“Sometimes changed circumstances make a decision, even a decision that seemed liked such a good idea at the time, suddenly look really, really dumb. Now the question at that moment becomes, do you fess up and say hey, maybe I shouldn’t have done that? Or do you stick to your guns, even if swallowing your pride might end up saving your backside? You would think there was an easy cut and dry answer to that question—not if you’re mated to pigheaded werewolves.” ~ Jacque
Mona stood over the scrying bowl as she sought out the exact location of her escaped prey. She had considered just letting them be for now, knowing they would be coming for her at some point, no matter how foolish that decision was. Then her pride had stepped up and she realized that if she didn’t exact some sort of revenge, she would appear weak. She closed her eyes as she pushed out her will, allowing the magic of the scrying to show her where they were. Her lips pulled up into an evil smirk when she finally located them.
“There you are, little wolfies,” she murmured, as she watched them in her mind’s eye.
She watched as the females stood across from their mates with Peri in front of them, appearing to confront them. Maybe the escape was not necessarily a bad thing if it was causing strife between mates.
“Now, what to do with you,” she said, as she tapped her blood red lips with her finger. She had allowed the males to be tormented, to watch horrendous things, things that hadn’t been real. Now, what would it do to them if they really did see something happen to their mates?
“Hmm, this has potential.” Her power had continued to grow and natural laws that once bound her were no longer obstacles to the dark magic she wielded. Mona reached into the forest, seeking out the dark creatures that lurked in the shadows. She drew energy from them, pulling it inside of her in order to shape it to her will. She weaved a spell as her mind and body felt drunk on the rush of power.
“Earth, water, wind, and fire,
Hear me now, feel my desire.
I call on your forces and your ancient power,
Rumble, blow, burn, and shower.
Let no female leave unharmed,
All males desperate and alarmed.
Every step will pulse with pain,
Every cry will be for his name,
Let fire come between each one,
Until they, fall and I have won.
Her eyes flashed open as she felt the power leave her body, the spell riding on the wind. It would grow in power as it sought out its quarry. Owing to the size and power of the spell, it would take some time before it reached her prey.
Mona let out a deeply, satisfying breath and wiped her hands on her clothes. “Well, I’ve threatened a pixie, plotted with a traitorous Fae, and will soon hear the screams of the wolves. If that isn’t freaking awesome, I don’t know what is.”
“Who are you speaking to?”
The deep voice made Mona jump as she whirled around, ready to defend herself. A heart stopping shot of fear ripped through her as she stared, wide eyed at the one before her.
“How did you get in here?” She asked, after she had pushed the fear away and reminded herself of whom she was. But, that didn’t change the reality of the individual who was standing before her. This is bad, she thought to herself, very, very bad.
Q
Sally’s eyes watered as she desperately tried to focus on anything but the pain, which had become a constant companion as she fought her need to be with Costin. He was behind her with all the other males and she could feel his eyes on her, burning a hole in the back of her head. She could feel him willing her to turn around, to come back to him. And she wanted to so very badly.
“How’re you holding up?” Jen asked, matching Sally’s pace as they continued trekking through the mountains.
Sally gritted her teeth and composed herself before she spoke.
“I’m dealing,” she finally answered.
“Do you think we’re doing the right thing?”
Sally’s brow wrinkled as she looked at Jen in surprise. “You’re having doubts?”
Jen shrugged. “We’re not the only ones hurting. Dec is in more pain now, than when I died.”
“How?”
“I think because I’m rejecting what was determined for us before we were ever created. I belong by his side and I’m choosing to deny him that.”
Sally frowned. “Not to sound childish or anything but they denied us first. There are consequences to every action Jen, and their action to keep their mates out has brought on this consequence. It’s up to them to fix it.”
Jen grinned at her and Sally saw the gleam in her eyes.
“You did that on purpose didn’t you?”
Jen gave a little nod of her head. “I could tell you were really struggling and so I thought maybe you needed reminding of why we are doing this. Decebel is relentless, pushing on my mind, and I honestly don’t think he is using his full power because I’m pregnant.”
“Are you hurting?” Sally asked.
Jen’s mouth tensed just before she spoke. “Badly.” Then as only Jen could do, she pushed away the pain and sought out a way to ease the tension. “So I was examining my mate’s oh so encouraging words from earlier. He said that we had given ourselves to them in every way, basically. Because of that fact, then we no longer can make our own choices. I found a loop hole.”
Sally laughed as she shook her head. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s the loop hole?”
“You,” Jen grinned. “I thought about Crina and Elle, and they may very well fit into that category as well. However, I don’t really know their business like I know yours.”
“What?”
“Sally, my little wall-flower, you haven’t given your body, as B so eloquently put it, to your mate. You’ve completed the Blood Rites, but that is only one of the ingredients in the mixed drink that is bonding.”
“So,” Sally drew the word out, waiting for Jen to elaborate.
“Oh good grief woman, I’m saying that according to Dec’s jacked up idea of independent thinking, you my dearest, are still allowed such a liberty.”
Sally laughed and though the pain didn’t leave, for that brief moment in time, it wasn’t consuming her.
She heard a growl and a powerful push as Costin shoved his way into her mind.
“It will be remedied as soon as this ridiculous tantrum of yours is over.”
Sally’s mouth dropped open and she couldn’t believe he had just said that to her. She whipped around to look at him, and refused to give him the intimacy he was trying to force by using their bond.
“Are you seriously talking about making love to me while calling me childish in the same sentence?” Sally watched in satisfaction as Costin’s eyes began to glow. She had struck a nerve and maybe it shouldn’t have, but, damn, it felt good.
“Sally,” he started, but Sally cut him off.
“I’m not real experienced in this aspect of a relationship, but I’m pretty sure calling your mate childish is NOT the way to go about getting some.”
Jen coughed on a laugh and watched as not only Costin’s face contorted in anger, but all of the males. She just couldn’t resist this one.
“And by getting some she means tail,” she paused and just in case their hazed over brains didn’t register it she said it again a little slower. “Getting—some—tail. You know, because we’re wolves?” Jen looked around and when she noticed Crina grinning she smiled, “I knew someone appreciated my sense of humor.””
The look on Decebel’s face told her that if he could touch her in that moment he probably would have throttled her. She smiled to herself as she enjoyed the rage she brought out in him. Rage meant emotion, passion, and need. Maybe if she pushed just a little more he would finally let her in.
“Sally this is…” Costin took a step towards her but she was done listening. She turned on her heel and continued at a pace slightly faster than before.
Two long, and extremely frustrating days later…
Night had fallen more quickly Peri noticed and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. They'd finally stopped to make camp, though she hadn’t wanted to, because they were within a day, day and half tops, from the Romanian mansion. She had considered several times calling and just having one of those blasted males come get them, but she knew that would be a blood bath waiting to happen. So, because of the possessive, stubborn, albeit almost broken, werewolves, they got the wonderful experience of nearly running through the Carpathian Mountains . She watched as the males prepared the camp, gathering wood for a fire, and laying out pallets, all the while darting glances at their mates.
Jacque tried to keep her eyes from Fane, but since she had laid eyes on him from her window, her gaze had been for him and him alone. At one point, as she was empting her pack, she swore she felt his hot breath on the back of her neck and she had to bite her lip to hold back a moan. When she had turned to look at him, he had been on the other side of the fire, with an all too knowing smirk on his face. She had narrowed her eyes at him and, being the mature woman that she was, shot him the bird. She realized her mistake when he was suddenly in front of her, still not able to touch her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t affect her.
“Is that an offer, Luna? All you have to do is ask. Ask me baby.” His voice was a purr that made her shiver clear down to her toes. She hadn’t realized that she had been leaning towards him until Jen’s voice broke through the lust induced fog.
“Walk away from the sex on a stick Jacque,” Jen’s voice carried authority brought on by her Alpha status and it was almost enough to make Jacque obey—almost.
When she didn’t move she watched a triumphant smirk tug at his full, bitable lips.
“JACQUE!” Jen snarled. “I know it’s tough sweetie, believe me, I know how badly you want his hands on you, and his lips and his tongue and…”
“Jen!” Sally smacked her friend's shoulder.
“What?”
“Get to the point.” Sally rolled her eyes.
“Right, Jacque,” she started again, “as I said very truthfully, I know it’s hard.” Jen paused as she bit her lip. “Do you have any idea what I could do with that statement?” Jen groaned throwing her arms in the air.
“Jen, focus honey,” Sally tried a little more softly.
Jen nodded. “I’m good, I got this. Jacque, if you give in now, for the next hundred years every time you tell him no he’s going to be pulling up your skirt.”
That got Jacque’s attention. She pulled her eyes from Fane’s smoldering gaze and turned to look at Jen. The other girls around her were covering mouths attempting to keep laughter at bay.
“Did you just say…?”
Jen nodded. “Yes, yes I did. If he knows that rocking your world, well technically it would be your bed,” Jen tapped her cheek with a finger, “or the couch, or the kitchen table…”
“JENNIFER!” Decebel’s voice, bossy, dark, and sexy, brought chills to her skin.
“Right, focus,” she told herself. “If he knows that he has a sexual hold over you he will wield it fiercely. Oh damn,” Jen exclaimed, with a slap to her thigh. “There’s another one, can somebody please write this stuff down?”
Jacque took a step back from Fane, and then another and another. Jen let out a sigh of relief. “Finally, if I had to discuss sex as a weapon in any more detail to you I was going to have to give in and go rape my mate.”
A ripple of laughter flowed through the females and even the males cracked smiles at Jen’s words.
While Jen had been distracted, Decebel had moved silently behind her. He leaned as close to her ear as the magic would allow. He blew gently on it, knowing it was one of the things that drove her wild. He watched her shoulders tense. A slow smile formed and a feral gleam glowed in his eyes as he spoke. “You can’t rape the willing, baby.” Her moan was so low that he doubted anyone but him had heard it, and that was a good thing. He didn’t like her making those sounds with other males around, but it did stroke his ego to know that he, and he alone, could affect her this way.
Jen heard the low chuckle behind her and she fought through the desire as she whipped around to glare at her mate, only, he wasn’t there. Her eyes were pulled to where he stood, calmly leaning against a tree, arms folded across his chest, eyes glowing. He raised a single eyebrow at her and ran his tongue across his bottom lip. Jen cursed under her breath as she turned her back on him and stomped over to where Alina was sitting.
Decebel watched across the dancing flames of the fire as his mate turned away from him. His wolf snarled and he bristled at the blatant rebuff. He calmed himself with the knowledge that he had affected her. She may be able to push him away now, but it wouldn’t last. He was going to have to play dirty with his female. He grinned to himself at the pun that he knew she would appreciate. Once she was back in his arms, he would share it with her. He felt a bone deep ache at the thought of her in his arms, sharing laughs, whispering in her ear, enjoying her warmth, and her light. His wolf was becoming more and more insistent that they do whatever it was their mate needed to get her back where she belonged. He wanted to share everything with her, needed that closeness. Decebel closed his eyes as he felt the darkness inside him, invading his mind, fighting for his control. He knew what he needed, knew that if he didn’t take it, then the darkness that had nearly crushed him before Jennifer, and would consume him.
“I’ve noticed that you and Vasile haven’t interacted since the whole keep your grubby paws off me scene,” Jen said as she absently scribbled in the dirt, fighting the pull of her mate bond.
Alina glanced over at Vasile. He stared at her intently, and his eyes had rarely left her since she had denied him.
“We have been together a long, long time,” Alina told her as she continued to meet her mates’ eyes. “And have learned other ways to deal with disagreements.”
“Is he angry?”
Alina chuckled quietly and turned back to Jen. “Vasile loses control when he is furious and that is when others think they should fear him.” She shook her head. “But, it’s when his wolf is contained and he is controlled that we should be frightened.”
Jen glanced around Alina to see Vasile, her eyes dropped instantly and she looked back at Alina with a raised brow. “So what you’re saying is he’s biding his time. Like a hunter, he’s waiting for the perfect moment to strike.”
Alina nodded. “Yes, and Vasile is a very, very patient hunter.”
The air was thick with anger, hurt, desire and need as it grew later into the night. Costin sat with his back against a tree so that Sally was in his direct line of sight. She was so tired, so emotionally and physically drained. It was driving Costin crazy that she wouldn’t lay down and rest. He settled slightly after she finally fell asleep. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed and matched his breathing to hers. He wouldn’t last much longer like this. His mate bond was not complete, they had only completed the Blood Rites, and his ability to keep the darkness at bay was not as strong as the mated males. He didn’t know how Drake was doing it, although he noticed that Peri kept a very close eye on him. He focused his attention on Sally again and gave into the urge to look into her mind while she slept. Her shields would not be strong and he would be able to slip in easily. He couldn’t touch her while she was awake, couldn’t hold her, or kiss her. But, while she slept, he could enter her mind and there, all bets were off.
Sally felt him as he used their bond to ease into her thoughts. She knew subconsciously that he was doing it because she was asleep and her shields were down. She should try at least to keep him out, but when his arms came around her waist from behind, her resolve came crashing down. His hands slipped under her shirt to her stomach and he growled at the skin on skin contact. Sally’s head fell back on his chest and Costin leaned his face down to her neck, kissing her softly and then nipping the mark he had left on her.
“This isn’t real,” she whispered, breathlessly as Costin’s hands ran across her rib cage down her sides to her hips and back up again.
“Are you sure?” He asked her coyly.
Sally shuttered as his warm breath caressed her cool skin.
“I’m dreaming and you’re using our bond to do this.”
“What am I doing Sally mine?” Costin’s lips moved against her ear as he spoke and when he tugged on her ear with his teeth she nearly crumbled to the ground.
“Costin,” she whispered desperately as her breathing grew unsteady and her heart raced. Costin was relentless and continued his assault on her senses, touching, tasting, and scenting her.
“What am I doing Sally?” He whispered again. Sally’s only response was a sultry moan.
“Sally!”
Sally heard her name and it wasn’t Costin’s voice calling to her. She felt consciousness pulling at her and she didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to leave Costin’s arms, or lips for that matter.
“Sally!” the voice was more insistent this time. Sally tried to push it away with her hand, or at least she thought she did.
“Stop that,” the voice growled. “Wake up.”
Sally’s eyes fluttered open and she saw Jen, Jacque, Crina, and Elle leaning over her.
“What?” She asked groggily. “What’s wrong?”
“Well, where would you like us to start, with the heavy breathing, the sensual moans or the near orgasmic way you called out your mate’s name?”
Sally felt the blood rushing to her face as she remembered what she had been dreaming about.
“I didn’t know you had it in you Sal. I mean seriously, it was completely shameless.”
Sally groaned as she covered her burning face.
“It’s okay Sally. It isn’t your fault that your mate took advantage of you while you were sleeping,” Jacque piped in.
Sally’s head came up at Jacque’s words and she leaned around the girls. Her eyes found him immediately. The flames from the fire reflected in his eyes and danced around the hazel iris. With a wicked gleam and slight grin he mouthed, “Your move.”
Sally threw herself back on her pallet while the girls still watched. She closed her eyes canceling out their curious stares as she muttered, “Check mate.”