Wind Walkers # 17

Apprehension washed over Dominic in waves, something wasn’t right. It felt as though his new formed connection with his mate had vanished, and he didn’t like that feeling at all. His hand unconsciously clutch his shirt just above his heart.

“Is everything okay?” Dominic looked into the worried face of his first king. Thayer reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder.

Dominic tried to get his thoughts and feelings under control. “My mate. I can no longer feel him.” pain ripped through him as images of Nico laying hurt and dying somewhere almost dropped him to his knees. “Nico, went missing this morning.” Why could he not tell if his mate was dead or alive? For his kind the mate bond was the strongest of all shifters. To feel nothing meant that something terrible must have happened to his mate.

“Your mates missing? Why the hell are you still standing here? Why aren’t you out looking for him?” the anger in Thayer’s eyes startled him for a moment as he stepped back in recrimination.

“King Thayer, Nico is not missing, he is just elsewhere.” Raevyn said as he walked toward them.

Thayer swung around and glared at Raevyn. “I know well what it feels like to be separated from your mate. I would never wish that on anyone. If you know where this Nico is than tell Dominic so he can be with his mate.”

Frustration seemed to pour off Raevyn. “I know he is safe. I don’t know where he is to tell Dominic where to go.”

“Then how do you know my mate is safe?” Dominic demanded.

“Nico is safe because he is with a Sentinel. A sentinel would never harm your mate.”

Thayer looked across the room toward his son. “Javier, send word to the barrack I want Dominic’s mate brought here.”

Raevyn coughed and Dominic stared at him. “I was talking about the original sentinels. Not the men who work for you now.”

“Original sentinels?” Dominic asked.

“There are five of us. All but one has two mates. We are cousins or brothers depending how you look at us. We were….” His words were cut off.

“You have another mate!” Crimson demanded furiously. “I don’t think so buster, I don’t share. You are mine and mine alone. So you better think again about this whole two mate situation.”

Raevyn smiled at his mate and Dominic wondered how the man was going to get himself out of this one. “If you had let me finished you would understand.” He pulled Crimson into his arms as he refocused his attention on King Thayer. “We were originally created to rule the world, but unfortunately for our father none of us wanted to. Though we did agree to be sentinels and watch over you all. The first born of us is the strongest and as such he needs only one mate. A mate that was created especially for him.” he looked down at Crimson, love clearly written in the emotions he wore. “I have waited a long time for you.”

“So where were you born and it better be bloody first.” Crimson pinched his mates side.

“Yes, lucky for us both. I am the first born, then comes Malacyte, Haydrian, Scarpeous and then the youngest of us all Simian.”

Dominic wondered what any of this had to do with his mate; the conversation was getting off track. “Okay then, which one has Nico?”

“That I cannot tell you. Though I doubt it was Simian or Malacyte.”

“Why wouldn’t it be either of those?”

“Simian was injured and left to heal himself. And Malacyte hasn’t been heard from since he left with your brother.”

In that instant all the air seem to rush from Dominic’s body. The mention of his brother’s name had so many thoughts and emotions crashing through his body. He didn’t need this on top of his already missing mate. But he couldn’t stop the anguish in his voice as his brother’s name fell from his lips. “Shayler.” He stumbled to a chair and sat heavily.

“Malacyte claimed Shayler the moment he laid his eyes on the young child all those years ago… your brother couldn’t be in safer hands. He is where he is meant to be.”

“Meant to be! Meant to be!” he repeated as he glared at Raevyn. “None of this was meant to be, he has denied me my brother. Shayler was meant to be by my side as we aged. Instead we had no one… I had no one.” And wasn’t that the truth of it all. While his brother had been chosen and cared for Dominic had been handed over and raised by the sentinels who now guarded the castle his whole life he had trained in the ways of a warrior. Never knowing what it would be like to be surrounded by the love of family, blood kin. And now he would never know. “What of my mate? How do I get Nico back? Or is he going to be forever denied to me as well.”

Raevyn threw his head back and roared toward the ceiling “Scarpeous! Haydrian! Malacyte! Simian!”

Dominic jumped as a lone man suddenly appeared in the centre of the room. “You called for me brother mine?”

“Scarpeous, do you have the bird shifter?”

“What would I want with your bird shifter?” Scarpeous rolled his eyes. “I’m not the one you’ve pissed off with your meddling.”

“If not you, then who?” Raevyn tilted his head and stared at his brother.

Dominic knew this was turning into a pissing contest between the siblings and getting them nowhere. “Please, if you know something. I just want my mate back.”

Scarpeous turned golden eyes toward him and a shiver ran through Dominic because he felt as if the man could see into his very core and was assessing whether he was worthy of an answer.

“Your mate is safe. Our brother is just teaching Raevyn a lesson for interfering with his mates.”

“Then why take my mate? Why not take Crimson, Raevyn’s actual mate?”

“How would I know? Do I look like my brother’s keeper?”

“Scarpeous! Who has him?”

“Haydrian.” Without another word he disappeared.