Rikki's Star (Hearts of ICARUS Book 8) Read online

  They were undeniably strong, powerful alpha males. Dominant alpha males. She wasn’t sure how she knew that. She’d never seen them before, or if she had she’d been too young to remember. They were Bearens, though. She was as sure of that as she was of their dominant nature.

  “Good thing, too,” she thought as an even deeper shiver rolled through her. “Since I’m made for them as they’re made for me.”

  She set her drawing board aside, dropped the pencil in the box and stood up without taking her eyes off of them. All she could think of was getting closer to them. She wanted to know what color their eyes were. What that amazing scent would be like up close, undiluted by the wide expanse of air between them. What their voices sounded like.

  Just as she lifted one foot to take a step, a sound distracted her. She frowned, looking around, searching for the source. It struck her as odd that the men didn’t seem to hear it.

  The sound grew louder. More insistent. It was a baby, she realized. A crying baby. She looked back to the men and frowned. The crying was so loud that they had to be able to hear it, so they must be ignoring it. That troubled her.

  She turned her back to the men, ignoring them as they ignored the child. She took a step in the direction the crying was coming from, her tension doubling. There was something in the baby’s cry that shouldn’t be there. Fear. No, more than that. Terror. She took another step, then a third. The baby screamed. She started running.

  ***

  “Rikki, it’s time to wake up now,” Jackson said, shaking her shoulder gently.

  Her eyes flew open and her entire body jerked hard in surprise, her expression one of absolute terror. Jackson’s heart sank and his bearenca struggled to roar, but he kept his voice soft and his anger hidden. “Rikki sweet, it’s Ata.”

  She blinked several times and did her best to hide the fear that rolled off of her in waves. “Hi Ata. Sorry. Guess I fell asleep.”

  Jackson could only nod. “Come on, let’s go home.”

  Rikki grabbed onto the strap of her duffle and put her other hand on the back of the baby’s head, then pushed herself up out of the chair. Jackson immediately took the duffle and slipped the strap over his shoulder, surprised by how light it was.

  “Who’s the little one?” he asked gently.

  “Her name is Charley,” Rikki said, glancing down at the sleeping child, her eyes dull with exhaustion. “She’s my daughter.”

  “She’s beautiful.”

  Rikki looked up at him. “Thanks, Ata.”

  Jackson’s heart ached at the expression in her eyes. It was equal parts exhaustion, sorrow, and fear, with a touch of relief. He silenced his furious bearenca, placed one hand on Rikki’s shoulder, the other on the baby’s back, then speed traveled home.

  The moment they appeared on the front porch Hope threw open the door and wrapped her arms around Rikki, careful not to squeeze too hard, or wake the baby. She kissed Rikki’s forehead, giving no sign of the shock she felt at her daughter’s appearance.

  “Come on, mikró,” she said. “Let’s get you inside.”

  Rikki nodded tiredly and followed her mother into the house. She turned into the living room and stopped, looking around as though she were lost.

  “I’ll just take this up to your room,” Jackson said.

  Rikki’s head turned slowly toward her father. “Efharistos, Ata.”

  “Rikki, come sit down,” Hope said, guiding her toward a sofa with a gentle hand on her arm. Rikki sat, then reached up to release the buckles on the baby carrier. Hope watched her fumble with them for a moment, then bent to help. When the carrier was off and Rikki held the sleeping baby in her arms, Hope sat down beside her.

  “What’s her name?” Hope asked, her bearenca having already determined the child was female. And Rikki’s.

  “Charley,” Rikki replied, her fingers brushing the soft white blond hair on the baby’s head.

  “How old is she?”

  “Four and a half months.”

  Hope frowned in confusion, wondering how that was possible. “I don’t understand, Rikki.”

  “I know Mom,” Rikki said tiredly, letting her head fall back against the sofa.

  Hope patted her shoulder gently. “All right then,” she said. “Explanations can wait. You look worn out, and far too thin. What would you like to do first? Sleep? Eat?”

  “I’m not hungry but a hot shower and a nap would be wonderful.” She looked down at the sleeping baby. “Unfortunately, Charley will probably wake up just about the same time I step into the shower so that’ll have to wait.”

  “No need for that,” Hope said, standing up. She reached for the carrier, then gestured for Rikki to stand up. “I’ll keep an eye on Charley while you shower. I raised six little ones myself, in bunches of three. If she wakes up, I can see to her perfectly well.” She placed a gentle hand on Rikki’s arm again and guided her toward the stairs. “Will she need a crib or bassinet?”

  Rikki looked blankly at her mother. “I don’t know. She sleeps with me.”

  “Does she sit up on her own?”

  “She’s just starting to but she’s very wobbly,” Rikki replied as she climbed the stairs slowly, one step at a time. Hope couldn’t help but remember Rikki racing up and down these same stairs in years past, going so fast that she’d half expected her to break her neck one day.

  “Crib it is, then,” Hope said decisively, clearing her mind of the past. “That one bag of yours can’t hold much. What else does she need?”

  “Everything. Bottles, formula, diapers, clothes, blankets. I’ve been using disposables since I…well.” She cleared her throat. “I planned to do some shopping before I voxed you but I was just so tired. Now that I’ve had a bit of a nap I should go do that.”

  “Nap?”

  “After I spoke with you I sat down in the lounge and fell asleep.”

  “That was barely half an hour ago, mikró,” Hope said, following Rikki into her childhood bedroom. Rikki stopped just inside the door and looked around uncertainly, just like she’d done in the living room. Holding back her growing worry, Hope placed one hand lightly on her daughter’s back and once again guided her forward. She urged her to sit on the bed, then sat down beside her.

  “Rikki, listen to me now, please.”

  “Okay Mom, I’m listening.”

  “I don’t know what’s happened to you, and even though I want to know, I’m not going to press you for answers right now. I’m more concerned about your physical state at the moment. Whatever’s happened, you’re safe at home now, so you can relax.” Rikki blinked rapidly, fighting back tears that Hope pretended not to notice welling in her eyes.

  “We’ve got boxes of baby clothes, furniture, car seats, and just about anything else you can think of stored in the attic. A couple of vox calls will have whatever else you and Charley need delivered in a couple of hours. Or, one of your fathers can speed travel to a store. We’ll get some formula, diapers, anything and everything you need, all right?”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Rikki said, losing her battle against the silent tears that began trickling down her face. Afraid she’d start crying too, Hope stood up and reached for the duffle bag Jackson had put on the foot of Rikki’s bed. She opened it up and began unpacking the surprisingly meager, but clean and neatly folded contents.

  There was a small, pale pink lap blanket on top, which she set on the bed, assuming it was for the baby. Below that she found four diapers, two disposable bottles of baby formula, one small, cotton baby blanket that matched the one currently wrapped around the baby, one pair of knitted booties, and two nightgowns. Underneath the baby things she found one pair of jeans, one turquoise shirt, a black knit cardigan, one sleep tee, underwear, and a small, pink stuffed bunny. One side pocket held Rikki’s wallet, a hair wand, hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste. The other held travel size packets of baby toiletries like wipes, lotion, shampoo and powder. Hope double checked, but there wasn’t anything else.

  “It was too
heavy,” Rikki said, answering her mother’s unspoken question. “I had to walk so far, and I was so tired. I just couldn’t carry that bag and Charley any further. That was before I got the strap on carrier. So I ditched most of my clothes and all of my toiletries. Well, except my toothbrush. Had to have that.”

  There was something in Rikki’s voice when she mentioned the toothbrush that caught Hope’s attention. When she looked at Rikki there was a haunted expression in her eyes that made her feel sick, scared, and angry all at once. She quickly looked away and started putting Rikki’s few things away in her dresser.

  “You still have plenty of clothes here, and toiletries in the bathroom,” she said when she was sure she could speak normally. “Anything you need, just make a list.” She put the baby things on top of Rikki’s dresser for the time being, then put the empty duffle on the closet shelf. “Now, I assume you want to keep Charley in here with you, but if not, there are other rooms.”

  “No, I want her with me, please.”

  Hope pretended not to hear the note of near panic in Rikki’s voice. “Of course, mikró. There’s plenty of room in here for a crib, and a small dresser with a changing pad on top. We have a few of those in the attic, too. I’ll ask your Dads to bring those down, as well as some clothes and whatever else I can think of to get started.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Hope kissed Rikki on the top of her head, fighting to hide the depth of her fear and worry. It was difficult to see her bright, happy, exuberant daughter in such a state. It certainly gave her a better idea of what Saige had gone through with Bean.

  “Why don’t you lay Charley down on the bed and go take a shower. I’ll watch her.”

  Rikki nodded, bit her lip, then looked at her mother. “She gets scared if I’m away too long. If she wakes up and starts crying, just bring her into the bathroom, okay? She’ll calm down if she knows I’m nearby.”

  “All right, I’ll do that.”

  Rikki stood up, then turned and laid the baby near the center of the bed. She brushed one finger over the baby’s cheek in a gesture so sweet it brought a lump to Hope’s throat. Then she went to the dresser, grabbed a change of clothes and took them into the bathroom.

  When Hope heard the shower start she opened the bedroom door and stepped into the hall where her men waited. She left the door open so she could watch the baby, and kept her voice low.

  “What’s going on, Hope?” Jackson asked.

  “I don’t know,” she replied. “I don’t understand how that baby can be hers. Rikki says she’s four and a half months old, which just doesn’t add up.”

  “No, it doesn’t,” Rob said. “Does she look that old?”

  “She’s very small, but yes, she does,” Hope replied. “I unpacked her bag, such as it was, and there wasn’t even the slightest hint of a scent other than Rikki’s and Charley’s.”

  “I noticed the bag seemed unusually light,” Jackson said.

  “That’s because she barely has a change of clothing for herself, and almost nothing for the baby.”

  “Why does she have so little?” Rob asked.

  “She said she had to walk a long way, and it got too heavy to carry the baby and the bag so she ditched her toiletries and clothing. She has no baby supplies aside from a few diapers, two bottles of formula, two nightgowns and one pair of booties. Aside from the nightgown and booties Charley is wearing right now, that’s it.”

  “Formula?” Rob asked. “She feeds the baby formula?”

  “Apparently,” Hope said.

  “Maybe she just has formula as backup,” Rob suggested.

  “No, I don’t think so,” Hope said. “When I asked her what she needed for the baby, bottles and formula were at the top of her list.”

  “Do you doubt the child is Rikki’s?” Clark asked.

  “Not for a moment,” Hope replied immediately. “She looks just like Rikki, and besides that, I can smell as well as you. She’s Rikki’s daughter all right. Our granddaughter. And something truly horrific has happened to both of them.”

  Jackson nodded in agreement. “She didn’t say what? Or mention a father?”

  “No, and I told her not to worry about explanations just yet. Rikki is too thin, worn out, and barely able to think let alone talk. She needs rest, food, and, I suspect, security.”

  “You’re right,” Jackson said reluctantly. He really wanted to know what had happened to their daughter. And who he needed to track down and destroy. “The necessities come first. Tell us what you want us to bring down from the attic.”

  Hope thought for a moment, then began listing what they needed. Once she’d finished with items they had stored, she turned her thoughts to more immediate necessities. “Can one of you speed travel to a market, please? Charley needs bottles, formula, diapers, baby wipes, soap, powder, shampoo, and whatever else you can think of.”

  “I’ll do that,” Rob offered. “What about food?”

  “I don’t know if Rikki’s started her on solids yet but my guess is that she hasn’t since there wasn’t any food or utensils in the bag. She doesn’t have much, but she does seem to have what Charley needs. Why not grab a few jars, just to be on the safe side. If she’s not on solids yet, she will be eventually, so it won’t go to waste. I’ll ask Rikki about that later.”

  Hope saw Charley turn her head and raise her arms up as though she were stretching. “Looks like Charley’s waking up so I best go in there.”

  “We’ll be up in the attic,” Jackson said. “We’ll air the mattress and run the baby clothes and bedding through the garment cleaner before we bring them in. Vox us if you need anything else.”

  “Thank you,” Hope said, rising up on her toes to kiss each of them before going back into the bedroom. She hummed softly as she approached the bed, not wanting to suddenly appear and startle the baby.

  She smiled when Charley turned her head and looked up at her with turquoise eyes. Eyes that matched her own. “Hello, Charley,” she said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She reached out to lightly brush the silky soft white-blond hair on the baby’s head. “I’m your Grandma Hope, and you, lovely wee thing that you are, are my first grandchild.”

  Charley looked at her with interest for a moment, then turned her head as she looked around the room. The expression of worry that grew on the baby’s face surprised Hope. Babies her age didn’t worry, as far as she could recall.

  “Are you looking for Mommy?”

  Charley looked at her again, a hopeful look in her eyes that told Hope there was more to this infant than she’d expected. “She’s taking a shower right on the other side of that door. She won’t be long.”

  Charley wasn’t happy with the explanation, apparently, since she screwed up her little face and began crying. Hope picked her up, cradled her in her arms, and rocked her gently, but it did no good. If there hadn’t been a distinct note of fear in the baby’s voice, Hope wouldn’t have worried so much. As it was, she nearly cried herself.

  She knocked lightly on the bathroom door, then turned the knob and opened it part way. “Rikki?”

  “Naí?” came the startled reply, the shower door opening just enough for her to look out. “Is Charley all right?” The baby stopped crying the moment she heard Rikki’s voice.

  “Yes, but as you said, she’s scared at not being able to see you.”

  “Charley,” Rikki said soothingly. “I’m right here, astéri. I won’t be much longer.”

  Charley looked uncertainly from Rikki to Hope, then back to Rikki. “We’re safe here, Charley,” Rikki said. “Grandma Hope will never hurt you, I promise.”

  Charley looked up at Hope again, then shoved a fist into her mouth and sighed as her little body relaxed. Hope noticed, and was surprised by it. But she was more surprised by Rikki’s promise that she wouldn’t hurt Charley. Why would such a statement even need to be made? And why did it have such an instantaneous effect on the baby?

  No, she decided. This is not the time to look at those que
stions too closely.

  “She should be okay for a while,” Rikki said.

  “All right, mikró,” Hope said. “We’ll let you finish your shower now.”

  “Thanks, Mom,” Rikki said. Hope stepped out of the bathroom and pulled the door shut, her thoughts in a whirl. After a few moments, she realized the baby was growing tense in her arms again, so she smiled down at her, then crossed to the window and opened the curtains. She sat down in the window seat and tilted Charley up in her arms so she could see outside.

  “When your Mommy was a little girl this was her favorite place to sit,” Hope said, watching the baby look outside with an expression of surprised wonder on her face. “She’d read, do homework, play with dolls, or write in her diary. Sometimes she’d just sit and watch the weather. She always loved watching it rain. Snow was even better. Whenever I’d ask her what she was doing she’d tell me she was making up her dreams.”

  While she spoke, Charley looked away from the window and watched her attentively, as though she was actually listening to every word she said. Which, Hope quickly realized, she was. When she stopped speaking Charley smiled, her eyes lighting up just like Rikki’s. All three of her daughters had turquoise eyes, and they all lit up when they were happy. But only Rikki’s had lit up in just that way, like she had sunshine inside of her that just couldn’t be contained.

  “You’re just as sweet and delightful as your Mommy, aren’t you?”

  Charley’s smile widened, then she turned to look out the window again. Hope watched her carefully as her eyes followed a small group of birds, then fixed on a tree, then a bee that landed on the window. After a couple of minutes Charley looked at Hope again.

  She raised her hand and tapped her lips twice with one finger, a questioning expression on her face.

  Hope knew it wasn’t a random gesture. She knew it. She thought a moment, then asked, “Are you hungry?”

  When the baby touched her nose with one finger she almost dismissed it. It had been too deliberate though. “Does that mean yes?” she asked. “One tap on the nose?”