“Okay people, so we’ve reached the part in the story that is considered the calm before the storm. Everyone is getting in their “I love yous” and “goodbyes” and blah, blah, blahs because they know that all hell is about to break lose. It’s all very touching, but honestly, it’s time to put on our big girl panties, and I do mean that literally, and batten down the hatches because hurricane Mona is heading our way people. So get your butts out of your mate’s beds, yours truly included, and bring the rain.” ~ Jen
Lilly, Cypher, Thalion, and his warriors gathered around the fire. The night was chilly and the knowledge of what was to come only made the cold harder to endure. Cypher and the elf warriors had been able to kill some rabbits for dinner. Though it wasn’t the most filling meal, it was enough. When they were done eating, Cypher pulled Lilly over into his lap where he sat leaning against a tree. She snuggled into his chest and tried not to worry about her daughter, or Mona, or Cypher, or anything else she had no control over.
“What’s she like?” Cypher asked.
Lilly tilted her head up to look at him. She smiled warmly. “She’s the best person I know.”
Lilly knew he was asking about Jacque and it warmed her heart that he wanted to know about the most important person in her life.
“She is full of life. She’s got a smart mouth on her; she’s stubborn, beautiful, and loves with her whole heart.”
“Sounds like someone I know,” Cypher told her, as he kissed her forehead.
“We’re alike in a lot of ways,” Lilly agreed. “But, she’s better than I am and I’m glad for that. No parent wants their child to inherit their faults or make their mistakes.”
“What mistakes have you made Lilly? What deep secrets does your heart hold?”
Lilly considered whether she should tell him about Dillon, about how Jacque came to be a part of this world.
“Haven’t you wondered how it is that Jacque is mated to a werewolf?” She asked him.
He nodded. “Yes, I’ve wondered, but I figured you would tell me when you were ready.” He paused. “Are you ready?”
She shrugged. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.”
Cypher tightened his hold on her and kissed her neck, “I love hearing your voice, but I’m sure I can find something to do that I would love just as equally as listening to you.”
Lilly laughed. “I’m sure you could.”
“Sooo,” he prompted.
“I fell in love when I was young. He was handsome, fun, and not human. Within days of meeting him, my heart was his. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always possessed what I considered to be some sort of sixth sense. It doesn’t always happen, but sometimes I just feel like I know something about a person and that was how I felt about Dillon. I knew something was very different about him. When I confronted him about it, he told me what he was. At first, I was a little freaked, but then I saw that he was still the man I loved. What I was not prepared for was when he told me that I was not his true mate.”
“How were you together if you weren’t his mate?” Cypher asked, gruffly.
“He loved me. He told me that there was a possibility that one day he would meet his true mate and if he did, he would have no choice but to go, that his soul would cry out for her. At the time, I didn’t care; I just wanted to be with him. Time went on, things were good, and then the impossible happened. I got pregnant. Canis lupuses have a very hard time conceiving with each other, to conceive with a human was unheard of. As soon as I found out, I rushed home to tell him. I walked in, ready to share the good news, only to find a note with my name on it and all traces of Dillon were gone.”
Cypher stroked her hair as he felt the heart that, though mended now, remembered a time when it had broken.
“I never tried to find him. He didn’t know he had a daughter until this year. Jacque didn’t know anything about her father or what he was until Fane came to Coldspring and claimed her as his mate.”
“So, you have seen Dillon recently?” Cypher asked, and Lilly could tell he wasn’t happy about it.
“Yes.”
“Do you still love him?”
“Not the way that you think. I love him, because he gave me Jacque.”
Cypher tried not to be jealous, but the idea of his mate with another man was not sitting well with him, even if it had happened so many years ago.
Lilly felt Cypher’s arms tense up. She looked up into his face and saw anger and possessiveness in his eyes.
“Talk to me Cypher,” she said to him, gently.
“I don’t want to share your heart,” he told her, honestly.
“You will always have to share my heart. Jacque holds a big chunk of it.”
Cypher shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I expect to share with her and I’m happy to do so, but I hate that he held it at one time.” Cypher closed his eyes and tried to sort through his emotions before he continued. “I don’t want to sound like a petulant child, but I want you to be all mine.”
“I am all yours, Cypher, or at least that’s the direction we are headed, but you have a past as well. If I remember correctly on a certain night when you held me in bed I asked you if you had been with a woman and you said yes.”
“None that I have loved, none that have ever had any hold on me,” Cypher argued.
“They had to have held something sweetie, for you to be in their bed.” Lilly snorted at her own joke, but noticed that Cypher didn’t find the humor in it.
“That was a good one; you have to at least give me a little credit.”
He growled. “It was crude.”
“Yes, well so was the act of you sleeping with women solely for gratification, but then it happened right?” She shot back.
“Are you jealous little one?” He asked with a gleam in his eyes.
“No,” she answered, in a clipped tone.
Cypher pulled her against his chest and put his mouth directly next to her ear. “Since the moment I laid eyes on you I have forgotten any other woman who has crossed my path.”
“And your bed?” Lilly asked.
“In my mind, there is only you, Lilly. All I see is your face all I want is you. You are right we both have a past. I will try not to let your past make me into a jealous fool.”
“So, when you meet Dillon, you will be nice?” She asked, cautiously.
“Why would I meet Dillon?” He asked.
“Because he is Jacque’s father and if you are my…” She stumbled for words because she still wasn’t sure what to call him.
“Your mate, Lilly, I’m your mate.”
“Okay chill out. Geeze, if you are my mate, then you are bound, at some point, to meet him,” she paused before she added, “and if they called the packs, he is probably going to be at the Romanian mansion.”
Cypher’s breath froze in his lungs. He hadn’t expected to have to meet his mate’s former lover in a matter of hours.
“Cypher?” Lilly turned to look at him. “You okay?”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently at first, but then his lips pressed harder and he pulled her tighter. After several minutes, they were both breathing heavily. Lilly blushed as she thought about the others sitting nearby. It felt like any time Cypher’s lips met hers she forgot about everything else.
“You are mine,” he told her firmly.
“Cypher, Dillon has a mate. He isn’t going to try to take me.”
“I need to know that I am not competing with a memory Lilly. I need to know that your heart is yours to give and not in the hands of a man who gave you up.”
Lilly smiled up at him as she ran a finger across his lips.
“You have nothing to worry about, Warlock King. I got my heart back a long time ago and for the first time I’m ready to give it to someone who wants to keep it.”
Cypher pressed his forehead to hers. “Forever?”
“That’s all I’m asking for,” Lilly smiled. “But, I swear if we do this, and then some time down the line some chick comes out of the woodwork claiming to be your woman, I will castrate you. I just need you to know that upfront.”
Cypher cringed. “Then lucky for me there is no woman lurking in my past, or waiting in my future.”
“Good answer,” Lilly kissed him quickly on the lips, and then snuggled into him.
“Sleep little one,” Cypher’s chest rumbled with his words. “Tomorrow is going to be interesting.”
Cyn crept up slowly on the sleeping group. The warlock warriors at her back moved just as silently as she, which surprised her because of their size. She paused when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked over to see Gerick, Cypher’s head warrior, put his finger to his lips. He motioned for the others to surround the sleeping group and Cyn smiled when she saw the mischief in the warrior’s eyes.
“How is it that I have come across so fair a maiden in the woods all alone?” Cyn closed her eyes as she admonished herself. She hadn’t bothered to check if the forms that appeared to be sleeping were really all people.
Thalion wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his chest.
“I’m glad you made it back safely,” he whispered against her neck.
For just a moment, Cyn relaxed into his hold. For just a moment, she let herself think of what it would be like to be his, but just as quickly, she let it go. She pulled away from him and turned to face him.
“I should have known that someone would be keeping watch.” She had made a rookie mistake and it irked her that Thalion had witnessed it.
“You were just eager to get back to me,” he teased.
“It’s not long until daylight,” she told him, ignoring his jesting. “Have you all come up with a plan?”
“We’re going to the Romanian mansion,” he said, nonchalantly .
Cyn rolled her eyes. “They are on the verge of war with a witch, have twelve packs gathered under one roof and you think you can just march up and ask to break bread with them?”
Thalion thought about it for several minutes. He hadn’t dealt with the wolves much, and the few occasions that he had were a long time ago.
“What should we do?” He asked.
“I’ll go first.”
“No,” Thalion shook his head.
Cyn shrugged. “Too late.” Then she was gone.
Thalion growled in frustration. “Females,” he muttered.
Cypher had heard the sound of his warriors approach, though he kept the pretense of being asleep. His arms were wrapped securely around Lilly, who, to his amusement, was snoring loudly. He waited until finally Gerick stepped in close enough. He moved swiftly grabbing the warrior’s ankle and tossing him back. Gerick landed on the ground with a loud thud and a gasp as the wind was knocked out of him.
Cypher smiled at his general. “Gerick,” he nodded.
“My King,” Gerick coughed as he climbed to his feet. Gerick made a motion with his hand. Silently, Cypher’s warriors stepped forward from the trees.
“Nice work,” Thalion said, as he walked back into the circle. He made a series of clicking noises and suddenly the sky was raining elves as they fell from the tree tops.
Cypher looked up at the Elf Prince, who shrugged. “You never know who might be lurking in the woods.”
Cypher laughed. “True enough.”
The morning light began to break through the heavy covering of the trees and Lilly finally began to stir. She yawned and blinked a few times. Her eyes widened as she saw eyes, lots of them, staring at her.
“Cypher?” She sat up and pushed away from his chest.
“Lilly, these are my warriors,” he motioned to the large men staring at her.
“Why are they staring at me?” She asked, as she tried to smile and look friendly.
“They’re curious about you. I’ve just told them that you are my mate and human.”
“Hi,” Lilly said, weakly as she waved.
A few gave her smiles. Others continued to stare at her as if she were a bug they were trying to visually dissect.
“You ready to stand up?” Cypher asked her, drawing her attention away from the others. She looked up at him and nodded.
“Definitely, I seriously need to p...” She stopped in mid-sentence as she considered her company. Cypher laughed. “Do you need some privacy?”
“That would be good,” she told him. She walked off into the trees, promising not to go too far and making Cypher promise not to follow, though she could tell that he didn’t like her going off alone.
When Lilly returned she saw that Thalion and Cypher were deep in conversation. She wasn’t really sure what to do with herself so she leaned against a tree and tried not to stare at the warlock warriors, while at the same time trying to take in as much as she could by nonchalantly casting glances in their direction.
“You’re a good fit.”
Lilly jumped at the deep voice that had come from right beside her. She turned and had to look up to see a tall, wide man, with short dark hair, big green eyes, and a sweet smile.
“I’m Gerick,” he told her. “I’m Cypher’s general.”
Lilly nodded. “It’s nice to meet you Gerick. Um, what did you mean, I’m a good fit?”
“For him,” he nodded towards Cypher. “You bring him balance.”
“How can you tell,” Lilly asked, as her forehead wrinkled in question.
“There is a peace about him that I have not seen since he was very, very young.”
Lilly watched Cypher talk to Thalion and she thought about how he had looked when she first met him. He was still incredibly handsome, but she had to agree that some of the stress that had been on his face then, was no longer present. Even with everything they had been through and would undoubtedly be going through soon, Cypher did seem oddly relaxed. His eyes came up and met hers and he smiled at her. She smiled back and she agreed with Gerick, she and Cypher, for whatever messed up reason, were a good fit.
Q
“Peri.”
Peri jumped at the voice behind her. She pressed her hand to her heart as she turned and met Cyn’s stare.
“Are you trying to kill me? Crap, give me a warning or something next time.”
A single eyebrow rose on Cyn’s face. “I asked you to show me where you were.”
“Yes, but you didn’t say you were coming now,” Peri snapped. She stood in the field where only a day ago, a massacre between the packs was at its beginning. Vasile had once again proven why he was the strongest of their race. When other Alphas had tried to get their wolves under control and failed, Vasile’s power alone brought them to their knees.
“What are you doing out here?” Cyn asked.
Peri glanced back at the field that she had been staring at before the other fae had arrived. “It’s a long story,” Peri answered.
“Isn’t it always,” Cyn retorted as she walked over to stand next to her mentor and longtime friend.
Cyn waited quietly, knowing that sometimes Peri just needed a captive audience for her to start a tale.
“Okay, so the damn wolves can’t keep themselves out of trouble,” she began and Cyn grinned to herself as Peri told her, in only a way that Peri could, the events that had taken place. Cyn listened quietly and when Peri was finished relaying her story, she decided that she would take her battle with the Draheim over the wolves and their mates any day.
“So, that’s my mess,” Peri told her, as she folded her arms across her chest. “How goes it with the Warlock King and the human?”
Cyn smiled. “Well, they’re not near as bad as your wolves,”
Peri snorted. “For some reason I believe you.”
“I told you that I had a surprise for you,” Cyn reminded her.
“Yes, and you know how I hate surprises, so please tell me that Lilly isn’t somehow knocked up, or that Cypher hasn’t been surreptitiously plotting with Mona all along because she’s having his secret love child.”
Cyn rolled her eyes. “What’s with all the baby talk?”
“Jen’s pregnant, the Fates want her kid, and Decebel just might kill anything or anyone who comes near her at any time. Sorry it’s a touchy subject.”
“Okay, well breathe easy then because no one is having anyone’s love child. However,” Cyn paused and cleared her throat, “Thalion is sort of involved.”
Peri’s head snapped up as she looked at Cyn.
“The Elf Prince is here?” Peri’s eyes widened.
Cyn nodded. “We sort of needed something he had.”
“Yeah, I bet you did,” Peri muttered.
“Perizada, we are not going down that road so just forget it.” Cyn nearly sounded like a jaded teenager.
“It was bound to happen one day. You two have been swooning over one another for centuries now. Just go ahead and get you a taste so you can be done with it.”
Cyn shook her head in exasperation. “This isn’t about me or Thalion or us together. Cypher needed more information about opening the veil to the underworld. He had planned to get it from his brother. As I told you, that plan sort of got crushed by a Draheim, so we had to resort to plan B.”
“Otherwise known as, Plan Hot Freaking Elf Prince Come Light My Fire,” Peri laughed, when Cyn crossed her arms and began tapping her foot.
“You done yet?” Cyn asked, with a scowl.
Peri laughed, but finally raised her hand. “Yeah, yeah okay I’m done.” She leaned her head back, stretching her neck and feeling the slight strain in it relax just a little. “So, is Thalion able to help?”
“Turns out he has the book called Nushtonia.” Cyn waited for the reaction that she knew was coming.
Peri started laughing. Cyn’s brow furrowed as she watched the high Fae. This had not been the reaction she had been expecting.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Peri yelled. “Could this get any worse? So, now the book inspired by a demon that was in hiding is out in the open where Mona could get her grubby, dirty, filthy, blood covered hands on it?”
“Yes, but Cypher needs it. Before he was mated, he understood the risk of opening the veil. Now, he has Lilly, and it’s a game changer. Not only has he decided not to help Mona, but he has promised not to let anything happen to Lilly’s daughter. He had to open the veil, because he'd made a blood oath, but he needed to be able to close it immediately, before anything could get through.”
Peri listened intently as her mind ran through the millions of nightmarish possibilities that were bound to happen, and by the way, things were going, they would all happen at the same freaking time.
“So, what I hear you telling me is that our Warlock King needs to accomplish the impossible.”
Cyn nodded. “Essentially.”
“Excellent.”
“Exactly.”
“Any more E words we could add to this little chit chat?” Peri asked dryly.
“Effing perfect?” Cyn grinned at Peri.
“You took the words right out of my mouth.”
Peri motioned for Cyn to follow her. “So, your people want to come rendezvous with my people. We need to let Vasile and the other males know so that they don’t feel like they have been snuck up upon. Have you prepped the Warlock and Prince on how to behave around possessive, butthead werewolves?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then I will meet with them before they meet the wolves. This is a frickin’ nightmare,” Peri muttered, as she led Cyn to Vasile and Alina’s room.
Peri stepped up to knock on the Alpha’s door, but paused, her hand in midair. She heard multiple deep voices conversing and couldn’t stifle the exasperated groan that slipped out.
“Come in, Perizada,” she heard, Vasile tell her. He must have heard the groan. She grasped the handle and pushed on the latch.
Decebel, Fane, Costin, Adam, Sorin, Gavril, Alina, and Vasile’s eyes landed on her and then shifted to Cyn who was standing behind her.
“Glad to see the gang’s all here. That will keep me from having to repeat myself, which as you all know, I loathe to do.” Peri walked farther into the room. Cyn moved to stand next to her and Vasile, Decebel, and the males who had been sitting moved to stand in front of Alina.
Alina growled behind them. “Move.”
“Peri, who have you brought to visit us without announcement?” Vasile asked, coolly.
“Vasile meet Cyn. Cyn meet Vasile,” Peri motioned between the two of them. “Cyn is one of the Fae Guardians. She has been with the Warlock King and Lilly while they’ve been on their little adventure.”
Vasile met Cyn’s gaze and waited. Cyn knew that it was a dominance thing with wolves so she dropped her eyes.
Peri raised a brow at the Alpha. “You done now?”
Vasile lifted a lip at her, flashing long canines, before he told her to proceed.
“The Warlock King, Lilly, the Elf Prince, and their warriors are about thirty miles from here in the forest.”
“What?” Decebel growled as he took a step towards her.
“Peace wolf,” Peri snapped. “They aren’t coming to attack you. They are coming to help.” Peri explained everything that Cyn had told her, trying to keep it as short and exact as possible.
“So he still plans to open the veil?” Vasile asked, unnecessarily.
“He made a blood oath. It’s not like he really has a choice,” Cyn pointed out.
“They point is,” Peri interrupted, “that they want to help. They are bringing more warm bodies to assist us in fighting Desdemona.”
“They are unknown males around our females,” Costin snarled.
“Speaking of said females,” she met Costin’s stare. “Where are your oh so precious mates?”
Costin looked away. Obviously, unhappy about the question.
“They’re in the kitchen drinking hot chocolate,” Fane shot back.
Peri laughed. “So, let me guess, you’re upset, because they wanted a break from the rooms you have no doubt kept them locked up in for the past twenty four hours, or,” she laughed even harder, “you’re just jealous of the mugs they are sipping the beverage from.”
All of the males had the sense, to act somewhat guilty at their overbearing behavior, but none of them contradicted her.
“Are you quite finished, Peri,” Adam spoke up for the first time.
“Oh I could go on for hours; you males just make it to easy. But alas, the blasted men who have come to take your women’s virtue, if there is any left after the interesting night I’m sure you all had, are waiting for Vasile’s approval before they arrive.”
“Who said it was the males taking the virtue?” A familiar voice chirped from behind Peri. Jen and the entourage of females filed into the room. The faces of the males changed instantly from irritated to worshipful. Peri shook her head at them. She would never understand the bond between mates, unless the Great Luna had her way. Peri cringed at that thought.
“Jennifer, I thought I told you that I wanted you to go back to our room,” Decebel said, as he crossed the room to her.
“You did,” Jen waved to Peri with a wicked grin.
“Then why are you here?” He asked.
“Because you told me to go back to our room, duh.” The girls all snickered at her while the men scowled. Jen ignored them and turned to face Peri and Cyn as Decebel wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her against his chest. Each of the mated pairs was in similar poses across the room.
“So Peri fairy,” Jacque smiled. “What’s the news that has our men so riled up about?”
“The Warlock King and the Elf Prince are waiting for permission to approach the mansion,” Peri explained.
Jacque tried to push away from Fane as she took a step towards the Fae, “Cypher is out there? That means my mom is out there too, right?”
Peri nodded.
Jacque whipped around, slapping Fane in the face with her wild hair to face Vasile. “Why have you not said they could come? That’s my mom out there, Vasile.”
“I know that,” Vasile told her patiently. “But, I cannot act rashly, I always must weigh the danger a situation poses to the pack.”
“Give me a break, Vasile. There are like sixty or so dominant males in this mansion at this very moment, they must be much more dangerous than the men my mom are with.”
“And, you know this, how?” He asked.
“Vasile,” Alina’s warning came from where she still sat shielded from view. “She is your daughter-in-law first, pack second.”
Vasile stepped aside so that Alina could be seen. She stood next to Vasile and relaxed into his touch when he tucked her under his arm.
“Peri,” Vasile turned to her. “You can bring them here. They are to go to the gathering room and stay there. No wandering about.”
Cyn was gone before Peri could answer.
“Where’d she go?” Sally asked.
“To tell them,” Peri shrugged.
Q
Peri flashed next to Cyn only moments after Cyn arrived, standing before Cypher and Thalion.
“Well hello, handsomes,” Peri smiled at the two males.
Lilly stepped from around Cypher who had pulled her protectively behind him when Peri had arrived.
“You must be Lilly,” Peri stepped forward and held out her hand.
Lilly reached forward to shake it and Cypher snaked an arm around her waist attempting to pull her back.
“Cypher,” Lilly said his name in a clipped fashion and he backed off only slightly.
“You have one of those too, I see,” Peri motioned to Cypher.
“Too?” Lilly frowned.
“Your daughter has, what she and her friends call, OBBHMs.”
Lilly laughed. “And pray tell, what does that acronym stand for.”
“Overbearing butt head mates.”
“Then yes, I have one of those too,” Lilly laughed as Cypher narrowed his eyes at her.
Peri stepped back so that she could address both men. “Vasile has agreed to let you come to the mansion. But, before we go, I need to fill you in on pack etiquette.”
“We already know some of it,” Cypher told her.
“Not with these males you don’t,” Peri countered. “These males take protective to a whole new solar system, so listen up and maybe we will all live until Mona kills us.”
Lilly grinned. “I like you. You are a breath of fresh air.”
“You haven’t known her long enough yet to declare that. Just give it time,” Cyn smirked.
Peri snapped her fingers closed in front of Cyn’s face, making it clear that she wanted Cyn to shut her trap. Cyn laughed and stepped back.
“The most important thing with this group of males is do not, under any circumstances, for any reason, touch any of their mates. On a good day they are touchy when it comes to other men being present around them, but they’ve been through some tough stuff the past several days so they are really on edge right now.”
“Is my daughter okay?” Lilly asked, suddenly alarmed.
“She’s fine, and I’m sure she will gladly fill you in on their adventures,” Peri assured. “Next, don’t hold their stare. It’s all right to meet their eyes for about five seconds. After that, avert your gaze. You don’t have to drop it and indicate submission, just look over their shoulder or off to the side to show that you aren’t going to challenge them. Even if the man in them knows that you aren’t there for a challenge, the wolf will see it differently and right now their wolves are winning the control battle more often than not.”
“These men sound very unstable,” Thalion pointed out.
“They are unstable. They’re werewolves, what about that would make you think they are stable?” Peri shook her head at the Prince. “Oh and please, for the love of little furry things everywhere, do not point out to them that they are unstable.” She stared at Thalion for a second more. “Actually it’s probably better if you don’t speak at all.”
Thalion looked taken aback. “Why?” He asked, genuinely confused.
“Because you have not been around the Canis lupus and so your questions might sound like you think them to be barbaric animals.”
“Aren’t they?”
Peri’s jaw clenched. “See, that is why it would be better if you kept your royal trap shut.”
Cypher stepped in before Thalion could argue further.
“Is there anything else we should know? So far everything you have said, I understand because I myself, am that way with Lilly.”
“Don’t be offended if they growl at you. They basically growl at anything that isn’t their mate, and even at them sometimes. Oh,” Peri clapped her hands, “I almost forgot the most important rule of all. Steer clear of the tall, leggy, blonde. She is trouble with a capital PITA. Her mate is Decebel; he is the Alpha of the Serbian pack, and he’s deadly when it comes to her. She likes to get him all riled up so if you see her coming, turn and run the other way. Oh, and she’s pregnant, so, that basically means if you look at her Decebel will kill you.”
“This just sounds like it’s going to be so much fun,” Lilly said, cheerily.
“Oh, they are a real barrel of laughs, and by laughs I mean make you want to set your hair on fire while pulling your own teeth out.”
“That good, huh?” Cypher smiled. “I think I’m going to like these wolves.”
“Let’s just get this over with,” Peri huffed as she headed in the direction of the mansion.