Page 5 of Dybbuk's Detritus

Theo 4.

I clutch the tiny man in my arms, never wanting to let him go now that I have him. It takes me long moments to process what’s happening. My fated mate.

I packed up the mom and the baby and hit the gas, wanting to put as many miles between us and the dybbuk as possible. Nadia fussed for quite a while in the car before falling asleep. Emilyn sat next to her and stared out the window for the first several hours of the trip. I let my eagle guide me, following his instincts to find safety. When I finally realized he was heading towards Bellevue, Nebraska, I breathed a sigh of relief. I’ve never personally been to the mystical mecca, but my convocation drilled into my head the locations of havens across the world where I could seek asylum.

We stopped briefly at a motel to catch some sleep and for Emilyn to tend to Nadia. Since we loaded back up this morning to finish the drive, both have been calm, Emilyn even engaging in conversation with me.

It was nice to see her smile when I asked about her mate. They were not fated, but they loved one another deeply. His name was Anthony, which garnered a big laugh out of both of us. Tony the Tiger. His parents must have had a wicked sense of humor.

“I promised him I would take care of you and Nadia. They were his last words; his last thoughts were of you and your child. I will see to it that you both enjoy a long, healthy life. And I will dance on the remains of the dybbuk when I kill him.”

She turned to me with a glint in her eyes, shining bright despite the tears. “Fancy a dance partner?”

“It would be my honor, milady.” I bowed exaggeratedly in the driver’s seat as I took the last turn off for the Rybak Family village. I pointed out the big Ash in the distance. “That is the Etz Chaim, the Tree of Life. It connects us all and it will help us find our way.”

She nodded, her eyes intent on the tree. I clocked several guards as we approached, my heart ticking up slightly knowing we were being watched. I expected it, but as a bald eagle, I’m used to being the predator. As I put the minivan in park, I noticed a strong current buzzing through my blood, more than my eagle’s simple guidance, it was…an impulse, an urge I could not quell. And I found the longer I felt it, the less I wanted to.

Stepping out of the van, my eyes immediately trained on the diminutive man, almost a foot shorter than I, with a compact muscular body his clothing could not hide. He was beautiful, androgynous in a way I’ve never seen. Radiating power and strength, his features soft and feminine. Long, sharp nose, plump lips, delicate eyebrows, and an interesting mix of long brown and blonde hair, tucked behind his ear.

I inhaled my surroundings, parsing through the various scents, until I found his. Alluring and demanding, my body responded without permission, not that I would deny it anything when it came to this man. My eagle voiced his opinion on the matter which seemed to snap the man to action. He crossed the distance between us and threw himself into my arms. I caught him; I would always catch him.

I was brought here by the Fates. I was meant to rescue Emilyn and Nadia, I was meant to bring them to safety, I was meant to find this amazing little creature and spend my days by his side.

Raising my head skyward, I close my eyes and whisper, “Thank you, Fates.”. My mate chuckles, the sound vibrating through my body and centering in my cock. It hardens even more, painful in its insistence. My eagle urges me to mate with him, claim him, bond with him.

My mate and I sigh in unison. He wiggles to be let down, and I grudgingly obey. I cup his chiseled cheeks in my hands, looking into his near black eyes. Kissing his nose, I linger for a moment, before pulling back and putting much needed space between us, if we are to think clearly.

“Responsibility sucks.” He mutters, a snort escaping me at his candor. I nod in agreement. “I am Rurik Rybak, Aleph-Tav of the Rybak Family. We welcome you to our lands.” I smile at how put out he sounds.

“Theodore Adler. You can call me Theo.” A small woman about the size of Rurik rushes up to his side with a blindingly white smile. Her green eyes run the length of me once, twice, before she nudges Rurik’s shoulder.

“He’s gonna be screaming all kinds of things with you later, I highly doubt any of them will be your name. At least not coherently.” She winks at me, and I find it off putting and adorable at the same time.

I ignore her for the time being, focusing on the more pressing issues. “I have brought a tiger shifter and her daughter with me. I rescued them from an attack yesterday. Unfortunately, her mate was killed in the process. There is a dybbuk roaming free and I believe it is heading this way.”

“When darkness descends, the wings of the wind will show the way to bright prosperity.” Rurik and the little lady speak at the same time. Rurik’s eyes sharpen on me. “You are the wings of the wind. And the darkness is the dybbuk. And the bright prosperity—”

The woman cuts him off, “is you two boinking and popping out babies so the rest of us can finally get some.”

Rurik sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yes, Chloe, as always, you’ve described a personal situation in the simplest and crudest of terms.”

“I told you. Someone needs to muzzle her.” A man about my height, slim, with chin length gray hair crosses his arms and glares at Chloe.

“I’d like to see you try, old man. Besides, Rurik likes my mouth.” She winks at Rurik whose eyes narrow and dart between her and I. Are they together? Fuck. I find my mate only he’s already in a relationship. Well, this is gonna be hella awkward.

“Chloe.” He grits her name like it’s a curse. She bats her eyelashes at him, swaying on her feet. “Can it.” She huffs but backs off. “Now, Theo.” He turns back to me, all business. “Please, let’s take the lady and her child inside. I was just about to meet with my personal council to discuss the recent murders in the shifter community. I believe you are just the person to shed some much-needed light on the situation.” He loops his arm through mine and leads me toward a large manor house.

I lean down close to his ear so as not to be overheard, “Are we gonna discuss—”

“Oh, mate of mine, we are going to do more than discuss. I promise. First, though, responsibilities.” Again, he sounds so upset at the notion I can’t help but laugh.

I pat his hand. “I understand, adulting is overrated.”

He looks up at me, his lips stretching into a grin, his eyes soft with…something. “The Fates never makes mistakes, ahhh! I am so excited to see what else we agree on.” He pauses for a moment at the threshold, “How do you feel about ice cream?”

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