SWNOVELS Chapter Echoes
Ch 19
Jessara pov
We quickly get upstairs with the families and we are all put on lockdown. We call for extra guards to come and soon they are on their way but it will be about three hours. We make sure windows are closed and all entrances to the floor are heavily guarded. The look on peoples faces when they arrive on the floor and see these huge lycans towering over them smelling the air. These people look worried and our guards try to explain that they are just guarding the floor. It has been leaked that we are here and the paparazzi are starting to swarm outside.
Once they hear the Shifter King and Queen are on this floor people are freaking out constantly looking down the hall in case we make an appearance. I’m pacing back and forth around the room when there is a knock on the door. Killian goes to open it and the manager Glen of the hotel walks in cautiously. I walk up smiling which puts him slightly at ease.
“We have the upper floor that is like an apartment of sorts. Many rooms, bathrooms and kitchen. Also has direct access to the rooftop if needing to fly out. Also a private elevator to lead out the back for quick getaway. We can move you guys up there which will be more secure since it needs a passcode to get onto the elevator to get up.”
“That sounds great. We can move all our guards and families so everyone is together and they won’t have to worry so much until we can get the guards switched out. We have approximately 100 guards coming that will swarm this building. Once we deem its safe we will be needing to leave quickly to get back to our territory. We don’t want to frighten anyone or cause anyone distress. Let alone any problems.”
“Are you kidding! You’re the best thing that’s happened here! My hotel is all over the news and bookings have skyrocketed. Everyone wants to stay where the royal shifters have stayed. I do hope that you will come back and stay every once in a while. We can reserve the top floor for when you come to visit.”
“We would love to! Killian mind link everyone to get to the rooms so everyone gets packed and we can move.”
“Done, and the other guards are just pulling in and parking in the back. We will get the families out of here and start looking to get us out the moment it’s safe.”
“How did you do that so quickly? Did you use your mind? Does it hurt? Goodness I’m so sorry about all the questions! We don’t see your type around often unless we just don’t realize who they are.”
“That’s ok, yes it’s done via mind link, no it doesn’t hurt. It’s almost like instant messaging.”
“That is so cool! Ok let me know when you guys are ready to move and we can get you on the elevator. Once we get to the floor it takes a key in order for it to go to the floor.”
“That’s fine everyone is ready to move to the next floor. Guards are waiting with their families in the hallway.”
I see that Killian has gotten us packed quickly and we are headed out the door following the manager. Doors are opened lining the hallway and other guests are staring with cameras and phones out recording no doubt. We smile walking down the hallway when I feel a hand brush mine. I look down at a little girl that’s probably no more than five years old. Her mom yanks her back, scolding her when I quickly intervene.
“Jasmine, you can’t touch a royal, what’s wrong with you! Plus they are wolves.”
“Ma’am it’s ok really! Please don’t get mad!”
“Queen Jessara I’m so sorry!”
“Please, truly it’s ok!”
I kneel down to be on the little girl’s level holding out my hand out for her to shake. She looks at her mom for the ok when she nods down at her daughter. She reaches out, shaking my hand and smiling.
“I’m so glad to meet you Jasmine. I would love to chat but we are being moved at the moment, maybe once we are settled on our new floor you and your family will come and visit. I would love to get to know you and your parents.”
“Really? Oh mommy can we, can we?”
“When they get settled we can if it’s ok.”
She starts jumping up and down running over to her father to tell him the good news. I see a boy that’s probably around the age of twelve just rolling his eyes engrossed in his phone. I smile at the couple and we continue to move to the upper floor. We are quickly ushered through the hallways and soon we are on the elevator. It takes a few rides for everyone to get up here but soon the guards are all throughout the hotel and the families are back on their way to the territory. We want to keep them safe and out of harms way.
Guards are watching the windows on the situation downstairs and it seems that the crowds just keep multiplying. I can tell that Killian is starting to get nervous because of all the attention it is bringing. Sure the manager is excited, but security wise this is a nightmare. I mind link for the guards to bring up the couple with the kids, and when they arrive the little girl comes running straight at me.
I laugh out loud when she barrels into me with her mother yelling behind her. The guards turn and start to step forward stopping her mom in her tracks. She panics but I quickly wave them off telling them to come sit.
“So Miss Jasmine you seem to be very excited, we don’t scare you at all?”
“Oh no Queen Jessara I’m not scared at all!”
“I’m sorry Jasmine’s mom, we haven’t formally met yet. I’m Jessara, and this is my mate Killian. All the men standing and the ones I’m sure you passed by to get up here are all royal guards, they are shifters like us but are lycans. They are sort of a half wolf half human combo.”
“Sorry Queen Jessara, my name is Anita, and my husband’s name is Karl. You’ve met Jasmine and our son here is James.”
“Oh please just Jessara is perfectly fine. So James, do you not talk much?”
“Oh I talk, I just think this whole shifter thing is just rumors. No one has ever really seen them, so who knows if they even really exist.”
The moment he said that all activity on the floor stopped. Everyone stared at James and I could see his parents starting to panic looking around. I laugh out loud and try to ease the parents.
“So what if I told you we are in fact real. If I were to shift into my wolf my clothes would be shredded apart, but what I can do is shift my eyes to my wolf’s. Her name is Anita.”
I can see Jasmine get super excited jumping up and down and so I close my eyes and when I open them they are ice blue. He just stares when I close them and have them go back. He just stares and his sister starts laughing pointing at him. Yeah speechless is probably the word right now. I start to laugh out loud when I see some guards pointing down into the crowd looking over to Killian. Luckily the windows are one sided so we can see out but no one can see in.
They keep chatting when I see the elevator pop open with the manager Glen running in up to Killian chatting. Killian, Tanook and Glen walk over to see what the guards are looking at. They look from side to side and have all the guards come to one window pointing and slowly branch off following something. I know this can’t be good because I can feel Killian’s tension rising when he shouts to get the humans out of here now.
I mind link Tessa to come get the family and have them leave, because if we have to get out I don’t want them to get in the middle of the chaos. I motion for the parents to come in close so I can talk.
“I have a friend who is going to take you back to your rooms. Whatever you do, lock your door and do not open it for anyone. We will have a couple guards go with you to be in your room. Our scents are on you and your daughter. When you get to your room shower and wash our scents off. If something should happen I don’t want anyone coming after you! Promise me you will do this!”
“We will but what if something happens? We don’t have any family for the kids to go to!”
I see Killian turn around and nod at me so I continue. “If something happens our guards will try to get you guys out. They will bring us the kids. You guys will be fine I’m sure. Just please go wash the kids first so at least they have the scents off of them.”
They nod and Tessa quickly takes them to the elevator with some guards to escort them back to their room. I send a prayer up to the goddess to please keep them safe at all costs. They have done nothing wrong. I don’t want any blood shed on my watch, especially not here. I get up and start to walk to the window when Killian stops me from looking down. I hear him mind linking the guards to secure a clear path to the SUV’s in the back because we are going to have to leave.
“Glen, does this hotel have alarms in case it gets breached? Is there a separate elevator to go down to the cars aside from the one to get up here?”
“Not really any alarms, we just lock the doors, and have our security stand there. But yours is a little better than our humans so you have a better chance. Yes there is a different elevator to get to the cars.”
“Ok get everyone together now with most of the guards down to be ready. We just need a handful so if we have to go we aren’t taking five elevator rides to get down.”
I look over at Tessa when she nods and tells me the family is in their room scrubbing the kids and then themselves. I nod and look at Killian and step by him while guards are racing to get down the elevator to the cars. I walk over to the window and look down at all the people, and don’t see anything suspicious. I look over at Killian with a confused look when he walks behind me pointing at someone. I look again and just see a man in a hoodie chatting with a bunch of others when they walk away towards the front door. I watch them walk away when Killian starts yelling behind me to get ready to move!
Why? I don’t understand what is going on. I watch the crowd trying to comprehend what is going on when Killian comes back watching over my shoulder. We hear a loud growl erupt outside when everyone starts to scatter running away. We can hear yelling through the mind link from the guards down stairs that the hotel is being breached, and there’s a hundred or so. Killian starts trying to pull me away from the window when I keep looking at this one man standing there. Who is he and why is he doing this?
Killian is pulling me to face him yelling at me to move but it’s like I’m frozen in place just staring. Killian looks at the man when he looks up smiling directly at us. There’s no way! He is dead! I start screaming, grabbing my head because I can hear his laugh echoing through my head. Killian just grabs me, throwing me over his shoulder when he bolts for the back elevator. We all enter with the last of our guards when he sets me down. We can hear snarling and growling all around us while the elevator descends down to the main floor. Oh my goddess the family! Where are they? Are they out yet in an suv?
“Killian the family! Where are they?”
“I don’t know? The guards aren’t answering!”
When we hit the bottom floor we can hear the chaos when we run and quickly jump into the suv. We speed off heading back to the territory when I just break down. We hear through the mind link that everyone is out and on their way to the territory, but we need to stop somewhere secure to have a meeting. Killian gets on the phone with someone and soon we are speeding to somewhere.
We arrive at a large mansion and out front are two men standing in suits. Must be vampires since it’s dark outside and they are extremely pale. We see all our SUV’s come barreling up and quickly stopping when people start to pile out. We see all the guards and soon everyone is standing around. We have the last couple SUV’s a few minutes behind us when we decide to walk over to our hosts.
“King and Queen it is my pleasure to host you in this time of crisis. I am Lucius the head of household and this is my second in command Victor. Welcome to the Carniga covent. I’m sure you will probably head back out soon but is there anything we can get for you?”
“No thank you, we just need a safe spot to meet up so we can assess our damage.” Killian replied.
“Splendid, if there is anything please don’t hesitate to let us know. We can gladly accommodate. We do have guards watching our borders in case there should be any kind of intruder.”
I hear the other three SUV’s quickly pull up and can hear screaming coming from one. I start to bolt for it when two guards step out, setting the kids down. They spot me and quickly run over when I just stare at them because they are covered in blood. I quickly assess them and look to the guards for answers. Everyone smells the blood and starts to gather around. The guards are covered in blood also when their parents slowly emerge also. I drop to my knees wrapping my arms around the kids when Killian walks over talking quietly.
“When they breached the hotel they followed your scents and went to your old room before trying to get to the new floor. A few caught your scent coming from the family’s room and burst in. The kids had been washed and were being passed out when they got in. We tried to protect the family and started fighting trying to get help. There was a big fight and we kept them at bay for the most part. When they gave up and left trying to find you two. So we all just ran out the side door and ran to an suv.
I just sit there crying with the kids because no child should ever have to witness that. They are just humans and don’t understand how our world works. We need to get back to our territory now, and figure out how he is out of hell!