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she did with the little effort she put into it. Just how deep did her power go? He knew who her father was, but what of her mother?
    “Zareb! I thought that was you, old friend. What brings you here?”
    “Baakir. I thought you long gone.”
    The two men hugged and pounded on each other’s backs. Zareb closed his eyes. It was such a reminder of the old ways and what could have been if he had not been so struck by the power of evil.
    “Someone needed to protect the land. I knew you would be back sooner or later. The Ancients told me to be here, that you might need me. So here I am.”
    Joy stood off to the side, just watching the two of them.
    “Baakir, this is Joy. We are here to return the Vessel to the resting ground and destroy it, as should have been done centuries ago.”
    Baakir bowed over Joy’s hand. Zareb held his cat in check. Kir was a friend. Not an enemy.
    “Ah, you have found your mate at last. I wish you both much happiness.” Kir smiled at him.
    “How did you know—we haven’t—that is—”
    Well, that was a first—a speechless Joy.
    “What my mate is trying to say is how did you know?”
    “She smells of you, brother.”
    “Kir, that is not possible as we have not mated. There was no ritual.”
    “Who told you there must be a ritual? Maybe for the newer shifters, but not you. When was the last time you spoke to the Ancients?”
    “It has not been that long. I am in constant contact with them. They told me of the mating ritual and I passed it down through the generations.”
    “Yes, but those of us from Africa are special. You should know this, Zar.”
    “Know what?” Zareb was exasperated.
    “All you have to do is bite your mate on the throat during sex and you are mated.”
    “How is this possible?”
    “The magic from here is strong. This country is old—the magic even older. It weakened when it was taken overseas, and the younger generations need more powerful magic. From what I sense here, Joy is already full of much magic. When the two of you came together the pull to mate must have been strong.”
    Zareb sat down hard on the ground.
    “I am so sorry, Joy, I should have known. It is always my fault.” Zareb rested his head in his palms. He shoulders slumped.
    “Stop it right fucking there. I wanted what happened. No one forced me.” Joy squeezed his shoulder. He was so out of it he had not heard her approach. That was unsafe, there was too much danger for him to be off his game.
    “But I should have—”
    “You’re not a God. You don’t know everything. This happened, so what? It was meant to be. Now let’s get this show on the road. I want out of this place before more freaky shit goes down.”
    “There is much passion in this one.” Kir grinned at him.
    “Yes, there is.” Zareb stared at his new mate with hope that he thought he lost long gone.
    With a few words, Joy had put the fire out and got her bags packed.
    “Kir?” Joy asked.
    “Yes, Joy.”
    “How did you know where to find us?”
    That had worried Zareb a little as well, but he trusted his old tribe mate. They had been through so much together.
    “The Ancients told me you might need my help today and pointed me in this direction. So here I am, at your disposal.”
    “They just have their mitts in everything, don’t they? I don’t think I like that, not one little bit.”
    Kir threw his head back and laughed. Zareb smiled. His peace was coming back. Joy was right, this was for the best and meant to be. He turned to Kir and felt tension through his body, something pulled him into an old memory making him rush back in time. Like the Ancients needed him to see these thoughts of his past.

    * * * *

    “They are gone and it is my fault, Kir. Dji has turned evil and the tribe has been destroyed. What do we do now?”
    “You do what you were born to do—protect. Go after Djimon and bring him back to the fold and make this right.”
    Zareb gazed around the bloody mess. This was his doing. Everyone was