”

  He grunted. “I can take them. When?”

  “I’ll arrange for the three of you to make an appointment at the DMV on Friday. That will give them a few days to study and take practice tests.”

  Simon cleared his throat, and Maxim looked at the Were Lord. “Simon?”

  “Their situation is sensitive. We need those we trust to assist them right now. Until the threat passes.” Simon spoke with a grave tone, and it made Maxim frown.

  “What is…?” He waved a hand in the direction of the house next door.

  Niamh glanced at Simon, and Maxim watched the other man’s hands forming a white-knuckled fist. “It’s sensitive, Maxim. Their stepfather is dangerous.”

  “So they are siblings?” Maxim prodded.

  “Yes, twins. But their stepfather, as I said, is very dangerous. He’s not someone we want to trifle with,” Simon explained.

  It didn’t answer the big question in Maxim’s mind, but it did pique his interest. “So, you want me to keep an eye on them too?”

  Simon sighed. “Normally we wouldn’t ask someone receiving assistance from the pack to help, but Maxim, you’re in a different position. Our assistance to you is more around giving you the chance to live the life you want. For Peter and Phillipa it’s getting them out of a situation they didn’t ask for. One they don’t have the skills or power to get themselves out of.”

  Niamh gripped Simon’s hand. “We should tell him. He needs to know rather than blindly offering help without knowing what he could face.”

  Simon frowned. “Yes, you’re right, of course, Niamh. Peter and Phillipa’s father died many years ago, and their mother, Eleanore, remarried within a short period of time. Roger Heilman is… He’s…”

  Watching Simon wrestle with the words to explain Roger Heilman had Maxim’s guts twisting. “What is he?”

  “We aren’t totally sure, but there is a creature that terrifies many, and he could be one of them,” Simon replied. Maxim noted Simon didn’t say what kind of creature, and that left him frowning. “He’s crafty, intelligent, and powerful. We believe Eleanore is a para of an unknown variety and was somehow taken in by Heilman. The two children from her previous relationship were pressed into service, and we believe that while Peter was forced to serve outside the house, it was Phillipa who had the difficult service within the house, and she’s not yet divulged fully what she knows. We think both have paranormal abilities, but they have not yet manifested because of their circumstances. We know, however, that in the years they served Heilman, they strongly repressed their skills to survive, and we need someone to keep an eye on them. We could station weres outside their house, but that would make the situation worse. We trust you and know you’ll raise any necessary alarm.”

  Maxim shifted in his seat. He didn’t want to take on responsibility for anyone else, but he could understand that placing weres outside the house would exacerbate issues. “I will do so, however, thought will need to be put into how they are protected or watched while I work, subject to my successful application at the clinic.”

  Simon nodded. “I would hope a few days will see them able to cope with the situation, as once they have a chance to get to meet and know some of our more experienced security they’ll be more comfortable with their presence.”

  Niamh handed Maxim a sheaf of papers. “This is the details of the location of the DMV, the paperwork for the vehicle, which we’ve changed the physical location for garaging to here. There’s also some information I think that would be useful to you ahead of your interview. I’ve written about a few of my experiences which I think may help illustrate the types of things you may experience.”

  “Thank you.” He truly meant it. No one had ever done something like this before for him. It was…humbling.

  “You’re welcome. Now, I need to go next door. Simon might stay a while if you’d like, or…”

  Maxim shrugged, and Simon and he both watched as Niamh made her way to the next house.

  “Thanks, Maxim. Having you nearby has raised her spirits, but it’s been difficult for her since the abduction.” Simon kept his gaze averted, and Maxim could fully understand his worry.

  “She’s had a hard time, Simon. She’s soft and tender, though not weak. I’m not⁠—”

  “You’re important to her,” Simon interrupted. “It’s why, when she decided she couldn’t remain at the clinic, she was insistent and actually spoke to the doctor ahead of time. She felt you’d be better there than the hospital, and better here, away from the city.”

  Maxim cleared his throat. “I appreciate her. Care for her like a sister. And I didn’t realise just how much I was affected by where I was.”

  “You’re a good friend,” Simon said.

  Chapter Four

  Phillipa looked at the long list of appointments they’d posted on the door of the refrigerator. Three had already been crossed off. Today their neighbour, Maxim, would be taking them to the DMV, and a few days after they had an appointment at the doctors.