ANASTASIA 18
“I said, no,” Ulrich says angrily as he paces, we have been updating the others on what I found and I decided to mention that I should go into work to be able to go through all the paperwork and find a signature of someone that might have signed the order slips. Ulrich is clearly against it but it’s the other’s opinion that I want and besides what could possibly happen at work?
It is sweet how protective he is, but I will still do what I think is right and if the others agree with me, I will be going in to work if he likes it or not. The only problem is that work is seven hours away on the road and if I do this, I will again be away for a few days. That is why I need to convince Ulrich to come with me but he is being pig-headed again.
“What do you think?” I ask, turning away from where Ulrich is pacing and looking at the men that are sitting around the table and finally at Tor that is sitting back in his chair with a scowl on his face after finding out that the Keres are unknowingly provoking them.
“I think that you did a great job, we would have taken much longer in finding something like this, but I agree with Ulrich it is unnecessary for you to go into work and risky. Draco and his men will look into things on that side of the world as they are much closer, and we will look into things on this side.” These men are so stubborn, how can they not see that the information might be on paper. “What I do need you to do now is talk to Celmund so that he can look into things with this company that is portraying as a medical supplier. He will get the details of who the founders are and where we can find them.”
“Do you need us to cancel the gig with the actress so that we can help with this?” Dane asks
“No, it’s too late to cancel now they are waiting for you tonight. She will arrive at the airport at eight, so make sure that you are there.” He then looks over at Ulrich, “Ulrich sit down you are giving me a headache,” Tor states with a frown at Ulrich, I know from what I have heard that Elemental’s don’t get sick that means that getting a headache is just a figure of speech from him. “I want you and Asger to go and have a look around the harbour, especially where this new container is going to take off from.”
“Maybe we can look into the inspectors that are supposed to check the containers and see if they are getting paid to look the other way. If they are getting paid maybe Celmund will be able to track where the money is coming from.” Tor nods his lips kicking up at my comments
“Tal, see what you can find.” Tal that is sitting back, his chair leaning on the wall as he balances on its back-leg’s nods.
“I just want to know who this fucker is that has managed to keep one step ahead of us all the way, we have caught most of the Keres how is it possible that this one has escaped us?” Einar asks as he leans forward, his elbows on the table as he looks over at Tor. “If there was a Keres big wig out there one of the Keres that we have reverted would have known about him we would think, then why hasn’t anyone come forward and given us any information on him?” I see that what he said has the other men thinking, I have heard about how difficult it has been to capture all the Keres and try and revert them.
One of the women also mentioned that when they have captured a Keres and they realize that he turned Keres after his mate died, then there is nothing that anyone can do for him. Apparently, Elemental’s will turn Keres if their mate dies and if they don’t take their lives first. I look over at Ulrich that is now sitting next to me again, his posture still tenses a scowl on his face as he listens to his brothers, his friends. I slide my hand over and cover his fisted one which has him looking at me. This man might be a hard-ass, but he has a good heart and I am lucky to have been bound to someone like him. I look back at the others as they comment and feel Ulrich opening his fist. He turns his hand around and entwines his fingers with mine.
“What if he isn’t a Keres?” I ask as the others are all pondering over Einar’s questions.
“Not possible, there are signs that it must be a Keres,” Colborn says from where he’s sitting, “he knows too much about how to hide from us not to be.”
“He is also taking all the women that could possibly be our mates, only a Keres would do something like that. A human would take any woman,” Garth says as he rubs at his jaw.
“Is there anyone that knows about you and the Keres that has the power to do what this person is doing?” I ask.
“You know; she has a point we could be looking at this all the wrong way,” Ulrich says as he squeezes my hand, “We have been looking for a Keres this whole time, why not just look for anyone that might be able to do this instead of looking for one of us.”
“Anastasia, how did you find the link of the containers to Russia?” Asger asks.
“It was the same company, but also the containers aren’t being opened either when they get to Russia,” I reply thinking back to all the containers I looked at that had been delivered to Europe.
“Is it possible that there are more alias companies doing this?” Garth asks.
“It is possible but for now I have only found this one, I will continue searching. Now that I know what they are doing right under our noses I will make sure that I will find as many as possible.” Garth grins at me and then at Ulrich.
“She’s determined,” Garth states inclining his head towards me as he winks at Ulrich, “you are going to be a real pussycat by the time she is finished with you,” he quips as his lips kick up and he grins.
“No, I like the beast in him,” I murmur with a straight face, “he could never be a pussycat.” The men grin at my comment and before I know what is happening Ulrich has his lips over mine and is kissing me passionately.
“Enough, you can go back to your room when we are done, you beast,” Tor teases, when Ulrich sits back in his chair, I see the amusement in Tor’s eyes and the grins on most of the men’s faces.
“You see; you guys never believed me when I told you I was a real beast,” Ulrich states with a straight face, but the amusement is there in his voice which has me shaking my head. Give the man a crumb and he will work it, so it looks like a cookie.
“Okay, enough chit chat get out of here,” Tor states as he stands.
“Let’s go, I’ll contact Celmund and you can tell him what you know so that he can start looking into who’s behind the medical company.” We make our way out and towards our room, “I have something for you,” Ulrich says as we enter. I wonder what it is now, he gave me a new phone earlier telling me that I was to keep it on me every time he was away. He lets go of my hand and walks towards his wardrobe; he leans forward pulling a small box out of the back. When he turns, he seems awkward as if he doesn’t know how to go about it. He lifts the box up in his hand, “when we are born our parents choose two stones that call to them, those stones are then bent together with the four elements to transform them into that babies birth stone.” He raises his other hand to touch the amber that he uses at all times around his neck.
“With mine it was slightly different as instead of stone my parents were driven to a handful of soil, which when placed against the elements transformed it into Amber.” I love it on him, in certain light it shines like the sunset. “When an Elemental mate the other stone that was transformed at his birth is then placed around his mates’ neck to protect her with his essence.” At the realization of what he is saying dawns, I feel a knot growing in my throat. I know that for him this must be a big step; to me it sounds similar to an engagement or even a marriage. He approaches, opening the box for me to look inside which has me stunned at the beauty of the Amber inside.
“Ohh,” I murmur as I see the amber is the same sunset colour as his but there seems to be an air bubble inside it which makes the centre a much lighter colour. Looking up to his face I see his unsure expression which is endearing how such a cocky man can be unsure about something like this. “It’s absolutely beautiful,” I murmur.
He lifts the amber out of the box, the dark gold chain hanging from its intricate design that wraps around the amber. He steps behind me and then he is placing the chain around my neck, “I give you a part of my essence to protect and enhance your energy. By wearing this amber, you will always have a piece of me with you. You are now part of my blood, my soul, my very essence. I ask that you wear this always to remind you of our bond and the love that I hold for you.” His beautiful words touch a part of me that I have held hidden from everyone, the part that has looked for love, that has looked for someone that I know is there for me no matter what.
I have always craved the security of having someone that I know loves me no matter what, someone that will be there for me even if I’m in a bad mood. Turning, I throw my arms around his neck, the uncertainty that I have held about him vanishing as I feel the warmth of the stone against my skin. “Thank you,” hearing him say that he loves me has opened a world of dreams, of cravings that I have had my whole life but that I have held hidden even from myself.