The Twelve Zenati Pt. 30

Authors note: Hello everyone. I am grateful to MsSensualiT for her continued help to be my second sets of eyes. I hope those of you who enjoy this series continue to do so. ~ellie.

Noah put down the tools and lifted the knife he had crafted. He'd had a solid morning's work out for one small blade, but it was weighted perfectly to his hand. As he went to stand outside in the sun, he glanced at the target and threw without taking the time to aim or adjust his stance. He wouldn't have time for that if it came down to it against the Varangian guard. He would make one for each day he had to stay trapped here and inactive to search for his heart. The knife sailed true, and he heard the heavy thud of sharp steel sinking into the wood. Pleased with the sharp acuity, he called the knife Stevie with a smile and wrapped it in his oilcloth before going to wash off the sweat of the last few hours in the waves that crashed onto the shore.

It was dangerous to have a forge in this part of the world or even country with tiny hot embers floating from the smokestack. But ever conscious of the environment, the Zenati forebears had built it close to the shoreline where the nearest vegetation was, not the dry bush and scrub notorious to the outback and northern reaches, but rather perpetually damp rainforest.

Coming back to the shore, he lay down to soak up the warmth of the late springtime sun. He had done enough thinking and physical labour since his rude awakening this morning, that he felt suddenly bone jarringly exhausted. He tried to will himself to stand up and make the trek back to his cabin, the cabin he had planned to share with Marcella during the gathering, but decided a few more minutes in the sun would not harm him.

When he woke with a start, he was home in his bed again. Confused and groggy, he knew someone was in his house again. Not just in his home, but in his bed! He turned his head and laid his eyes on the most beautiful sight he could have wished for. Marcella was there, asleep, naked, and in his bed. He turned his whole body toward her gathering her in his arms.

The nipples on her breasts were swollen, and they brushed against his chest. Her hips rocked and undulated as they had done when he had made love to her, and he could feel her wet pussy on his leg. Her whole body moved like somebody was making love to her in her sleep and she would occasionally moan sensuously in a husky voice. Irrational jealousy overtook him. He wanted to be the one making love to her not some phantom dream man!

Noah didn't know what had happened to her while she was with the Suebi and then Konrad. He didn't know if he would ever know the whole story. Having his beautiful Kitten with her sexy little body pressed to his and her desiring him, was every dream he'd had since meeting her come true. If this was, in fact, a dream, he was in no hurry to wake up from it. Noah didn't even fight for control as Marcella fluttered her eyes open and began kissing down his body toward his cock. Instead, he rolled to his back and let her do what she wanted just to keep her here with him and for once not argue with her.

Noah knew he was in dream heaven now. The sensuous licking, sucking and nibbling were beyond his memory of her. He saw her fingers drop to her pussy as she began to deep throat him and knew it was his turn. Noah reached over and lifted her hips in the air and placed her pussy firmly over his mouth. Within minutes of using his tongue to tease and titillate her, her body froze and then bucked in his hold as her orgasm racked her body. Noah felt her throat spasm around his cock, and it was the most unbelievable feeling he'd ever had and almost lost control of his own orgasm. He held back by renewing his attack on her pussy, pushing her into the second and third climax before allowing her a reprieve and himself to climax with her.

Marcella's body was twitching spasmodically as if she couldn't make sense of the bliss and the ecstasy overwhelming her body and mind. Her arms and legs were shaking as Noah moved them both so that her head was lying on his chest and he held her close until the spasms changed to smaller quivers and the quivers became an occasional shudder.

Noah watched the woman who ruled his heart fall asleep on his chest. With the satiated glow she now wore, he'd never seen her appear more stunning. As she drifted off to sleep, he gave a contented sigh and closed his eyes as well relishing in the feel of her.

"Answer your phone dickhead," Gideon grumbled as he threw the phone to land on Noah's stomach, waking him up. "You trying to burn to a crisp out here?"

"Piss off, arsehole," Noah groaned, trying to cling to the last remnants of his dream. "It had been so real. He wasn't sure what he would do if he managed to get her back from Konrad and she rejected him even then."

"Must have been some dream," Gideon commented.

"Yeah, just a dream," Noah lamented, as he gave up trying to remember it and sat up dusting the sand off his hands and arms before picking up his phone.

"X needs you," Gideon said, looking at his brother curiously.

"Yeah, I guessed as much," Noah stood, gathering the oilskin wrapped knife as he went.

"Dom's okay now though, right?" Gideon didn't hide his concern for the Oracle of their table.

"Yeah, it's nothing like that," Noah gave a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Then what is it?" Gideon asked directly. "I want to help you Noah," he let out an explosive breath. Shutting Gen and me out of whatever you are planning will not help you find the answers you're looking for. We always worked best as a team."

"It's not my story to tell, Gideon. You have to trust that I am thinking clearly and in control of my emotions. I will get her back, but I also know it's not a typical adversary that has Marcella right now or that she is there against her will. X and Dom are keeping me close because of the whole Oracle thing, which is unnecessary now that he is recovered. Still, I guess they are making sure I don't go off the deep end again as well. I don't need a babysitter Gid. I need my brothers to back me and believe in me."

"I've always got your back, but you have to let me in to help me to protect it properly," Gideon growled in frustration.

"Okay if a plane took off from a private airfield and didn't log a flight plan how would you go about tracking it?" Noah asked realising Gideon was probably the one person who would be able to haphazardly guess at the conundrum.

"Give me date and time, and I'll have the info in minutes," Gideon opened his phone to a forum page.

"Last night between say ten p.m. and one a.m.," he said uncertainly. "Took off from..."

"Brisbane and went to a private field between Proserpine and Airlie Beach. The majority are guessing Cannonvale as the closest town," Gideon smirked. "Space nerds. They'll pick up anything in the night sky that hasn't got a known flight plan. E.T. is out there," he chuckled.

"Fuck, where were you at four a.m.," Noah groaned.

"Cuddled up to my beautiful wife as I should have been at that time. Why where were you?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow and thinking he and Gen needed to keep closer tabs on their brother.

*****

Marcella had made another deal with Konrad when he had come to her the following morning for good or bad. The promise of seeing her sister and finding out what the hell had happened and why she hadn't cried out for help if she needed it had been far too much for her to ignore. She needed to see Jessa, and if she returned to the Zenati, she didn't know if they would let her leave again to rush to her sister's side. She'd caused them a lot of worry over the last weeks with her disappearing acts and as Konrad said, she knew she had seemed ungrateful for all they had done for her.

It was too late now to voice her concerns or reservations. She'd made her move, and she would have to deal with the consequences of her decisions when they arose. Once she had made her deal, Konrad had immediately flown her to Adelaide. He organised a nurse at the facility where Jessa was being treated to sneak her in and out. He kept to his end of the bargain swiftly, and she knew he would expect her to do the same.

Marcella was surprised when Andrea, the nurse Konrad introduced her to when they arrived in the rear car park, ushered them into a light and airy room at the private clinic. This wasn't what she had expected at all when she had been told her sister was clinging to life. There were no horrifying machines or beeping noises, just a lump in the pristine white bed and a drip hovering over it. She looked at the nurse beside her, not wanting to push any boundaries on this hastily organised visit.

"You don't have long before rounds start again for the new shift. I have someone covering for me, but still, you need to be quick," the nurse said in a whisper.

"Thank you, Andrea, I appreciate every minute you can give me," Marcella whispered back and stepped forward toward the bed. Her breath caught at the sight of her pale and fragile-looking sister. She rushed forward taking her hand and squeezing it.

"Jessie, it's Marcie. Can you hear me? Please wake up. I don't have much time," she whispered. "Please Jessie," she pleaded again.

"Go away Marcie," Jessa croaked. "Haven't you done enough to me already? Have you come just to make sure the job is complete, by ruining my life entirely?"

"Jessa, why didn't you tell me things were so bad for you. I would have come. I would have helped you and the children get out," Marcella rushed on, ignoring her sister's words.

"No Marcie. Listen to what I am saying. I don't need you or want you here. You only ever make things worse. It wasn't enough when you made my life hell at home, so you had to bring it to my marriage as well? This is all because of you," Jessa waved her arm around the room. "Why can't you just do the right thing for once in your life? I never needed you to save me. I was happy, Mama was happy, Olivia could have been happy, but you had to fight all the time. You got me sent here telling everyone who would listen to you our family business. Papa had no choice but to send me away. You got Olivia killed by making her leave home. You left Mama to bear the brunt of all your rebellion. Leave me out of whatever you're planning now. My life has been destroyed because of you trying to save the fake Olivia. There is nothing else you can do to me now."

Marcella gasped, fighting back the tears as she stared at Jessa, listening to her rail at her for all of the pain in her life. If Jessa had plunged a knife into her heart and twisted it, she couldn't have hurt Marcella more, and despite herself, she let out a sob when Jessa finished speaking.

"Tears Marcella? Where were those all the times Papa flogged Mama or me because of what you had done or said to make him mad? Where were those when I was bartered off to keep the family secrets you couldn't? No, you did exactly what you wanted to regardless of the consequences for the rest of us. Just go away Marcella, or I will call security," Jessa said tiredly and turned her back on her sister. "I have lost my children because of you."

"I will get them back for you. I'm a lawyer, you have rights Jessa," Marcella promised, her heart breaking and making Jessa turn back with a hard-eyed stare.

"If you ever go near my children, I will kill you myself," Jessa threatened in a sneer, and then pointed to the door, "Now get out. My sisters are both dead, my father wants me dead, and my children think I am dead. Just go away and let me die in peace."

Marcella blinked back tears and left the room with a determination to make things right for Jessa. The words were seared into her mind. Was it true that all of her sisters pain and suffering was because of her? She couldn't deny what her sister said, only that she had never done any of it intentionally. She had fought against her own destiny and dragged her sisters along with her whether they liked it or not.

"Who the fuck is in charge here?" Marcella asked in a loud voice as she appeared in the corridor outside her sister's room. Andrea caught her before she could say another word and pushed her into a storage room looking over her shoulder to make sure no one saw them.

"That was quick. I take it that didn't go well," Andrea hissed and shook Marcella by the shoulders. "This is about more than you and your sister remember. I put my job on the line for you, and neither one of us wants to cross Konrad, trust me on that. Now we have to get you out of here before anyone else sees you and reports you to the authorities." Andrea pulled her phone from her pocket.

Her words sobered Marcella. Her deal with Konrad racing to the forefront of her mind. She took a deep breath as Andrea made a call and tried to work out in her mind if trying to fix things for Jessa was worth the danger Konrad would pose to the people who would try to protect her. Images of Noah and his cousin being shot because of her already haunted her mind. Even though she hadn't seen it, she could still conjure the image of the two men crumpled to the ground and lying in a pool of blood.

"She's ready," Andrea said and paused, listening for a long time. "Yep, helping out one sister to see another, no biggie." She ended the call and erased the history before looking Marcella in the eye and explaining. "Looks like they had more security than I bargained for, so you are about to meet the Farnese Warlords. As far as I know, you were just a girl trying to see her sick sister outside of visiting hours that I helped. Konrad said he would see you again and that you would know what that meant. Are you ready?"

"Fuck!" Marcella swore with anger at having been so stupid as to give herself away as she exited Jessa's room. In hindsight, she could think of a dozen different scenarios that would have been preferable to this. She allowed herself to be guided from the storage room and straight into the path of one of the biggest men she had ever seen. She looked up at him with turmoil in her eyes and was surprised by the answering look of tender understanding.

"You have been a difficult girl to find, Miss Gambaro," Massimo said in his low rumble. "Let's get you home, shall we? I believe there are a lot of people who are worried sick about you." He picked her up, hugging her to his chest, feeling the turmoil going through her and wondering what caused her this amount of distress.

"I'm not going anywhere until you bring my nephews to see their Mama," Marcella pushed out of the big man's arms. "I don't know how you think she will heal when you have taken the only people, she lives for away from her."

Massimo released Marcella and watched as she stepped back with her hands on her hips as she challenged him without fear of reprisals. It was refreshing for Massimo, and he couldn't help but smile at the petite woman who's head barely made it to his chest height. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow at the man in the white doctor's coat beside them.

"Is there some reason the woman cannot see her children?" Massimo asked pleasantly.

"Their grandparents are caring for them and they have refused the request to bring the children to see their mother," the doctor said guardedly.

"I see there is more to that story," Massimo grumbled. "Better for another time perhaps."

"I'll go and get them myself," a man almost as large as Massimo stepped forward. "I'll call Papa on the way and let them know. They may wish to make the call themselves."

"Take Connie, she's more formidable than any of us," Massimo grinned. "Now we have met your requirements, Miss Gambaro, shall we go?"

"Not until they're here," she crossed her arms belligerently. "You must think I'm stupid if you think I would trust the world of a Table man I've never met before."

"Then let's find somewhere comfortable we can sit and talk until they arrive, shall we?" He said as if he had expected this, a small smile curing his full lips, enhancing the twinkle of merriment in his eyes. "I was warned that you were a difficult woman to rescue."

"Do I look like I need rescuing to you?" Marcella asked incredulously. "Whoever told you that shit doesn't know me at all."

"My apologies," Massimo chuckled. He coughed as if to stifle his chuckle and then as if unable to help himself, he tilted his head back and laughed loudly, a full-body laugh that brought tears to his eyes. "My God, you are fantastic, Miss Gambaro. My Connie is going to love you! Let's go and chat while we wait for her to bring the children."

*****

Olivia sat as still as stone watching the screen as the video of Marcella's visit to Jessa played on the screen. The cruel worlds of her oldest sister were fed to her by earphones. Guilt ate at her as she knew she had been just as hostile to Marcella in the beginning. Yet she knew without her she would be dead now or in prison. For all she had done and said to her sister, she had never made Marcella look so devastated or like she was dying inside. She had never even considered threatening to kill her if she came near her again.

"Can I travel now, with the case against Remington over? I mean could I go and see Jessa?" Olivia asked unsure if that was something she wanted to do, but she had to try and make amends for her role in their disastrous life. She was happy now or at least well on the road to happiness, and she wanted that for her sisters too.

"We'll be leaving as soon as we can locate Noah who is burning off some steam somewhere after he met with X and Dom," Genesis said. "I think it is Marcella who will need you the most though. She's not responding to any of the Farnese family at the moment. I think being hostage, part of a massacre and kidnapped was already too much then," he pointed at the phone. "I think witnessing a massacre, being kidnapped and being a hostage, was already too much for her, then to add that," he pointed to the video on the phone. "I think she finally ran out of strength to overcome everything."

"No one knows where Noah is?" Olivia asked with a frown.

"He's not answering his phone," Genesis said.

"He was going to see Helena about something for sunburn after falling asleep on the beach, and he's probably still with Zanto because you know how Helena is about phones in her clinic," Olivia offered. That was just after his meeting in the big house. I can't imagine he went anywhere else where he would have turned his phone off on this property."

"Pack your bag and get to the airstrip," Genesis said, moving toward the door. "I'll find him, and he'll want to leave immediately." Genesis jogged to the clinic and rushed past Helena to where Noah sat with Zanto.

"Fuck! We've been looking for you everywhere. Massimo Farnese has her. Let's go," Genesis said and turned to leave again.

"Wait! What?" Zanto said, struggling to his feet. He knew what his cousin had said but didn't want to be left behind.

"I'll bring her back, I promise," Noah rushed and followed Genesis. He pointed backwards to Zanto as he left the clinic so that Helena would stop him from doing any more damage to his chest than coming to table meetings had caused.

"Airstrip, Viv packed for you and Gid has his jet ready," Genesis said and diverted to get Olivia.

Noah didn't break stride heading straight to the jet. She was in Adelaide, Massimo had her. Thank God for this circle thing of Xavier's. They'd finished the impromptu video conference not much more than an hour ago, and they'd found her already. He didn't know it needed to be such a secret that all of the tables worked together through the new leaders' bonds of friendship when this resulted from sharing information.

Bounding up the stairs to the jet, he barely acknowledged Vivienne. She sat alone in the comfortable chairs in the plane's cabin and immediately turned to the cockpit prepared to co-pilot for his brother. He stopped short when he saw Xavier in the seat going through the pre-flight checks with Gideon.