Out Of The Dark (The Grey Wolves Series) by Loftis, Quinn (3)

"Jacquelyn, look at me." Fane's words were gentle but still a command.

She did as he told her.

"You always come first. Always. And it isn't only you who needs to feel loved, wanted, and needed. We are wolves – love, touch is essential to us." Fane kissed her forehead and released her. "You go shower. I will meet you downstairs for breakfast."

"Hold up." Jacque realized Fane wasn't wearing the clothes he had gone to sleep in. He had on a pair of green cargo pants and a black, long sleeved shirt. "Where'd you get those clothes and where can I get some?" She needed to get out of her soot-covered ensemble in the worst way.

"The owner went around to people in the village and got the clothes donated. There should be some in the bathroom down the hall. They might not fit perfectly but at least they are clean."

"I don't care if they're rags or cashmere. I just need to get out of these clothes." She looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, wolf-man. I'll see you in a few."

Fane winked at her as he left the room.

 

 

Jacque knocked on the bathroom door. There was only one in the whole tavern and she was sharing it with the rest of the pack.

"I'm almost done." It was a familiar female voice.

"Sally, it's Jacque. Open up."

The door opened just enough for Sally to poke her head out. Jacque felt the steam from the hot shower caress her face as it swirled past her.

"It's just you?"

Jacque rolled her eyes. "Yes, healer, it's just me. Now let me in."

Sally opened the door farther as she huffed, "Well, you might have had your wolf with you. I didn't want to open the door like this –" Sally made an up and down motion with her hand indicating her towel clad body, "– and be like 'oh, hey Fane, how's it going, Fane? I'm just standing around in my towel hanging out doing my thing, Fane.'"

Jacque shut the door behind her and shook her head at Sally. "You are a disturbed little gypsy."

Jacque looked around, quickly seeing the shower along the wall across from the door. It was a simple tiled square with a drain in the floor. A blue shower curtain hung across it. Beside the shower was a small table that held clothes and towels. Jacque couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as she began to undress.

Sally gave her a weak smile. "I'm sorry. I'm just all out of sorts. I'm getting weird vibes and -"

"What do you mean weird vibes? From Jen? The forest? About Dec?" Jacque interrupted

Sally stopped brushing her hair mid-stroke. She turned from the old mirror to look at her best friend. "You done? You gonna let me finish now?"

Jacque held up her hands in surrender. "Oh, man. I'm sorry. I'm perilously close to the freak-out wagon aren't I?"

"I definitely think you need to take a couple of steps back. It's too early to jump on that wagon. I assure you I will give you the full go-ahead when it's time."

Jacque grinned. "Okay. So what were you saying?"

"I don't really know how to describe it. I think Jen is safe, but at the same time something is off. I'll have to see how Decebel is acting – that will help me know about Jen. He doesn't realize that even though he doesn't remember her, she is still connected to him. They affect one another whether they know it or not."

Jacque climbed into the shower. Sally chuckled as she heard Jacque moan, "Oh. My. Gosh. This feels heavenly. Almost so good that it could be bad, but it's so good that you don't care if it's bad. You get me?"

Sally had a smile stretched across her face and her eyes crinkled as she answered, "Yes, wolf princess, I get you. So, anyway, as I was saying, another vibe I'm getting is from a certain wolf -"

"Oh, brother. Are we getting ready to have some Jen moments?"

"Most definitely a Jen moment. He is totally not an option, completely off the menu. But he keeps smiling at me and winking at me. I mean – Come. On. How much is one girl supposed to endure?"

"Let me guess." Jacque talked over the shower spray. "Does said off-the-menu-wolf's name rhyme with lostin?"

"Lostin? Really, Jac, that's what you're going with?" Sally rolled her eyes.

"Okay, fine. Is the wolf's name -"

"Yes, yes, crap," Sally interrupted. "It's our friendly neighborhood bartender. I mean, can you imagine me introducing him to my parents? Hey mom and dad, this is Costin, he's a werewolf and a bartender. So basically he could eat me for lunch and then pour himself a nice cold beer to wash me all down."

Jacque was cracking up as she turned the shower off and pulled the curtain open. She grabbed a towel and started drying off. "Nice one.”

"I'm being serious, Jacque," Sally whined. "He is really beginning to get to me and I don't have time to nurse a broken heart."

"Sally, take a deep breath, let it out slow." Jacque waited until her friend complied while she continued to dress. She pulled on a pair of cargo pants that were just a tad too big, then pulled a dark blue turtleneck over her head. "Now, let's not stress over the little WWBT issue, okay?"

"WWBT? " Sally's brow furrowed.

"Yeah, were-wolf-bar-tender." Jacque grinned, obviously pleased with herself.

"What is with you and Jen and the acronyms? I swear y'all have a notebook full of them."

"If we do, you'll never know." Jacque winked at her brunette friend.

Sally looked Jacque up and down and then smiled. "You totally rock the whole 'I took a soot bath in a fire and now I have to wear clothes a size too big in colors that completely wash me out' style."

Jacque pulled the door to the bathroom open and ushered Sally out. "Well, thank you, Thelma. I appreciate the props."

"Anytime, Louise. That's what I'm here for – to point out when you pull off a look, or crash and burn."

"Let's get downstairs to eat, you dork," Jacque said, shaking her head at Sally and pulling her along.

 

 

When the two girls arrived downstairs they saw most of the pack had already eaten and were beginning to disperse, some heading off to help the tavern's owner clean up and others taking care of things Vasile had assigned them.

Their group all gathered around the fireplace in the large gathering room. Fane walked over to Jacque and handed her a plate of eggs and bacon. And to Sally's surprise – and partial chagrin mixed with joy – Costin handed her a plate of the same.

Both girls took seats on the sofa that the guys had vacated when they arrived.

"Nice of you ladies to join us." Vasile addressed them with a firm tone, but his eyes held amusement.

"In America, V, there is this thing called fashionably late. See, it's my job as your daughter-in-law to introduce you to all these customs." Jacque grinned at him.

Vasile chuckled. "Oh. Well then, I suppose I should thank you instead of reprimand you?"

"Now you're catching on."

All those around the room chuckled at the banter, but grew quiet as Vasile stood.

"As soon as you all are done eating you will head out in your separate directions. Alina and I as well as most of the rest of the pack will stay here. This will be headquarters, for lack of a better term. Fane, Jacque, Crina, and Sorin you will take the remaining vehicle and head back to the mansion. Once there, Sorin will get in contact with the pack historian and he should at least be able to point you in a general direction of where to begin looking." Vasile paused and seemed to gather his thoughts. Everyone waited in silence, the fire snapping and popping as the wood burned, and the wind outside blowing against the windows.

Finally he looked to Sally. "You, Cynthia, Costin, and Decebel will head out on foot."

Sally's eyes widened at his declaration.

"On foot? In the cold and snow?" she squeaked.

"I could sacrifice some body heat for you if you need," Costin teased and winked. He took great pleasure in making her blush.

"Costin." Vasile's voice was a warning although there was no real heat behind it. "Now, I have gathered all the things you will need in order to manage in this weather. You will have some help along the way, although you should not seek it out. Just let it come to you."

A groan was heard as Jacque threw herself back dramatically on the sofa. "V, you are killing me. First they get to meet the Fae, and now they get to go on some Lord of the Rings trek across the mountain? And still all I get is some old dude and crumbly paper?"

"Just remember it's all for Jen and Decebel." Sally patted her best friend's leg.

"That is your only saving grace. Otherwise I would so be inviting myself on your little adventure."

 

 

Two hours, several arguments, and lots of groaning as packs were loaded later, Jacque, Fane, Sorin, and Crina were once again in a Hummer traveling the long road down the mountain back toward the Romanian Grey Wolves' mansion. Meanwhile, Sally, Cynthia, Costin, and Decebel had begun their arduous journey on foot.

"You think we got everything?" Sally asked Cynthia as they headed into the forest of the Transylvania Alps. They were walking in a single file line with Cynthia in the lead, then Sally, Costin, and Decebel bringing up the rear.

"If we didn't the only thing we left was a toilet."

"Seriously," Costin added, "it had to have been Alina who packed for us. No man would have thought of all the things that we have packed into these bags we are lugging on our backs.

Jacque had suggested taking a horse or donkey, but Vasile said even if they could find one it would just be one more mouth to feed. So, without a pack horse/donkey, the four were on their way.

 

They all fell silent as they walked along. The crunching of the snow beneath their boots, and the occasional bird or scurrying animal were the only sounds.

Decebel was lost in thought. After Jennifer had blocked him, and he had taken some time to calm down, he had gone to Vasile. He let him know that Jennifer said that the people who had rescued her were Gavril and Rachel – an Alpha and his mate thought to have died three centuries ago. Vasile was surprised but not completely shocked. He had told Decebel that in light of Jen's circumstances, going to see Peri was the best course of action for Sally.

When he'd awoken this morning he knew something was wrong. He couldn't feel her at all. It wasn't like when she blocked her mind; even then he could still sense her but now there was just nothing. He had decided that maybe she was unconscious, and although he hated the idea of her unconscious, it was a better thought than other possibilities. He hadn’t mentioned it to anyone because he didn't figure there was anything that could be done about it. The longer he went without her presence the weaker he began to feel, and the darkness creeping into his mind and soul intensified.  Now he was thinking maybe it would have been a good idea to mention it to Vasile. If it got worse, he decided, he would talk to Sally and Cynthia.

 

Cynthia Steele couldn't believe where she was, or what she was doing. If someone had come up to her a year ago and said, 'Hey, next year you'll be in Romania hiking through the forest looking for a fairy,' she would have told them to quit sniffing those permanent markers. But here she was, in Romania, hiking in the freezing cold looking for a fairy. She had known the Fae existed at one time. Cynthia liked to keep up at least a little on their history and the history of other supernatural beings. However, she hadn't been as diligent in the past few years and didn't know that the Fae were still a part of this world. It was amazing.

There was no doubt she regretted what she had done to Jacque, but at the same time she was so glad that she was here, able to help her own kind. 

 

Sally was trying to focus on where she planted her feet in the snow to keep from stumbling, but her mind kept wondering to the too-hot-for-his-own-good wolf walking behind her. She didn't understand the ache inside her when she looked at him. What she could understand was her attraction to him – he was freaking lickable. Sally smiled at the words she'd heard Jen use so many times before. Jen – that was where her mind should be. And it was, but it was also on Costin.

See, Jen? I need you Sally thought. You would tell me to pull it together, and if I happen to get groped in the process, then lucky me. Sally snorted out a laugh at that. It was exactly what Jen would say. Sally pulled her shoulders back and stood a little taller. Whatever was going on or not going on between her and Costin would still be there once Jen was safely home. Vasile had sent her to find answers about how to help Jen. He had pulled her aside before they left and explained all about Jen and Rachel and her mate. He felt very strongly that Perizada would have answers and be able to help them. Her response was: “And what if she doesn't?”

Vasile had frowned at her question, then a mischievous smile played across his handsome face as he told her; "If she gives you a hard time, which you need to expect, just ask her if she would at least please make sure fairy dust hits your butts, along with the door, on your way out."

 

"How are you doing up there, brown eyes?" Sally was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the deep, playful voice behind her.

Cynthia had stopped a few feet ahead and was taking a drink of water. Sally turned to look at Costin. She wished she could say her heart didn't stutter when he grinned and winked at her, but she would be a liar. Sally was many things: coward, shy, awkward, but not a liar. So, yeah, her heart stuttered and her palms were as sweaty as a stuffed hog.

"I'm good. Well, really I'm just trying really hard not to fall on my ass," Sally slapped a hand over her mouth just as the word ass slipped out. She knew her face was turning bright red from the heat burning off of her. "Sorry, um, Jen has rubbed off on me. Well, that's the excuse I'm using anyways."

Costin chuckled. "Well, don't try to keep from falling on that beautiful backside for my sake. I will make it my mission to make sure I'm where you land." Costin's smile was beautiful and so big that a dimple appeared in his right cheek. Sally had to laugh at his flirtation and cockiness.

"Does that line work with all the girls?" she teased back as she turned to continue following the now-moving Cynthia.

"Don't know, don't care. There's only one girl I'm concerned with it working on." Sally's head turned back of its own accord at the sound in Costin's voice. All playfulness was gone, the cocky grin only a memory. Her eyes landed on a dominant Canis lupis who had found its prey. Sally's breath quickened as she realized just how serious he was. Costin gently nudged her forward but didn't say anything more.

 

Costin watched as Sally turned back in the direction they were going. His words had obviously hit home. He hadn't intended to scare her but his wolf was pushing him to make it perfectly clear that he was claiming her. Costin agreed with his wolf, but he didn't understand how it was possible when Sally was one hundred percent human. He watched her flip her brown locks behind her shoulder as her eyes wandered over the landscape of his homeland, wonder filling them. She smiled when a rabbit scurried across their path, then gasped when a hawk grabbed the critter in his talons, swooping him up and off into the cold crisp air. And when Sally Morgan turned back to look at him with glistening eyes, the sadness of seeing an innocent little one taken in the circle of life he knew he would tear down mountains to take that sorrow from her. Human or not, Sally Morgan was his. 

 

Chapter 10

 

Post-Fire Day 2

 

 

It was mid-afternoon when they finally arrived back at the mansion. Jacque stretched as she climbed out of the Hummer.  Although she was stiff from the long drive – and hungry – she was eager to start digging through the past of the Canis lupis to figure out a way to break the curse on Decebel and stop the witch.

"Okay, Sorin," Jacque said, cocking a brow at him. "Lead the way to the archives."

Fane took Jacque's hand, pulling her with him as they walked into the mansion. Crina followed silently, still tired from their drive. They traversed the long corridor where Vasile's office was located. When they reached the end of the corridor, Fane opened the last door on the left.

"I always wondered what was in here," Jacque murmured as she watched Sorin enter a code on a keypad located on the wall just inside the room – which ended up being a closet…or was it?

"Niiiiiice." Jacque grinned. "You didn't tell me this place had secret passageways."

Sorin shrugged. "You didn't ask," he responded dryly. After the code was entered, Jacque watched as what appeared to be a solid wall at the back of the closet began to slide to the right, leaving an opening that revealed a descending stone staircase.

"That is pretty wicked. Did you know about this?" Jacque asked Crina.

"Jacque, I'm 27 years old, unmated, and although I'm a dominant, they don't tell me jack around here." Crina winked. "So, no. I didn't know about this."

"Alright, then. Well, we learn something new every day," Jacque rambled as she followed Fane through the opening.

"I have a feeling we are going to learn more than something today," Fane said as he turned back to look at Sorin. "You should lead. You've been down here before, right?"

Sorin nodded. "Yes. It's easy to get lost once out of the main room, so stay together."

The group descended the stone steps, which spiraled downward. Jacque noticed the wall sconces that lit the way. The passage was narrow, with stone walls following the spiral of the stairs. The air was kind of stale and cool, and even with the lights, it seemed to grow dimmer the farther they went.

After reaching the bottom of the staircase, Sorin came to a stop in the center of a large rectangular room.  Along the far left wall was a large desk. There were computer screens, Jacque counted 6 in all, on the wall in front of the desk and paper was scattered over the top, halfway covering a keyboard and mouse. On all the walls of the large room were shelves packed with books and objects. There was a plush couch and two overstuffed recliners directly to the left of the stairway. Across the room on the far wall were several archways that led into darkness. In front of the arches there were several round tables with chairs around them. Jacque could tell there was something on the tables, but she was too far away to see what exactly it was. Stepping past Fane and Sorin, Jacque's moved closer to the tables and realized what was on them, or in them rather.

Carved into the tops of the tables were scenes. Each table had a different carving. The first one was of a pack of wolves running together through a forest. The crafter had given it so much detail that she could see where the wolves kicked up snow behind them. Their faces all looked light and carefree – no burdens or shadows in their eyes. The next table was a scene of two massive wolves locked in battle. Around them stood other wolves looking on, waiting. The two wolves fighting one another were on their hind legs, each attempting to slash their enemy. Both sets of teeth were bared and saliva dripped from their mouths. Jacque shuddered as she studied it; she could almost feel the tension the on looking wolves must have felt.

The third and final table held a much calmer scene. It was so touching that Jacque could feel a pull deep inside her, a longing for what she saw. A massive wolf sat tall and proud. His head was turned down, looking at the smaller wolf pressed closely against him, and pressed against her was a small pup. The she-wolf stared up at the proud male wolf in wonder, while the look in the male's eyes held intense emotion for the two in his care.

Jacque was amazed at the detail depicted and the amount of emotion somehow carved into the faces of these wolves.

"It's who we are, who we've been, and who we want and need to be." Jacque heard a voice coming out of one of dark arches. She turned back to look at Sorin, Fane, and Crina. Fane walked over to where she stood and pushed her behind him.

"So this is the prince's mate?" the voice spoke.

"Quit being dramatic and come out, Wadim." Sorin rolled his eyes.

"Sorin, did you just roll your eyes?" The voice, now named Wadim, asked.

"I've been with American teenagers for months now. I've learned a lot more than just eye rolling."

Jacque and Crina laughed out loud but abruptly stopped when a figure emerged from the middle archway.

Jacque attempted to step around Fane to get a better look at the guy, but Fane kept moving with her.

"Fane." Jacque's voice was stern as she spoke to him through their bond.

"Don't move from my side," he told her as he relented and allowed her to move next to him.

Jacque cocked her head to the side as she looked at the new male. "You're not old and dusty?" The man before her looked to be in his early thirties, tall, wavy black hair. He is totally rocking the Aragon look, Jacque thought to herself, comparing Wadim to the Lord of the Rings character.

"Is that wide-eyed wonder I hear in your voice, Jacquelyn?" Fane had obviously heard her thought.

"Chillax, wolf-man. I only have eyes for you."

"Good, I would hate to have to find a new historian." Fane's voice was a growl in her mind.

"Feeling possessive today, are we?" she teased.

"Behave yourself."

"I'm hearing that a lot lately from you." Jacque gave him a mental picture of her smiling graciously at Wadim.

Okay, so maybe that wasn't the brightest idea, she realized as Fane once again pulled her behind him. She let out a loud huff but settled for standing on her tiptoes and looking over his shoulder.

Wadim was wearing a faded gray t-shirt. Printed on the center was, "I can only be nice to one person a day. Today is not your day…tomorrow doesn't look good either." He had faded blue jeans and black converse sneakers. This was the pack historian?

Really? Jacque thought.

Wadim chuckled at Jacque's skeptical expression. "Old and dust? That depends on who you ask," he teased. He looked back at Sorin and smiled. "It's been a while, old friend."

Sorin nodded. "It's been a busy few months, as I'm sure you know."

"Knowing is my job, so please feel free not to share." Wadim pulled out a chair from the first round table and sat down, facing the group.

"Nice shirt," Crina spoke up. Her eyes shot over to Jacque, who gave her a thumbs up.

"My sister." Wadim grinned. "She sends me these shirts with different sayings on them. She says it's to help me keep my sense of humor. Apparently I'm surrounded by boring facts."

"What did you mean earlier?" Jacque asked from around Fane, who still wouldn't let her past.

"You were looking at the tables; you feel the pull of them."

Jacque nodded but didn't speak. She felt Fane wrap an arm around her waist. He pulled her beside him, firmly against him.

"These tables were carved by the Fae. Now, the Fae never do anything without reason.” Wadim gestured to the first table. “This image is of who we were created to be. I'm sure you know the legend behind the Canis lupis – how the moon goddess created us?"

Jacque nodded. "Yes. She created you to save the species of the grey wolves."

"It's deeper than that." Wadim stood up to look at the carving. His fingers traced the wolves  as he spoke. "The great Luna saw that man was dividing itself. Family was no longer important.  She saw the wars, the hatred, and the children affected by it."

Jacque stepped away from Fane and pulled out a chair from the third table. The others followed suit. As they continued to listen to the pack historian share his knowledge, it was obvious to Jacque why Wadim was the historian. He was so passionate about their history. 

"So she looked upon the wolves, who were dwindling in number, and back to the humans who no longer cared for their own, and combined their spirits. She took the loyal, protective, possessive nature of the wolf and took the intelligence, emotions, and love of the human and brought them together. She designed us to be pack.

“The Canis lupis, both wolf and man, were meant to be a family with one another. We gain strength through our bond with each other. This first table depicts what the goddess wanted for us. The second table is who we are today. We have attacked our own, divided our species, even had a civil war. We suffer for going against our very nature.” Wadim shook his head.

“In any event, the third table is who we need to be. We can't survive without children. But the moon goddess has seen the human children suffer because of the wars and division in their species. Her way of ensuring that we understand how precious a child is is by giving so few. She never wants us to forget the blessing of children and the hope they bring. History reveals our path – we are in the circumstances we are today because of the choices we, as a collective species, made. This third table pulls at our wolf. The wolf in us longs for pack, for family, for touch, for children. These tables created by the Fae were designed to draw one's wolf closer to the surface, to open our human eyes in order to see what needs to be done."

They all stared in silence when Wadim finished speaking.

Finally Sorin spoke. "Thank you for that, Wadim. It is important that we remember why we are here."

"Well, I'm sure you didn't come for a history lesson on the moon goddess and our species. What can I help you with?"

"Didn't Vasile contact you?" Fane asked, his brow furrowed.

"No, I haven't heard from our Alpha."

Sorin looked wary. "Vasile told me he would call Wadim to let him know we were coming."

Fane met Wadim's eyes. "Has anyone been here to see you today?"

Wadim thought for a few minutes, trying to remember, but his mind was foggy and the thoughts stayed just out of reach.

"I don’t remember. I don’t even remember what I've done today." Just as his words came out Fane, Sorin, and Crina all whipped towards the archways.

Crina gasped. "Is that smoke?"

Then they were all up and running in the direction of the smoky smell. Fifty feet down the hall, the smoke began to surround them.

"Wadim, go find some blankets – and hurry!" Fane yelled.
Wadim took off in the direction of his room. A minute later, he arrived in the largest archive room and saw piles of parchment, paper, and books on the floor. Flames were steadily reaching out toward them. He threw a blanket to Fane, one to Sorin, and took the remaining one. When he covered the fire with it, stomping as quickly as he could, Sorin and Fane followed suit.

Jacque and Crina looked on in horror.

"This is so not good," Jacque muttered.

"I think that is what you Americans call an understatement," Crina said, unable to tear her eyes from the scene before them.

"Of the century," Jacque added. She began to cough from the smoke, which filled the room as the fire was extinguished.

Fane leaned back against the bookshelves behind him. His breathing was labored and his chest tight as he tried to suck in what little clean air was left in the room. "This has to be the work of that witch."

Wadim's head snapped up. "Witch?" he asked in horror.

 

 

Late in the night of the day the two groups had set out, Alina stood at the window of the room she and Vasile shared in the tavern. Her eyes looked out into the night. The sky was clear and stars dotted the darkness. The moon was a crescent, which gave off an eerie glow. She didn't know why, but she felt like she could push her pack on by sheer will, and if she took her eyes away from this view for a second all would fail. She heard the door behind her open and close softly. Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she let her head fall back and rest on the strong chest of her mate.

"I feel your resolve, Mina." Vasile's breath whispered softly across her hair.

"I feel like if I step away, or stop thinking about them for even the shortest breath, their feet will falter and their courage fail. How vain is that?"

Vasile chuckled. "My love, you are an Alpha. It is in your nature to control and protect. Give yourself a break. We have sent out the ones who love Jen and Dec the most. They will keep going until all is right again. I do not doubt them."

Alina knew he was right, but it didn't make it easier to sit and wait to hear from them. To hear if they were all safe and any closer to finding Jen and restoring Decebel.

"You need rest. We both do. Come." Vasile pulled her towards their bed and laid down beside her. "Sleep, Luna. Trust in your pack to be strong."

Alina drifted off to the sound of her mate's low, gentle voice singing softly. She smiled to herself as she thought about how the other males would tease him if they knew he sung his mate to sleep.

 

 

 

Sally and Cynthia gathered twigs while Decebel and Costin broke tree branches to build a fire. Sally couldn’t remember a time when she had ever been so cold. Once a strong fire was burning, the four sat around it as close as possible. Each was wrapped in layers of clothing, hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets. Decebel passed out the jerky and bread that the tavern owner had provided them. Protein and carbohydrates and water. Amazingly enough, Sally knew from her tenth grade health class that the body could sustain itself on even less if need be.

"How are we going to know when we've gotten to where we are supposed to be?" Cynthia asked no one in particular.

"Vasile said she would find us. That we just needed to get farther into the mountains and eventually Perizada would make herself known." Sally looked at each of her friends, her pack mates – odd as that sounded, it felt right.

They were all quiet while they finished their food and drinks, each staring into the red, yellow, and orange flames that danced before them. The silence was broken when Sally turned to Decebel.

"I know it's a private thing between mates, but I would really like to know how Jen is doing. Has she been communicating with you?"

The three watched as Decebel visibly tensed. His face grimaced, almost as if he were in pain.

"I -" Decebel began, but stopped. He ducked his head briefly trying to shake off the feeling that something was very wrong, "I can't feel her. When I try to reach out it's like the bond that linked us has been severed."

Sally shook her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Decebel growled at the accusation in the healer's voice. "And what exactly would you have done?"

Costin let out a low growl and moved to sit in between Decebel and Sally. "I know you are my Beta but you will not speak to her that way."

"Costin," Sally's voice was soft, "he's hurting, he doesn't understand. Cut him some slack."

Costin turned and looked into Sally's honey brown eyes, which were full of gentleness and understanding. "I understand he is hurting. But you are a healer and mine to protect."

Sally took in a sharp breath. "Yours?"

Costin closed his eyes for a moment, cursing himself at the slip. "The pack's. But I'm here, I'm pack, and I will protect you even from one of our own."

Sally gently laid her hand on his arm. "Thank you. Decebel isn't going to hurt me. I need to see if I can figure out what's going on."

Costin nodded but stayed where he was.

"Um, Costin." Sally raised her eyebrows at the handsome – yet exasperating – wolf in front of her. "That means I'll need to get close to Decebel."

When Costin didn't move, Sally stood up with a huff and mumbled, "Jen was totally right. Damn stubborn, bossy fur balls."

Cynthia snickered as Costin's eyes widened at the gentle healer showing her claws.

Sally took a seat next to Decebel, "Can I touch you?"

A low growl from across the fire.

"Costin," Cynthia warned. Costin didn't acknowledge her, but he did stop growling.

Decebel nodded to Sally that it was okay. Sally laid her hand upon his chest and closed her eyes. She felt so ignorant when she tried to use this so-called “gift”. She didn't understand how it worked. All she could do was open her mind and let whatever magic that seemed to be inside her do its thing.

Sally felt energy flowing into Decebel as she sought out the bond that he'd spoken of. She felt like an intruder knowing that the bond between mates, from what Jacque had explained, was very intimate. Her mind searched through his, finding the connection the Beta had to his Alpha and to the pack, an intricate web. Finally she came upon what looked like a gold cord, strong and glowing. Following its path, she nearly pulled back when she saw the severed end. It looked frayed, like a rope that was unraveling at the ends. Sally noticed that the end and several inches of the cord were no longer gold, but blackened, dead. She reached toward the darkened part. As soon as her consciousness touched it she felt herself being thrown out of Decebel's mind and back into the present.

Sally was gasping for breath. She opened her eyes to see Decebel's face covered in sweat, his mouth tight in pain, and the agony that was so obvious on the inside was bleeding out through his glowing amber eyes.

"Sally," Costin spoke with a low growl, "move away from him."

Sally ignored him and instead moved around until she was kneeling right in front of Decebel.

"Your bond with her has been severed. It's dying."

Decebel closed his eyes, squeezing them tight. Maybe if he closed them tight enough and long enough the healer's words wouldn't be true. He didn't remember Jennifer; he didn't remember her scent, her touch, or the beautiful face he had seen in the pictures on Sally's phone. But he wanted to. He wanted to have the chance to know her again, to love her again.

"How?" His voice came out hoarsely.

"I'm not really sure, but it feels like magic. Not dark, though. Not like the witch's magic."

"What did Jen tell you, back when you were able to speak with her?" Cynthia asked.

Decebel realized then that Cynthia didn't know about Rachel having Jennifer. He looked up at her, remembering the night in her office with Vasile and Alina. Sitting there, listening to her read about a dormant named Rachel. He couldn't remember why she was telling him about the dormant, but he felt like it must be important.

"She told me that Rachel and her mate Gavril rescued her from the cavern."

Cynthia jumped to her feet. "What! How is that possible?"

"You said yourself when you were reading the history on them that their bodies were never discovered. Apparently, they lived."

Cynthia continued to look at Decebel like he was speaking a foreign language and she was searching desperately for the translation in her mind.

"Did she say where they are, or where they have been for the past three centuries?" Her tone was somewhat sarcastic.

"She wouldn’t tell me anything about them. She was protecting them."

"From what?" Sally asked before Cynthia got the words out.

"I don’t know," Decebel growled. "She refused to tell me. She refused to submit to her mate."

Costin tried to disguise the laugh that forced its way from his chest with a cough, but was unsuccessful. Decebel glared at him. "What are you laughing at, pup?"

Costin flashed that heart-stopping grin and winked at Sally as he answered Decebel, "These American women do not submit, Beta. You might want to get used to the idea."

"Then how are we to protect them? How are we to keep them from doing asinine things?"

"Well, you are mated to Jen." Sally chuckled. "Her middle name changes from day to day. Her staples are “nympho”, “impetuous”, “too smart for her own good”, “smart-ass”, and all too often, “asinine”. You've got your work cut out for you."

"So you don't think it's dark magic?" Decebel asked, changing the subject.

"No, definitely not. But it is magic." Sally looked over to Cynthia. "You said this Rachel is a healer? Could she have worked some sort of magic?"

"Honestly, Sally, I don't know. I don't know enough about healers and the magic that they invoke." Cynthia thought for a moment. "It might be Fae. If this Perizada is what Vasile says, she might know Rachel, might have helped her do this."

Sally was up, pacing. Costin watched her every move.

"Why would Rachel sever the bond if she's one of the good guys?" Sally was thinking out loud, trying to reason through the possibilities.

"Maybe they've been in hiding," Costin suggested.

"That would explain why no one has heard from them in centuries," Cynthia agreed.

Sally continued to walk around the fire, her mind turning over and over. "If they were in hiding, they would probably worry about Jen being able to tell Decebel things that might reveal their location." She looked at Cynthia, who nodded her agreement.

"Surely she would understand that there are consequences to severing the bond of true mates." Cynthia shook her head in disbelief. "Unless she thinks that it won't affect them a lot, or even at all, since they haven't completed the Blood Rites."

"Whatever the reason, we need to find this Peri character," Sally huffed. "If what I felt happening to Decebel is happening to Jen, then they are both in trouble."

Decebel's head snapped up. "Jen could be feeling this?"

"More than likely she is enduring the same thing. Your bond with Jen is unusual, from what I understand, for an un-bonded pair. You both are so intense. We need to try to move fast tomorrow. "

Each of them laid their blankets close to the fire. Costin and Decebel agreed to take turns keeping watch. Decebel took the first. He was in too much pain to sleep anyway. And knowing that Jennifer was possibly feeling this as well made his gut clench. His wolf was restless and angry. Decebel kept getting the feeling that his wolf remembered their mate. If his wolf did, why didn't he? Whatever the reason, until he was reunited with Jennifer, his wolf was dangerous. He was dangerous.

 

Chapter 11

 

Jen laid on the bed, tears slowly leaking from her eyes. She felt the wetness trail down the side of her face, across her ears, and onto the pillow. She couldn't explain why she was crying. She was Jennifer-freaking-Adams, she didn't cry.

Yeah, well think again, She-Rah. Apparently you do, she thought. She was hurting. Her body was sore and aching, but she had always been able to handle physical pain. These tears were caused by something un-named, undefined.  She thought back to Rachel and Gavril's words about the consequences of the bond being broken between her and Decebel. They'd explained that they had gone and talked to this Perizada character and had agreed that, at this point, it was best if Decebel and the others didn't know the things Jen already did. Jen's response naturally was why the hell not? Rachel wasn't used to such crassness and kept giving Jen looks that said she thought she needed her mouth washed out with soap. Rachel had told her that Perizada, who was a powerful Fae, said that it had to happen this way, the fates deemed it necessary for Sally and the others to come see her first – something about not wanting Sally to know about healers and werewolves just yet. Jen still felt like Rachel and Gavril were batting for the home team, but that didn't mean she wasn’t upset about them interfering with her and Decebel, especially when her mate didn't even remember her.

Night had fallen and the house was quiet. Jen closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the night, calming her mind. She could hear the howl of the wind outside, the occasional hoot of an owl, and even once the howl of a wolf, which brought goose bumps to her skin. She clenched her jaw as another round of pain ran through her and her mind reached out for something, something that wasn't there any longer. She felt something in her stir, something in her growl. Jen clamped her mouth shut, refusing to let loose the snarl that threatened to come out.

"I will not lose it," she said into the darkness. "I'm in pain, yes; I'm scared, yes. I want to see my friends and my mate. YES! But I will not lose it. So put on your big girl panties, Jennifer, and pull it together!" Jen was grinding her teeth by the end of her little pep talk. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. She'd won the battle. Tonight. But the war wasn't over and she had a feeling this was just a skirmish compared to what was coming. Her eyes closed and darkness poured over her. She tried to open her eyelids, but they were heavy. She felt herself being pulled under, her last thoughts about battles, wars, and love.

 

 

"Is she awake yet?" A gruff voice rumbled as Jen began to wake from the deep sleep she had finally drifted off into late last night.

"It's been a week since we saw Peri." It was Rachel speaking now. "And every day she looks weaker, paler. I'm doing everything I can for her injuries, Gav. It's not working. She isn't getting better."

Gavril walked over to the girl who lay in their kitchen. Her face was pale even as it glistened with sweat. He pressed his hand to her forehead and watched her eyes squeeze in pain. Did his touch hurt her?

"She's responding to touch," he told Rachel.

Rachel stood next to her mate and watched as Jen's face grimaced. Suddenly Jen rolled over,  a loud groan escaping her throat. She flung her head over the side of the bed, vomiting violently. Rachel rushed forward and pulled Jen's hair out of the way.

"Gavril! Get some cool wet towels, please." Rachel's tone was firm and in control. 

Jen felt Rachel rub her back gently, murmuring in some language that she was pretty sure wasn't Romanian.  The heaving finally stopped and she was able to catch her breath, but that was too good to last. Just as Rachel started to help her back up the nausea rushed through her again. Jen doubled over as something metallic filled her mouth. Her eyes widened as she watched bright red liquid hit the floor. Blood.

Rachel's gut tightened as she watched the blood pour from Jen's mouth. She closed her eyes and laid her hands on Jen's stomach while Gavril held Jen's hair back and held her steady. Rachel reached into Jen's body, seeking out the source of the sickness. She could feel the pain that flowed through her very veins. She reached into Jen's mind and gasped as she felt what Jen did. Her veins felt like they were on fire, like the very blood that flowed through them boiled. She tried to find what it was that was causing it. Infection from her injuries, some sort of bacteria somewhere, but she found nothing. Blackness was reaching into Jen's mind, a dark void cloaking her, and nothing Rachel did could cause it to recede.

Rachel pulled her hands back and opened her eyes. She looked up at Gavril, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Rachel, Luna, what's wrong?" Gavril's voice was gentle as he watched his mate.

Rachel shook her head. "She's dying and it's my fault."

Jen finally stopped vomiting and Rachel took the moist towels Gavril had brought her and wiped her mouth and face.

"What do you mean she's dying?" he asked her.

Rachel looked deep into her mate's eyes. "You know how the darkness was beginning to consume you before you met me?"

"The darkness begins to consume all males without their true mate," he answered.

"I broke their bond."

"What does that have to do with it?" Gavril stepped around Jen's bed. He put his fingers on his mate's chin and gently raised her head so he could see her azure eyes.

"There is darkness in her, consuming her. The kind of darkness I found in unmated males anytime I had to heal them. It's killing her. There's no balance in her without him and somehow when I severed the bond, it's like the darkness in him, the darkness she would keep at bay, somehow seeped into her. I don't know how to describe it."

"It sounds like dark magic." Gavril stroked her face gently watching as his mate's heart broke over the dormant. "You were only protecting us," he whispered gently.

Rachel's head snapped back as if he had slapped her. "It's my job to protect her, to protect others! I'm a HEALER!" Rachel was shaking – so angry with herself, with the Fae, with everything. As a healer, it broke her heart to think she had hurt another. If Jen was going through this, what was her mate enduring?

"Peri said that her mate had been cursed by the witch. Maybe that is why the bond being severed has caused this reaction in her. It may not have anything to do with you."

"Regardless, you and I both know we should have risked whatever we needed to get her back to her mate."

Gavril lowered his eyes, something an Alpha rarely did. Rachel reached up and touched his cheek. He pulled her into his arms. "If I was her mate I would kill me." His voice was soft and deep. "You're right, love. If someone kept you from me, if someone took our bond, I wouldn't be able to stand it." He stepped back and raised her chin once again. "We will fix this."

Rachel nodded once and looked down at Jen. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. She propped a pillow under her to raise her chest up. She took a seat next to the bed and held Jen's hand. "We have to."

 

 

Decebel fell to his knees as he doubled over in pain. He felt nausea rolling through him, but nothing came up. His head hung and sweat dripped from his brow despite the cold air. Sally, Cynthia, and Costin surrounded him but didn't touch him.

"This is the sixth time today," Cynthia spoke quietly to Sally. "It's been a week since we started off. He gets worse every day. Pretty soon he isn't going to be able to walk."

Sally took a deep breath and pushed it out through her teeth. Frustration threatened to overwhelm her as she watched the powerful wolf fight an invisible enemy.

Sally growled in frustration. "ARGH! We've been wandering all over this cold freaking mountain for a week! Where is this fairy? What are we supposed to do, drag a half-dead, huge werewolf through the mountains shouting, 'Here fairy, fairy. Come help the poor whittle healer.'"

Costin walked over to Sally. She looked up at him and snarled. Costin lifted a lip in a return and tapped her on the nose. "Calm yourself."

Sally's jaw nearly hit the ground at his audacity. Did he just tap me on the nose? Calm myself? What the -

"Calm myself?" Sally's voice was low as she looked up at the handsome wolf.

"I know you're frustrated, I get that. I know you're scared, I get that too." Costin stepped closer to her and laid his warm hand against her cold face. "But you don't get to lose it right now. You don't have that luxury, okay? You will pull yourself together and we will get Decebel through this. We will find Peri."

Sally tried really hard not to close her eyes and lean her face into his large warm hand, honestly she did. When she opened her eyes Costin's eyes were glowing. Crap, she thought.

She took a step back and nodded once. "Pull it together. Got it. I'm good now, I just needed to have a freak out moment. I've had it, I'm good to go."

Costin smiled that breath-taking smile. "Excellent." Then he stepped over to Decebel and knelt down. "How are you doing, Beta?"

A low growl emitted from Decebel. "Something is very wrong."

"Can you walk?"

He nodded once and struggled to his feet. Cynthia stood on his left, ready to help if necessary. Finally he stood, and Costin and Cynthia backed off.

Decebel's glowing eyes met Sally's. "We really need to find that fairy."

Sally nodded. "I know, Decebel. And aside from screaming at the top of my lungs I don't know what else to do."

"We just keep walking," Cynthia said firmly.

Costin nodded his agreement. He looked at Decebel. "Let's keep going until it gets dark. Can you handle that?" Costin knew the challenge would spur the Beta on.

Decebel growled.

Costin chuckled. "Good. Let's go, then." He turned to Sally. "You coming, healer?"

Sally stuck her tongue out at Costin as he waited for her to pass him. He simply chuckled at her, making her want to stomp on his foot – childish…maybe.  And although she really wanted to slap him for his earlier Alpha-wolf show, she had needed someone to snap her out of it. If it had been Jen, Jen would have slapped her and told her to pull it together. So maybe having a hot wolf like Costin tell her that instead wasn't as bad as she thought.

The four continued on a non-existent path, Cynthia leading, Decebel, Sally, and Costin bringing up the rear. So it had been for the past week.  As they walked and the day dragged on, Sally began to feel like they were being watched. She paused as they topped another long hill.

"Is it just me or does it feel like the trees have eyes?" she asked wearily.

"No, I've been feeling like we are being watched as well." Decebel's voice was raspy with pain.

Costin took a protective step in front of Sally as they each peered into the darkening forest. The sun began to set and the temperature continued to drop. Finally, after standing there for several moments feeling like they were in a standoff, Sally yelled, "Show yourself!  We know you're there!"

They each let out a breath they didn't realize they had been holding. Then a voice came from up ahead.

"You have to be one of the bravest, mouthiest healers I have met in some time."

Decebel stepped forward, placing himself in front of their group. Costin stepped up beside him, blocking both Sally and Cynthia.

Sally rolled her eyes, looking at Cynthia.

Cynthia smiled. "Alpha males," she murmured, and winked as if that were explanation enough – which it was.

As they all looked straight ahead in the direction the voice had originated from, they saw a soft glow emerge from the trees. There was a flash of light, which caused them all to turn their heads and cover their eyes. Then, just like that, it was gone. In its place stood a beautiful woman. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but the weary look in her eyes said she was much older and had seen more than her share of heartache. She was tall and slender, with waist-length white hair that shimmered with her movements, as if little lights were attached along each strand. Her lips were ruby red and her high cheeks had a natural blush to them. Sally noticed that she did indeed have pointed ears, although not so prominent as to stand out. Her most striking feature were her eyes. They were a pale peridot green with a very soft glow.

This was Perizada.

"I will admit that the bright light is a little ostentatious and not necessary, but I figured it's your first time to meet a Fae, might as well go all out."

Nobody said anything as they stared at one of the eerily beautiful Fae.

"Perizada?" Sally wanted to confirm.

"The only." The fairy smiled sweetly.

"Excellent," Sally murmured with a wicked smile as she started toward the woman. "So bloody nice of you to finally grace us with your presence,” she growled as she continued forward.

Costin grabbed her around the waist, pulling her back against his chest. "Easy," he whispered in her ear.

"While you have been taking your sweet damn time reveling yourself to us, our friends are in trouble.  Decebel is on the verge of keeling over and who knows what's happening to Jen! So please do tell. What has been so freaking important that you have taken a week, A BLOODY WEEK, TO CONTACT US!" Sally was panting and continuing to pull against Costin's hold.

Perizada stepped closer, her eyes running over each of them, then back to Sally. "Are you sure you're a healer? You're awfully temperamental."

"AHHH!" Sally screamed against Costin's hold. "You haven't seen temperamental until you've seen Jen. I'm a peach compared to her. Where the hell have you been! Why did you take so long? Don't you get it? Decebel is -" Sally stuttered and pointed at the weakened Beta, "and Jen is, is, well -"

"Jen is dying," the Fae said matter of factly.

Sally gasped and would have collapsed had Costin not been holding her.

Decebel's knees buckled as he howled a sound so painful that Sally thought her heart would tear from her chest.

"You don't know that! You don't know what you're talking about!" Sally couldn't believe the way she was acting, but it just all hit at once. She was cold, tired, and scared. And now this Perizada stood there, speaking so casually about the demise of her best friend. It was just too much.

"SILENCE!" Perizada yelled and the air around her seemed to shimmer and crackle. "You know nothing about which you speak, healer. I am Perizada, ambassador to the supernatural world from Farie. I was here before you were even a thought in your mother's mind and I will be here when your bones are dust buried layers beneath the earth. You do not have the privilege of questioning me." Perizada's eyes were glowing and her hair whipped behind her by an unnatural breeze. "I will answer you not because I have to, but because I respect you as the current healer to the wolves. I have been leading a very nasty witch on a fruitless chase. She was getting close to discovering Rachel and Gavril's location and that cannot happen, must not happen. I could not risk coming to you until I had sufficiently squelched her plan. That is where I have been. You must not be so narrow-minded to believe your friends are the only lives worthy of rescue."

"Watch it, Fae," Decebel growled, managing to sound menacing even from his broken position on the cold, snow-covered ground.

"I meant no offense, wolf."

"Are you going to take us to Jen now?" Sally asked, her anger now being replaced by fear and worry for her friend.

"No, I will have to have Gavril bring her to us. I cannot have you and Rachel in the same place. Your combined magic would draw the witch like a moth to a flame." Peri turned to Decebel. She walked over and leaned down in front of him.

"I owe you an apology Beta. I did not realize the bond between you and Jennifer was so strong. It has been long since I have interacted with the wolves and I had forgotten the fragility of a new bond."

"I don't remember her. How can our bond be strong if a witch's spell was able to erase my mate from my mind?" Decebel's voice was tight with anger.

"You have not shared blood. Listen, she has not been erased. Your wolf knows her or else you would not feel the pain you are feeling. Your fates are intertwined even without completing the Blood Rites. I haven't seen a bond like this in a long time." Peri laid her hand on Decebel, offering the little comfort through touch that she could.

"Come." She stood, motioning for them to follow. "We have a long journey to Farie, we mustn't tarry."

"Did you say Farie?" Cynthia sputtered.

"Where else can I keep your presence safe from others?" the Fae asked in a condescending tone.

"Oh, of course. Where else?" Sally muttered sarcastically as Costin finally relinquished his hold on her. She glared at him as they began to walk.

"Why did you hold me back?"

"Because you needed to be protected from yourself in that moment. I told you, it's my job to protect you."

"Even from myself?" Sally rolled her eyes.

"Especially from yourself." Costin winked and grinned, completely non-plussed by her snarkiness.

"Yeah, well, who will protect me from you?" Sally muttered under her breath.

 

Costin heard Sally's muttered question and the pain in her voice as she stomped past him to follow Peri. His brow drew together as he thought about her words. The only explanation he could come up with for such a comment was that she was developing feelings for him.

It worried him that he felt so strongly for her even though she wasn’t Canis lupis. He shook his head at the thought. It didn't matter. Sally was his, and she would just have to accept that. If he were being honest with himself, he would admit that he enjoyed the thought of making her come to terms with their inevitable relationship. But then again, where was the fun in being honest with oneself?

 

 

Chapter 12

 

Eight days after the fire, Jacque, Fane, Sorin, Crina, and Wadim all sat in various places around the burned room. The smell of smoke still lingered and soot still covered the walls. Jacque groaned as she rolled onto her back, holding a book above her face, reading intently. Suddenly she sat up.

"I think I've got something."

The other four stopped what they were doing and turned their attention on the red head.

Jacque began to read:

"The year was 1605 and the Fae had instituted the Great Purge. The witches were overpopulated, taking residence on continents all over the world. More than in any time in history, the balance was off. It needed to be restored. The task fell to the Fae, who were the most powerful of all the supernatural's. Perizada, the high fairy, decreed war on all witches. She sent out her people with the command that there were to be only four witches to each continent. What the Fae did not expect was for the witches to fight back. It had always been accepted that the balance must remain and when too much evil filled the world, for it to be purged.

“The Fae are steeped in magic. Their very beings are magic. The witches, however, conjure magic. It is unnatural and only accomplished at the expense of another's blood. And so, the Great Purge was a massacre. The Fae wiped out the witches in a matter of days, at a great cost to themselves. The supernatural world held its breath as it waited for the repercussions of the balance once again being thrown off.

“Days passed and nothing happened. Perizada met with the Alphas of the packs, searching for any problems that might have occurred as a result of the purge. Nothing. It was decided at the meeting of the Alphas that the only explanation was that evil had not been eradicated. A witch, somewhere, somehow, had survived. "

Jacque sat and stared at the book as she continued to skim.

"Is there anything more?" Crina asked.

Jacque shook her head. "That's the end of this volume. She closed the book and looked on the spine. Volume III, it read. "I need volume four."

They all began searching through the books on the floor and the shelves.

"Got it," Sorin announced a minute later. He handed the heavy tome to Jacque.

She opened it and began skimming. Everyone waited. Finally she snapped it shut.

"Nothing! No name, just mentions of an unknown witch leaving her mark across the world."

"What was her mark?" Fane asked his mate.

"Supernatural deaths. And don't think I'm not noticing that there is a whole slew of “sups” out there that you didn't bother to mention, wolf-man." Jacque glared.

Fane held up his hands. "If I remember correctly, Luna, you told me you wanted to stick with just werewolves."

Jacque growled. "And since when do you give me what I want?"

Fane chuckled. "I'm learning."

She rolled her eyes and continued to sift through books and papers.

 

For several hours they continued to search for information on the witch. Every now and then, one of them would run across something and read aloud to the group and then continue on in silence. Night had fallen by the time Jacque decided she could no longer ignore her aching stomach.

"I'm starving. Anyone else ready for some food?"

"I'm with you," Crina said as she stood up from her spot on the hard floor. She stretched her arms over her head and let out a loud yawn.

The others muttered in agreement and all headed back to the surface of the mansion.

 

 

"So,Wadim, you don't remember this witch's name that survived this purge?"  Jacque spoke in between spoonfuls of the hot soup Jacque and Crina had thrown together.

"I feel like I should remember it, but it's just not there." His voice was thick with frustration. He had been trying to fill the blank spaces in his mind since the day the others had arrived, but nothing helped.

Jacque shook her head and growled. "I swear, if I ever get my hands on the wicked witch I'm going to witch-slap her."

Crina snorted at Jacque's change-up of the phrase, nearly sucking her drink up her nose.

"Good one." She smiled at Jacque.

Jacque winked with a chuckle. "It was weak, but I'm trying." She looked over to Fane. "Has your father heard anything from the others?"

"No. When I spoke with him earlier he said things have been quiet. Although, he said every now and then he has been feeling some pain seep through the pack bond to him. He thinks it has something to do with Dec and Jen. Something has happened, but there isn't anything he can do. He didn't say, but I can tell he is getting restless not being able to take action. His wolf is agitated with the pack being so divided."

"Well, I'm going back down to do some more searching before I call it a night," Jacque announced as she finished her meal.

"Luna, I think you need rest. We have been going through book after book. You need a break."

"I will take a break when I find that witch's name," she snarled at him, which was not like her at all. Snappy, yes – snarly, not so much.

When Fane stood and growled at her, stepping close, she took a few steps back.

"Don’t," she whispered. "Don't pull that Alpha crap on me, Fane. Not now."

Fane could hear the hurt in her voice. He took her by the hand, and without looking back at the others, said, "We will be going through the documents." The unspoken message was everyone else was to get some rest and leave the prince and his mate be.

 

Fane walked briskly back down to the archives, never looking behind him as he held Jacque's hand, towing her along. When they finally reached the room they had spent the last eight days in, he turned abruptly and pressed Jacque against the wall. She let out a sharp gasp at the quick move. Her breathing increased when Fane continued to press forward, their bodies touching from toes to chest.

"Why do you question me, Luna? It's my job to take care of you." Fane's voice was low as he spoke directly into her ear. His lips grazed the sensitive flesh with each movement.

Jacque closed her eyes against the sensation.

"I'm a grown woman, Fane. I can decide when I need to sleep," she ground out through her gritted teeth, bracing herself against the desire that began to simmer as her mate placed one hand on her lower back and pulled her even closer. His other hand went to her chin, tilting her face up to his. He stared into her eyes and she watched as his began to glow brighter and brighter blue.

"Fane." His name on her lips was a plea.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She didn't respond right away and he growled low at her. Jacque responded to this by running her hands through his hair as she deepened the kiss. When Fane let go of her chin and placed his hand on her hip, under her shirt, his warmth  sent a shock through her and  she moaned into his mouth. Fane pulled back abruptly, his own breathing heavy.

"Let me love you, Luna," Fane whispered as he began placing gentle kisses all over her face, her neck, and collarbone. Jacque groaned and tried to shake off the lust-induced fog.

"Stop trying to distract me, it won't work," she muttered in between short breaths.

"It looks like it's working to me." Fane chuckled as she pressed against him.

His chuckle broke through her haze as she pushed him away.

"GRRR! Fane! I won't let you try to get me to go to bed by seducing me."

"Why not? You need a break and I need you. It's a win-win." Fane leaned forward, trying to kiss her again, only to meet her hand.

"Listen up, Don Juan." Jacque poked a finger in his chest, punctuating her words. "If you think you are needy now, just keep pulling this Alpha crap and seduction crap on me. We'll see just how needy we can make you."

Fane took a step back, straightening his shirt, and ran his hands through his hair. After composing himself, he smiled at her. "A compromise?" he asked sweetly.

Jacque couldn't stifle the giggle at his raised eyebrow. "Lay it on me."

"I was trying to. Geez, woman, make up your mind," Fane told her, eyes glowing.

She threw one hand up to hold him off. "I meant your idea, fur ball, not your delectable body."

Fane let out a growl. "Delectable?"

"Oh, get over yourself. What's the compromise?"

"I give you two more hours, then you come to bed with me."

Jacque shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "You will give me? Really, Fane?" She stepped around him. "Fine, two hours, then bed. To sleep," she clarified and laughed to herself when Fane growled and tugged on her hair. They fell into companionable silence as they both began to read.

 

An hour and a half later Jacque stood up and walked over to Fane. She didn't look up from the book in her hands as she moved toward him.

"I found it. I found her." Jacque's words were a near whisper as she looked up at Fane, finally tearing her eyes away from the name on the page.

"Desdemona." Jacque shuddered as she spoke the name aloud.

Fane brushed some wisps of hair from Jacque's face as he asked her what it said.

"It says she's the only survivor of the purge. The account is from a member of the Serbian pack in 1711. He is talking about how an unknown female came to their pack and darkness followed her." Jacque looked up at Fane. "She's been working with the Serbian pack since the 1700s?" Her voice was full of dread at the realization of how old Desdemona was, and how long the alliance between her and the Serbian pack ran.

Jacque continued to read the document, explaining out loud what she was reading.

"She started the werewolf wars. After the wars were over, she disappeared." She handed Fane the book and let him skim over it as she thought about what she had read. Desdemona, a powerful witch, probably the most powerful in history.

Fane closed the book gently and wrapped his arms around Jacque. "Good work, love. We now know who she is. There is power in having a name. I think we should call it a night. We can share with the others what we have found tomorrow. Then we can continue to search for a way to break the curse."

Jacque nodded and allowed him to guide her out of the archives and up to their room.

"So..sleep, huh?" Fane asked slyly.

Jacque rolled her eyes. "We just find out the name of the most powerful witch in history, the witch who cursed the Beta of our pack, and that's what you want to talk about?"

Fane chuckled. "Who said anything about talking?" he whispered against her neck as he pulled her toward their bed. Fane gently pushed Jacque onto her back and covered her body with his.

Jacque let out a small moan as her mate kissed her. When he pulled back and stared into her eyes, she smiled. "Talking is definitely overrated."

She closed her eyes and let her mate love her, closing out the nightmares crowding in on them.

 

(ten days since set out)

 

It was two days later when another breakthrough finally occurred.

“What could possibly break the curse on Decebel?” Jacque asked Fane as he searched through the stacks of old parchment.

"I've got it!" Crina shouted. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"What's it say?" Fane asked from across the room.

"Love," Crina answered solemnly.

"Love?" Jacque asked incredulously. "That's the answer? That's what will make Decebel remember?"

Fane began to set aside the documents that crowded his lap. "Crina, bring that paper with you. Luna, grab the books with the references to Desdemona by name. Sorin," Fane started toward the hallway that would lead them back to the main room, "it's time to head back to the tavern. We've got a witch to hunt."

 

 

 

 

Chapter 13

 

Thad stood in his office, which was located in the Serbian pack headquarters, staring out into the cold, dark night. The usually clear sky was veiled in the darkness of rolling clouds. The windows rattled as the wind picked up speed. The trees swayed, causing the snow on the branches to blow away into the night.

His back was stiff with tension, his shoulders pulled back, hands in the pockets of his grey slacks. He rolled his neck in an attempt to ease the tension, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something very important – some piece of knowledge that had been buried in history. He kept asking himself why Mona was so willing to help him. She was powerful, no longer needing his pack's protection, and yet she stayed.

His brown eyes narrowed with an eerie glow. It was time to start digging, he decided. How long had it been since he had looked into the past of his species? Centuries of history, that if forgotten could be detrimental to them, and yet he knew without a doubt the Canis lupis had become too comfortable in their place on this earth. Mona was up to something, something that would benefit her and bring destruction to all in her path. Definitely time to take a walk into their past.

 

 

 

Rachel had barely moved from Jen's side for the past two days. She hadn't thrown up blood since the night before, but she was afraid to leave her unattended for even a moment. In all her centuries she had never been more ashamed and more scared of her actions. Her selfish need to protect herself was costing this young girl her life, and quite possibly her mate's life as well. Rachel shook her head. No, she refused to accept that. She would not let her die.

Gavril had gone in search of Perizada. He had left hours after Jen started convulsing and vomiting. She was in and out of consciousness, often mumbling incoherently. Rachel took to telling her stories, sharing her past and many adventures. Occasionally Jen would open her eyes, but they were unfocused, not really seeing.

Now Rachel watched as Jen began to take shallow breaths. This was the worst part, when she struggled to breathe, and there was nothing she could do. She propped Jen up with pillows behind her back and head, trying to help open her lungs, but still Jen labored and gasped.

"Please, Jen, don't give up," Rachel whispered fervently. "Hang in there. Gavril will unite you with your mate. Just hang in there, young one."

 

 

Jen felt her chest tighten and tried desperately to get more air into her lungs. She hurt all over and the emptiness that continued to swallow her was becoming unbearable. She just wanted it to end. She heard a soft voice somewhere in the darkness telling her not to give up. And truthfully, the idea was tempting, until she thought about his deep voice, his beautiful amber eyes, his amazingly strong body and immovable will. She couldn't give up, she owed him that much. But, damn, it hurt. She tried to open her eyes but they wouldn't cooperate. Lifting her head or any part of her body for that matter was out of the question.

So this is how it ends, she thought. o\One would think with all that has happened in the last months that I would at least get to go out in a blaze of glory. But no, here I lay in a gypsy healer's home, battered, broken, and sick. Man, this just sucks.

Jen thought about her parents and how Jacque and Sally would have to come up with some story as to how she died. Her mom wouldn't take it well. Though their relationship was tumultuous on a good day, she was their only child. Jacque would have to take care of Sally because Sally didn't do loss well. Jen still remembered when Sally's dog, Tick, died in third grade. They had named him Tick because they found him in their front yard, hiding under a bush,  covered in ticks. Sally had refused to talk for days. Finally Jen had demanded her mom take her over there and help her do a funeral for Sally. No, Sally did not do loss well at all.

And what about Decebel? How would he handle her death? Of course, since he didn't remember her it might not be that bad, so maybe she should be thankful for the curse. The thought of never seeing his face again caused a sharp pain in her chest. She felt tears slip out of her eyes. She had been crying a lot lately and it was beginning to get on her nerves, but nothing could be done about it. She was hurting physically, yet even more so emotionally. She longed to hear Decebel's voice, even if it was him yelling at her, bossing her around. She remembered the day Decebel had sat with her on that couch and held her, kissed her, showed her with every touch just what she meant to him. She remembered the text messages they had sent each other when he Vasile had locked him up. The tenderness in those messages had warmed her to her toes.

Jen wanted to live, but even if she hadn't, she still felt so blessed to have had that four days with her wolf, her mate.

 

 

 

Sally nearly ran into Peri's back when the fairy came to an abrupt halt. She raised her arms and Sally, Costin, Cynthia, and Decebel watched with wide eyes as the air in front of them rippled and shimmered.

"This is the veil of the Fae. Our world is in another dimension. No one other than a Fae can open the veil and only a Fae can grant permission for others to cross over."

Just as Peri was about to step through the veil, a deep voice rumbled through the trees.

"Perizada!"

Costin and Decebel moved into a protective stance between the woman and the unidentified male that was coming out of the trees straight at them.

"Gavril." Peri actually sounded surprised, something that seemed out of character for her. "I presume you come because of the dormant?"

Decebel growled and took a step toward the wolf she called Gavril.

"Where is she?" Decebel snarled.

Gavril looked at him and then realization dawned. "You are her mate?"

Decebel nodded once and continued to growl. His eyes were glowing deep amber and his claws had emerged. Costin laid a restraining hand on his Beta.

"You are the healer's mate, you have Jennifer." Decebel didn't question it because he smelled something on the wolf that was familiar, but not at the same time. He took another step toward Gavril and took a deep breath, then he turned back to Costin and Cynthia. "Does he bear her scent?"

Costin and Cynthia took deep breaths in through their noses. Both let out low growls.

"Yes, he has been with her." Costin realized too late how that comment sounded and had to restrain Decebel further and clarify himself. "He has been in the same room with her, Beta." Costin lowered his eyes in submission, trying to calm Decebel's raging wolf.

"Gavril, how is she?" Peri interrupted the wolves' interaction.

"Not good. She is rarely conscious and she has began to vomit blood." Gavril's voice was void of emotion, but his eyes didn't hide the fear and pain he felt for the dormant.

"She is worsening more quickly than I realized," Peri said more to herself than those around her. She looked back into the veil and then back at the group who stood staring at her, waiting.

"Gavril ,you must bring her to me. Rachel cannot and must not come."

"I will go with him to get her," Decebel announced, and then without warning fell to his knees. His breathing came in gasps and when he looked up Sally and Cynthia gasped themselves.

"Decebel, your nose is bleeding – and your ears." Sally crouched down in front of him and laid her hands on his chest. She closed her eyes and let the magic in her flow out. She felt his wolf struggling with the man, wanting to be in control, needing to find their mate. Sally realized Decebel's wolf knew who Jen was, he had recognized her scent, and it was making him very dangerous.

She pulled her hand away and opened her eyes. She looked over to Cynthia and Costin. "His wolf recognized her scent. He is in a rage. I don't know how long Decebel can hold off letting his wolf have control, especially since he is so weak."

Cynthia's voice was a near whisper. "If his wolf takes over while in that state we would all be in danger. He will take out anything in his path until he has her back."

"Costin, you will accompany Gavril to his home and retrieve Jennifer. Gavril, you must hurry."

Gavril nodded and without waiting to see if Costin would follow, turned and took off through the woods. In mid-step he phased into his wolf and hit the ground on all fours. Costin stepped over to Sally and lifted her chin to look up at him. He leaned in close, his mouth resting next to her ear. Sally shuddered when she felt his breath on her ear and neck.

"Be safe," Costin whispered and his lips grazed her sensitive skin. "I will be back for you."

Before she could respond he turned and took off running, phasing as he did so. Sally noticed his fur was a silvery grey that shimmered. She tried to take in some deep breaths after their little encounter and when she turned back to look at Cynthia and Peri, Cynthia was raising a single eyebrow.

Sally blushed. "I don’t know, Cynthia, so don't even ask."

Cynthia chuckled, turning back to Peri. "What now?"

"Now we wait," Peri stated as she found a fallen tree limb. After brushing off the snow, she sat down.

"I suck at waiting," Sally muttered as she and Cynthia both sat on fallen branches across from the Fae.

Decebel moved to sit in front of a large tree trunk, listening to the voices around him but keeping his eyes closed. It took all his concentration to keep his wolf under control.

"How do you think things are going with Jacque and the others?" Cynthia asked Sally.

"I don't know. I wish I could call them but my phone isn't getting a signal."

"Bring me your phone," Peri told her without preamble.

Sally looked up at her then to Cynthia. Cynthia shrugged in a 'why not' fashion. So Sally stood up and walked over to Peri. She handed the woman her phone and watched as Peri touched it gently. A small, glowing light appeared under hand briefly and then was gone.

"There you go," she said casually, handing the phone back to Sally.

Sally looked at the screen and saw that she had full signal bars. "Wicked. How did you do that?"

"I'm Fae," she said simply.

Just then, as if on cue, Sally's phone began to play a song. Sally nearly jumped out of her shoes in surprise at the noise breaking the silence of the forest. She listened for a moment before answering it. The ringtone had been changed to Brooks and Dunn's “My Maria” song. The ringtone started with the line, "Gypsy lady,  you're a miracle work for me. You set my soul free like a ship sailing on the sea. She is the sunlight when the stars are grey, she treats me so right, lady, take me away."

Sally laughed as she answered the phone. She had no doubt in her mind that Jen had somehow confiscated her phone and put that ringtone on there after they'd found out Sally was a gypsy healer.

"Hello?"

"Sally! Oh my freaking gosh! I didn't think we would actually get you but I thought it was worth a try. You're on speaker phone and we have some info for you, my sweet gypsy." Jacque sounded so excited to talk to Sally that it nearly brought tears to Sally's eyes.

Decebel perked up and opened his eyes at the sound of the red head's voice.

"What do you have for me?" Sally asked eagerly.

"We know what will break the curse. You ready for this, chica?"

"Let me have it." Sally prepared for the worst, fearing that it would be some horrific sacrifice that would have to take place in order to fix Decebel. The answer was much simpler than she ever imagined and yet more powerful than anything physical sacrifice one could give: the sacrifice of one's heart to love – the ultimate personal sacrifice.

 

 

 

 

Vasile and Alina sat in the makeshift headquarters they'd created in the village tavern. As always, the room was lit with oil lamps and a fire burned in the large stone fireplace. The room was surprisingly clean, the floors free of dirt and dust. Alina noticed, not for the first time, that no pictures hung on the walls, no decorations adorned the small end tables or book-filled shelves, but it was still surprisingly warm and inviting. What wasn't was the air. It was thick with worry and the impatience to move forward, to do something.

Across from the Alphas sat Fane and Jacque. Sorin was propped against the far right wall,  Crina was folded onto the floor in front of the fireplace. The fire crackled and the wind made the fragile glass windows shudder. The silence was deafening as the Alphas waited.

Jacque stared at the phone she had laid in the middle of their circle, as if she could see Sally if she stared long enough.

Finally, Jacque spoke. "Love." She shook her head. "Love is what breaks the curse."

The group heard Cynthia groan loudly from somewhere close to Sally. "Are you kidding me?"

"That's what I said," Jacque agreed.

Suddenly Vasile spoke up. "Sally before we get into this please give me an update. I assume since your phone is working that you found Peri?"

"Hi, Vasile, my old friend," they heard a musical voice chime through the speaker.

Vasile smiled. "Hello, Perizada. You are well?"

Peri chuckled. "As well as can be expected in such times."

"Fair enough. Sally, how is Decebel?"

"Not good. His wolf is struggling to be free." Sally began to explain everything from the time they'd left until the current moment.

"So we're waiting on Gavril and Costin to return with Jen," she finished.

Jacque realized Sally must have put her phone on speaker as well when they heard Cynthia's voice loud and clear. "How is the curse going to be broken when Decebel doesn't know his mate and therefore doesn't feel love for her?"

There was quiet across the line.

"Sally, you said his wolf recognized her scent on Gavril?" Vasile broke the silence.

"Yes."

"That may be enough to help pull Decebel's emotions to the surface. His love for her isn't gone, it's just buried under that curse."

"What about blood?" Jacque asked. "What if they exchanged their blood? Would that maybe bring the bond back together, and in turn trigger Decebel's feelings toward Jen?"

"It's a possibility, and it probably wouldn't be difficult since his wolf still claims Jen," Vasile agreed.

"We also found out the witch's name. It's -"

"DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME!" Perizada's voice broke through the phone and filled the room as if she stood before them.

"You mustn't speak her name where it can be heard out here," she spoke calmly. "Vasile, surely you have explained the power in a name. We mustn't put her name on the wind and draw her attention."

"What do you mean put her name on the wind?" Crina asked, speaking up for the first time.

"A witch practices dark magic and calls on the elements to do so – earth, water, wind, and fire. She can use the wind to send out her will and call on others. If her name is spoken in the open, you can bet she will hear it."

"My bad," Jacque muttered, then added, "So, wait. Peri, you know who she is?"

"Of course I know who she is. I have been seeking her out for centuries. Her power grows and her evil knows no bounds. She must be destroyed, but there is only one way that can happen."

"How?" Jacque asked.

"The time for that revelation has not come."

While they waited for Gavril and Costin to return, Jacque told the others about the tables Wadim had shown her and the story behind them. Crina brought up the fire and how the witch – name not spoken – had somehow gotten to Wadim. They continued to talk long into the night, finding comfort in finally being reunited with their pack.

 

 

Chapter 14

 

After several hours and still no Costin and Gavril, Vasile ordered everyone to get some sleep and for Sally to call them as soon as the others returned. Jacque wiped tears away as she said goodbye to her friend, then let Fane pull her into the shelter of his arms.

"They are safe, Luna," he whispered.

"They won't be safe until they're back here with their pack." Jacque followed Fane to their bedroom, and with no more words crawled into bed, curling up in his arms. Sleep was a long time in coming as they both waited for the phone to ring.

 

 

(Eleven days from day of departure)

 

Sometime in the early morning of the next day, Decebel let out a low growl from his place against the tree. Cynthia jumped up and Peri stood looking into the early morning haze. Sally sat up from her makeshift bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Suddenly Gavril and Costin emerged from the forest, a battered and weary Jen in Costin's arms. Decebel jumped to his feet, lunging toward Costin. His eyes were glowing and the growl coming from him was all wolf. Costin looked at his Beta and realized the wolf had finally won.

"Sally, back away," Costin told her. Sally had begun to move toward Decebel as he surged forward, stumbling from his weakness.

"His wolf is in control. Decebel has left for the holidays," Costin told her firmly. "Cynthia, pull Sally back."

Cynthia obeyed without question, keeping a cautious eye on Decebel.

Decebel growled at Costin, his lip lifted and his sharp, long canines showing as he spoke. "Mine."

Costin nodded. "Yes, she is yours, but she is hurt. You have to be gentle with her."

Decebel tried to take Jen from Costin but he would not relent. Costin lowered his eyes in submission but spoke firmly. "Let me lay her down, Beta. You would not forgive yourself if you dropped her."

Costin moved slowly to the pallet where Sally had been laying and gently laid Jen's limp body down and covered her with a heavy blanket.

Decebel pushed Costin back firmly. "Don't touch."

Costin bared his neck to his Beta. "I mean her know harm and I do not want her for my own. She is very sick."

Decebel crouched down next to Jen, and in a tender way Sally had never seen in any man, he brushed her hair away from her face. He leaned down and pressed his nose against her neck, breathing deeply over and over. He ran his hands tenderly through her hair and then over her arms. He pulled the blanket back and ran his hands down her legs. Sally was confused – the action wasn't sexual but it was very possessive.

"What is he doing?" Sally asked Costin.

"Putting his scent on her. She has my scent and Gavril's scent. Two males on her, it's probably driving him mad."

 

 

Decebel struggled for control and he was losing. His wolf knew her. As soon as Costin had come into view, Decebel hadn't had a chance against his wolf. It took everything in him to keep from killing Costin when he saw his mate in his arms. Now, as he looked down upon her unmoving body, so weak and vulnerable, he knew his wolf wouldn't let her out of their sight.

Decebel turned to Peri with his glowing eyes and menacing stare. "Fix her." His voice was deep and guttural, not human at all.

"We must get her and you to a safe place. We need to cross the veil." Peri turned to Gavril. "I will contact you when it is time for you and Rachel to come. Until then, stay out of sight. She must not be captured, no matter what."

Gavril nodded, then looked over at Decebel, who was kneeling next to his mate. "Forgive us, Beta. We meant no harm toward her."

Decebel growled.

"You know you can't reason with his wolf, just make it right. That's all the apology he will need."

Gavril nodded once then turned and took off in the direction he and Costin had emerged from.

"Costin, you will need to carry Jen," Peri told him.

Costin saw the feral look in Decebel's eyes. "Sorry, fairy lady, not going to happen. He will rip anyone's head off if they touch her."

Cynthia took a step toward Decebel. She got on all fours and crawled with her head bowed. She stopped about five feet from him and made sure her head was lower than his.

"Beta, we must move her and you are too weak. Please let me carry her."

"Mine," Decebel snarled.

"Yes, she is yours. None of us mean her harm. You know us, wolf, you can smell that we are pack. Trust us to care for what's yours."

Decebel looked at Jennifer, who was struggling to breathe, then back at Cynthia. "Only you and the healer may be near her."

Cynthia let out the breath she had been holding and waited for Decebel to stand. He stepped aside so she could get to Jen. As gently as she could, she lifted her, inwardly wincing at how light she was. Jen had lost a significant amount of weight and felt so frail.

When Cynthia turned to face the others, she tensed as Decebel took a step toward her. But he simply laid a soft hand on Jen's leg, so gentle with his broken mate. Cynthia realized then that he didn't plan to leave her side and that he might not even take a hand off of her for a second.

"Let's go," Peri said as she once again lifted her arms, causing the air to shimmer. "Stay close."

As they passed through the veil, Sally felt a warm tingling sensation. When it disappeared, she looked around and realized that they were right where they had been.

"Did we go anywhere?"

Peri nodded. "No matter where you enter Farie, it will mimic the same climate and image to humans."

"Wicked," Sally murmured.

"We aren't going far. Just keep up," Peri snapped as she took off at a brisk walk.

 

They had walked for about fifteen minutes when they came to a two-story stone house. Moss had grown over the house on one side, and tree branches arched over it like a protective barrier. Several chimneys towered from the pitched ruff and smoke danced from each one, floating off into the sky. The front door was arched and very tall – there were round windows on either side of the door.

The closer they got to the house, the more Sally felt like she was entering an enchanted land. When they got to the door and Peri opened it, Decebel let out a low growl.

"Costin, enter and make sure this is safe for the females."

Costin nodded and stepped past the surprised Fae.

Peri rolled her eyes. "I've forgotten how annoying the males of your species can be," she told Sally and Cynthia.

Cynthia chuckled. "Annoying is being nice. If Jen were awake she would give you a very colorful description of what she thinks about the males."

"I think I'm going to like this Jen." Peri smiled and her face seemed to light up when she did.  

 

"Coast is clear." Costin stuck his head out the door. He reached out for Sally's hand and didn't wait for her to accept his, he just grabbed her and pulled her into the house.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were in a giant living room. A huge stone fireplace was on the far left wall and a warm fire crackled and popped. The pitched ceiling was open all the way to the second floor and there was a railing which allowed one to look down upon the living room.

There was a kitchen at the back of the room with all the necessary appliances, and it seemed so strange to Sally to be standing in a house in a different realm, looking at a seemingly normal kitchen. There was a large couch and several overstuffed chairs close to the fire in a circle and on the far left wall were tall shelves full of various sizes of books. On the back wall, across from the kitchen, was a door that opened into another room.

"Cynthia, take Jen into that room there," Peri instructed as she pointed to the door.

Cynthia took her precious burden, with Decebel still holding onto Jen's leg, and laid her on the bed in the room. It was a surprisingly large room with a sleigh bed. When Cynthia laid Jen down, she noticed how soft the comforter was – and plush – as it seemed to wrap around Jen as tenderly as a lover. There were several chairs in the room, a large armoire, and another fireplace. The room was warm and, despite its size, very cozy.

Cynthia watched as Decebel stood next to the bed, looking at his mate, his hand still on her leg. She grabbed a chair and pushed it toward him. "Beta, you need to rest." She motioned to the chair.

Decebel's wolf still looked out through his eyes. He nodded once to her and sat, never losing focus on Jen.

Cynthia left him there without disturbing him more. She saw that the others were sitting in the chairs and couch around the fire. Sally had placed the phone on the round coffee table in the center of their circle. She realized Sally must have called the others as she listened to Sally explain about Jen and Decebel. Her face was grave when she described how battered her friend looked; tears were sliding down her cheeks. Costin placed a comforting hand on Sally's lower back and Cynthia noticed his eyes were glowing. Obviously he did not like seeing Sally so upset.

"I've never seen anyone look so close to death, Jacque." Sally hiccuped through her tears. Costin finally had all he could take, and he pulled Sally into his lap. He whispered words of comfort and caressed her hair gently.

"It will be okay, Sally mine," he told her gently.

Sally looked into his hazel eyes and though she knew she was probably going to regret it, gave in and leaned her head against his chest. Costin let out a contented sigh and pulled her tighter.

"Decebel is with her?" Vasile's voice came through the phone.

"Yes," Peri answered. "His wolf recognized his mate. He won't let anyone near her."

"That's good," Vasile said, then amended, "Good that his wolf recognized her."

"So there's been no change even though they've been brought together? Can a wolf love – I mean, would his love be able to break the curse?" Jacque questioned.

"Love is what will break the curse?" Costin asked, having missed that conversation. Sally nodded against his chest "How can something so simple break something so powerful?" Costin shook his head.

"Simple?" Sally gasped as she sat up abruptly and turned to look at Costin. " You think love is simple?"

Costin's eyes widened at the fierceness in her eyes and the firmness of her voice –  a deer caught in the headlights.

"Here we go," they heard Jacque mutter under her breath.

"How can it surprise any of you that love could break the curse?" Sally addressed the group, her eyes moving from person to person. Then she stared at the phone as if she could see through it. "You, whose very genetic makeup forces you to love so deeply that you can't even survive without your mate? It's no coincidence that the saying is 'love conquers all'. It's a tale as old as time."

Jacque snorted. "You've been waiting to use that line."

Sally chuckled briefly. "I finally got my day." Then she sobered and her eyes returned to Costin. "There is nothing simple about something that can fill you with the greatest joy you've ever known. It can make men build cities, crush enemies, seek out ways to move mountains, and bring even the greatest to his knees. There is nothing simple about something that can rip the very seams of your soul in half, shred every amount of dignity you've ever had, and strip every inhibition from who you are."

Costin leaned forward and reached out toward the girl who had become a woman before his eyes.

"Sally," he whispered.

She turned away from him in a rare show of severity, ignoring his hand, looking back at the phone. "Fane, do you think that curse would have worked on you? Do you think you could have forgotten your mate?"

Fane shook his head. "No. Not with the Blood Rites being fulfilled and the bond between us being complete, but I suspect the curse wouldn't work without the love between the two. You're right, Sally. There is nothing more powerful than love. Jacquelyn's and my soul have been made one through our bond. No darkness can conquer the light love sheds."

"Okay, I'm with you." Jacque agreed. "But how do we get a man who doesn't remember his mate to remember he loves her?"

"He's going to have to bond with her," Peri spoke up.

All heads turned to look at her.

"It's the only thing that will restore the severed bond and, ostensibly, draw Decebel's memories forward."

Cynthia leaned forward in her chair, leaning her elbows on her knees. "Vasile, it won't be hard to convince Decebel's wolf to do the blood rites, but Decebel is another story. He wants to remember Jen, he wants to love her. Wanting and doing are two different things."

"Sally. " It was Alina's voice they heard this time.

"Yes?" Sally answered.

"You need to talk to Decebel. You might be able to reach him."

"I'll try."

Suddenly they heard a deadly snarl and the sound of something hitting the floor hard.

Sally started in the direction of the room but Costin caught her around the waist.

"You aren't going in there with an enraged wolf."

"Costin, let go. That is my best friend in there. Decebel won't hurt me."

"Sally, what's happened?" Vasile's voice thundered through the speaker.

Cynthia picked up the phone and started talking as she headed in the direction of the room, following the struggling Sally and pissed-off looking Costin.

They entered the room and Cynthia nearly dropped the phone. "Alpha, we're going to have to call you back." Before he could answer she ended the call and stared, horrified by a blood-covered Decebel and a lifeless Jen.

 

 

Chapter 15

 

Sally rushed forward, shoving Decebel out of the way. She put her hands on Jen's chest and closed her eyes. She pushed with all her might, magically looking into her friend's fragile body. Sally gasped  – Jen's lungs were full of fluid. She was drowning in her own blood. Sally didn't know how she did it, didn't understand it, but she thanked every being she could think of for the power she had flowing through her. The blood in Jen's lungs was being absorbed into her body, emptying gradually until none remained. Sally pulled her hands back and opened her eyes. Still Jen did not breath.

Sally laid her ear on her chest – no heartbeat. She turned to Costin. "Put her on the floor, now. I need to do CPR and I can't do it on a soft surface."

Costin obeyed, ignoring the snarls from Decebel, who was being restrained by Cynthia.

Sally tilted Jen's head back like she had learned in their health class and pinched her nose. She pulled her chin down opening her mouth and then placed her mouth over hers. She gave two short breaths, watching as Jen's chest rose. Then she placed her hands just below her diaphragm and began compressions. Sally could barely see through the blur that her tears caused. She continued alternating breaths with chest compressions, getting more desperate as time went on. Jen remained unresponsive.

Decebel finally broke free of Cynthia and landed with a hard crash on his knees next to Jen. He leaned down, and when Sally finished the fourth round of compressions it was him who placed his mouth over hers and breathed life-giving air into her. Sally saw that his eyes were no longer glowing and realized that Decebel, the man, had overcome his wolf. She continued the chest compressions and listened as Decebel whispered in Jen's ear.

 

"You will not die, Jennifer. I won't allow it." He kissed her cheeks, her eyes, her nose and then her lips, so gently. "I want the chance to love you. Baby, don't rob me of that by giving up."

Decebel used the endearment that he'd used in the text messages he shared with Jennifer before the curse. After feeling how strongly his wolf felt about this woman, there was no doubt in his mind that she was his mate. He refused to lose her.

But she still did not breath. Decebel breathed for her again and the tears from his eyes dropped onto her face. Blood covered her lips.

Decebel looked over to the Fae, who stood calmly though concern-filled her eyes.

"What do I do? I won't lose her."

"Give her your blood. If you are her mate, your blood will give her body strength."

Without hesitation Decebel's canines lengthened and his eyes glowed. He tore into his wrist, biting down hard until the blood flowed freely. After placing a hand under her neck and lifting gently, he pressed his wrist to her mouth. Sally began to rub her throat to get it to go down.

When Decebel pulled his wrist away, the room was completely silent as all held their breath, waiting.

Sally felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest as she stared at her best friend. Breathe.

Decebel pressed his forehead to Jennifer's and squeezed his eyes shut. The tears wouldn't stop and his heart felt like it was being torn in half.

"Come back to me, Jennifer. I can't lose you – I refuse to lose you, dammit. You will live!" The last was a snarl.

Suddenly, she gasped and air filled her empty lungs. Her eyes fluttered open. Decebel watched in amazement.

"Jennifer?" Decebel brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead.

"You don't remember me and yet you're still so damn bossy." Jen's words were a hoarse whisper, but they all heard her.

Decebel watched as she closed her eyes but continued to breathe.

Sally was shaking with relief and the adrenaline began to overtake her. Costin leaned down next to her and pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest and cried.

Cynthia asked Peri for clean sheets for the bed and towels to clean Jen up. As she and Decebel laid Jen on the bed, she looked up at him.

"Let Sally and I clean her up. We will take good care of her."

Decebel shook his head with a low growl. "I will care for her."

"Decebel, you aren't mated to her yet."

"She is my mate. I will care for her. Do not argue with me, female, I am your Beta and you will obey me."

Cynthia was a little shocked at his declaration since she was talking to Decebel and not his wolf.

"Cynthia, it's okay," Sally said as she began to wipe her tears away. "Jen isn't modest. It wouldn't bother her for Decebel to see her." She looked up at Decebel. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

Decebel shook his head. "No, I want to be with my mate alone. She needs me. I may not remember her but I feel something, like my soul is being knitted back together. I think giving her my blood helped."

"Decebel, Vasile thinks you need to perform the Blood Rites in order to save Jen." Sally waited for his response and was surprised when he finally answered.

"I will do anything for her, but she has to bite me for the Blood Rites to take place. Drinking my blood is not enough."

"Maybe if you continue to give her your blood she will get strong enough to stay conscious," Sally said in a hopeful tone.

Costin brushed Sally's hair from her face and smiled at her when she leaned into his touch. "You are amazing," he whispered to her.

She looked at him, confused. "Why do you say that?"

"Because you refuse to think the worst, and only think of possibilities that result in a positive outcome."

Sally blushed,."Jen's a fighter. She would be pissed if she thought I didn't think she could make it."

 

 

Decebel stood over Jennifer. She lay still but for the movements of her breathing. Sally had brought him several towels and a large blanket to put over her. She'd also brought him a large bowl with warm water in it, and washcloths to clean his mate. He leaned down to kiss Jen.

"I will be as gentle as I can, love," he whispered as he dipped the washcloth in the warm water. After squeezing out the excess, he began to softly wipe her face, removing any trace of blood. Then he washed her arms and hands and dried them. The entire time, Decebel talked to her. He told her about the life he remembered and how he didn't remember the good things. All the while he protected her modesty by keeping the blanket over as much of her as he could.

When he finally removed her shirt, the breath felt like it had been punched from his lungs and he fell to his knees at the sight.

The door flew open at the sound of Decebel's  knees hitting the floor. His head snapped up immediately and he simultaneously covered Jen with the blanket. His eyes were glowing as he snarled at the intruder.

"GET OUT!"

Sally paled and after seeing that Jen was still breathing, slammed the door shut.

Decebel gently pulled the sheet back again and couldn't stop his hand from lifting and his fingers from tracing the markings that ran along her right side from under her arm to down below the waistline of the sweat pants she wore. Markings that were identical to his. At that thought his head jerked up and he quickly re-covered Jennifer. He stood and walked over to the bathroom attached to the room. He pulled his shirt over his head and looked in the mirror.

Decebel's eyes watched in wonder as his markings changed before his very eyes. The marks that covered the right side of his back and shoulder now began to move like a vine up the right side of his neck and down his right arm to the wrist. Several moments after the vine-like movement had stopped, Decebel continued to stare. He might not remember Jen, but his body did – his soul knew she was his.

He pulled his shirt back over his head and finished cleaning up his mate and getting her more comfortable.

As he covered her with a blanket after having dressed her in the clean clothes that Peri had brought him, he watched her chest rise and fall, taking solace in that sight. He moved to the other side of the bed and lay down, careful not to jar her. He propped himself up on his elbow, head supported by his hand, and stared at her beautiful face. She was still so very pale, but to his relief she did look better than when Costin had brought her through the forest.

There was a soft knock at the door. Without turning to see who it was, he said, "Come in."

Sally peeked her head in. "Are you both alright?"

"She is breathing, clean, and with me. For now that will have to be enough."

Sally stepped far enough into the room that she could close the door behind her.

"Decebel," she started, then paused, trying to gather her thoughts. Still he did not turn his face from Jennifer. "Do you remember her at all?"

"My wolf recognizes her, knows her scent. But if you're asking if I have memories of her and I together, the answer is still no."

"Are you willing to do the Blood Rites with her?"

That question got him to turn and look at Sally.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, but left his left hand resting gently on Jennifer's leg.

"Have a seat, healer. We need to talk." Decebel motioned to the chair across from him.

When Sally was seated, her hands folded in her lap, Decebel met her honey brown eyes with his amber ones. He took a deep breath and let it out before he spoke.

"I will not do the Blood Rites without her fully conscious and making the choice herself."

"Not even to save her life?" Sally asked calmly, without any accusation in her voice.

"The Blood Rites are sacred, and intense. I cannot take that choice from her. Besides, she might not want to complete the bond while I do not remember her. Who wants to be mated to someone who doesn’t know you?"

"But you will remember her once the bond is done," Sally implored.

"Says who? The Fae? She is not pack – she does not know of our ways, our magic." Decebel growled.

"At least think about it. Don't make any rash decisions while your emotions are so chaotic." Sally stood and stepped out of the room.

 

Decebel once again turned and laid down next to Jennifer.  He shut his eyes and took a deep breath to get his emotions under control. As he lay there, a song kept creeping into his mind and he couldn't get over how well it fit his situation. He laid his hand gently on her stomach and inched a little closer. In a voice that was surprisingly beautiful and haunting, Decebel began to sing to his mate:

"When I lose my way and I forget my name, remind me who I am.

In the mirror all I see is who I don't want to be, remind me who I am.

In the loneliest places, when I can't remember what grace is,

Tell me once again who I am to you, who I am to you.

Tell me, lest I forget who I am to you, that I belong to you. To you.

When my heart is like a stone and I'm running far from home, remind me who I am.

When I can't receive your love, afraid I'll never be enough, remind me who I am.

If I'm your beloved, can you help me believe it?

Tell me once again who I am to you, who I am to you.

Tell me, lest I forget who I am to you, that I belong to you. To you.

I'm the one you love, I'm the one you love, that will be enough, I'm the one you love.

Tell me once again who I am to, who I am to you.

Tell me lest I forget who I am to you, that I belong to you."

 

Decebel's heart ached as he sung words that were more true that he cared to admit. He needed Jennifer. He needed her to remind him, to help him see what was hidden deep inside him. He needed her to love him, love him until he returned to her. He wouldn't leave her side until she did, until he looked into her eyes and saw all of her, knew all of her.

 

 

Chapter 16

 

"I think we should go," Jacque declared for the hundredth time.

"Jacque, we have noted what you think, you need not keep telling us." Vasile's words were slightly sarcastic, but softened by the twinkle in his eyes.

"Noted isn't good enough, Alpha. Why are we just sitting here when we could be trekking through the forest to be with the others? Power in numbers, remember?" Jacque paced the meeting room while the others continued to look through the books they had brought with them from the archives.

"I will contact Peri and confer with her about it. How's that?"

Jacque glared at Vasile. "Better"

 

After Vasile got off the phone with Peri, he assembled the others in the meeting room. Everyone took the spots they had unofficially deemed as their own around the constantly burning fire.

"Peri said that Jen is still too weak to travel, and Decebel as well. She agrees with you, Jacque, that we should all be together,"

"Woot! I told ya, didn't I tell ya?" Jacque grinned wickedly.

Fane nudged her, attempting to hint that she needed to zip it. Jacque reluctantly quieted.

"As I was saying, she thinks we should be together. However, it is not safe for us to travel in the forest without protection. She is going to send one of her own to come so they can veil our presence. The witch is constantly seeking for us, for any way to strike out against us. So we will wait until her...person arrives."

"How long will that take?"

"Why are humans so impatient?" They all turned toward the door to see a short female with long pink hair that was braided down her back. She had an unusual face with almond shaped eyes that were an unusual silver color, a small, but cute button nose, and a pouty mouth that looked like it remained in a permanent smile. She wore brown leather pants and a green, snug, thermal looking shirt. Over the shirt she wore a vest-like top that held variously sized knives and from what they could see poking over the back, two swords. Her boots laced wickedly around her calves to just below her knees. Jacque decided that regardless of her name, she was going to call her Surely, because she could surely kick anyone's ass.

"You are the one Peri sent?" Vasile asked.

"Yes, Alpha. My name is Elle, I'm here to take you to the veil. We must move quickly, there is evil on the wind."

When everyone stood and began to head for the stairs to gather their things, Elle stopped them.

"All you need is a heavy coat. Everything else will be provided for you."

Crina and Jacque looked at each other, then both shrugged their shoulders.

"If you say so, Surely," Jacque mumbled.

Crina looked at her, eyes narrowed. "Should I ask why you called her Shirley?"

Jacque laughed and explained it to Crina.

Crina shook her head, chuckling. "You never cease to entertain me."

 

Once they were on their way, moving quickly through the snow-laden forest, Fane followed Jacque up to the front of the group. Elle was leading.

"So you're a fairy?" Jacque asked curiously.

Elle smiled at her and Jacque couldn't stop the responsive smile. Elle was one of those contagiously happy people. Jacque liked her.

"I am a fairy," Elle confirmed.

"You can do all sorts of cool stuff, can't you?"

"Luna, what are you doing?" Fane's voice filled Jacque's mind.

"Chillax, wolf-man, I just want to ask a few questions. I mean, heeeello, it's not every day that I get to meet a fairy."

Fane smiled at his mate's curiosity, but also worried that she might offend Elle. A ticked-off fairy is not one you wanted to deal with.

"I suppose I can do stuff that's cooler than what humans can," Elle said thoughtfully. "But I can't do any magic out here right now, it would be too easy for the witch to find us, even through the veiling spell."

Jacque nodded her understanding.

The group was quiet as they walked. An eerie silence filled the forest – no animals scurrying about, no birds flew overhead. It was as if the entire forest held its breath, trying to hide in plain sight, waiting.

The quiet did not go unnoticed by Elle as she led the Alpha and his wolves through the trees. Peri had made it very clear that they were to move quickly, take very few breaks, and make any stops short. Elle could feel the black magic slithering across the shield that she had cast over them and shuddered at the knowledge of who wielded that magic. She glanced back, quickly meeting Vasile's eyes, giving a brief nod that he understood: pick up the pace. And when Elle began moving more quickly, everyone else followed suit.

 

 

Mona stood out on the ledge of the mountain her home was situated on. She knew someone, or many someone's, were moving through the forest. However, she couldn't get a lock on them. Using her will to move through the air, she continued to search for whoever they were. Still nothing. In frustration, she opened her eyes and glared at the vast forests before her. She decided it was time to scry. It wasn't something she usually liked because it could be somewhat tricky to decipher what the meaning of what she would see could be. It didn't always mean something obvious. But, desperate times.

Mona entered her home and turned left, entering a room full of cages, all holding different animals. She opened one of the bottom cages and reached in, grabbing a rabbit by the scruff. Without a thought she twisted the rabbit's neck with a sickening crunch. She took the now-dead animal to her table and slit its throat, allowing its blood to flow into a shallow, large basin. Once the blood was drained, she tossed the small body into a basket underneath the table. 

She picked up her scrying stones and held them in her hands to warm them. Then she chanted:

"Stones of mystery, stones of fate,

Peer through the veil to this date.

I take a life to give you blood,

Pour out the truth like a flood."

 

Over and over she chanted this as she threw the stones into the blood-filled basin. As the last hit the still-warm fluid, she opened her eyes to see the outcome. Her eyes narrowed and a sinister smile crossed her lips.

"Now, isn't that interesting?" An evil laugh shook free from her chest. "I do love it when things get interesting," she muttered to herself.

 

 

Chapter 17

 

12 days post-curse

 

 

Jacque stumbled as she and the others climbed a considerably steep hill. Fane wrapped an arm around her waist, catching her before she face-planted into the snow.

"Thank goodness for wolf reflexes," she murmured.

Fane winked at her and gave her quick peck on the cheek. "I'll always catch you, Jacquelyn."

He released her and they continued up the hill, following Elle, with Alina, Sorin, and Vasile pulling up the rear.

"At the risk of sounding very much like a five year old, are we there yet?" Jacque grumbled.

Elle looked back at her, then the others, and realized that they were seriously dragging. Jacque more than others because she wasn't fully Canis lupis. Elle had been pushing them hard, and in twenty four hours she'd only let them stop twice and they were brief pauses. She looked ahead and narrowed her eyes. Fae eye sight was beyond anything humans could understand.

"It will be another day and half a night before we are there, and that's if we don't stop."

"We have to stop to sleep at least for a couple of hours," Vasile spoke up from behind them.

"No offense, Alpha, but lingering is not wise." Elle looked into the small pouch that was attached to her hip. She only ever used it as a last resort, but it was necessary at this point. She pulled out small wafers and handed them to Jacque.

"Pass three to each person. Let them dissolve in your mouth," Elle explained.

Jacque turned to do as she was instructed, then quickly turned back to Elle. "What exactly is this?"

"Its energy," Elle said simply.

"Well, that clears it right up," Jacque chirped. "You're just as vague as the fur balls."

Elle cocked her head to the side. "Fur balls?"

Jacque snorted a chuckle. "Sorry, bad habit. I meant werewolves."

Elle looked behind Jacque to Fane. "You are the prince of your people and she calls you a fur ball."

"Believe it or not, she's called me worse," Fane told her. shaking his head.

Elle shook her own head in disbelief, muttering, "Humans are so weird." She started walking again and said over her shoulder, "You should begin to feel the effects of those in a few moments."

The group continued on and true to Elle's word they began to feel the effects of the Fae food.  As Jacque's energy from the strange wafers peaked, she turned to look at Fane with a wicked grin.

"What's going on in that head of yours, Luna?"

"I was just thinking about what Jen would suggest those wafers be used for." Jacque laughed out loud when Fane raised his eyebrows at her.

"Who says Jen's the only one who would think of such a thing?" His voice was filled with unrepentant desire, even amidst all the turmoil they were enduring.

Jacque's response was a snicker and an eye roll at her mate who, werewolf or not, was still very male.

 

 

14 days post-curse

 

 

Decebel didn't understand why he was nervous about giving Jennifer more of his blood. Admittedly, it was a very intimate experience, but under the circumstances he felt like all he should feel was the desire to make sure she healed. In truth, even with her only conscious in brief stints, he was falling for her, and he desperately wanted her to still have the feelings Sally said she'd had for him.

He placed a hand under her neck and lifted gently to prop her up. Then he bit into his other arm deep enough to make sure the blood flowed freely. He placed the wound over her lips, pushing gently at her bottom lip to open her mouth. He held his breath as he waited to see if she would respond on her own. After several seconds, much to his relief, Jennifer's lips latched onto his arm and she began taking what he offered. Decebel closed his eyes, thanking the great Luna that Jennifer was finally strong enough to drink without coaxing. He tried not to think about how much it pleased him that she seemed to crave his blood, that she recognized him as hers. For a mate, that was a very potent thing.

When he began to pull his arm away he smiled at the disappointed noise that came from her.

"You would suck me dry if I let you."

As Decebel wrapped the towel he had laid on his lap around his bleeding arm, his head snapped up at the sound of a raspy voice.

"I'm not a damn vampire flea bag."

Decebel couldn't stop the wide grin that stretched across his face as he looked down into Jen's blue eyes. Although they had a haze over them, they still held mysteries that he longed to uncover.

He gently brushed her hair away from her face and ran the back of his hand against her cheek.

"You may not be a blood sucker, but admit it, baby, you like my blood," Decebel teased her. The words seemed natural, almost second nature.

Jen rolled her eyes. "I truly want to be grossed out by it, but you taste good. I can't decide if that makes me a sicko or you a freak."

"If you're a sicko than I am as well because I can't wait to taste your blood," Decebel confessed without shame.

Jen's brow furrowed as she stared into Decebel's eyes. His words confused her.

"Do you," she took a ragged breath that had her cringing at the pain, "do you remember me?"

Decebel was shaking his head as he answered gently, "No, baby, I don't. I wish more than anything that I did."

"Then how can you say that to me? How can you want to taste my blood?"

Decebel tried really hard not to touch her but it was impossible. He could no more keep his hands from her than he could stop the tide from rolling in. He took her hand and rubbed his thumb gently across it.

"My wolf knows its mate. He remembers you. Even if I didn't want to stay here with you, even if I didn't want to remember you, remember the love I had for you, he wouldn't let me walk out of this room. If I leave your side even for second he gets feral."

"Why?" Jen asked, genuinely not understanding.

"There is nothing more dangerous than a dominant male Canis lupis when his mate is injured and helpless. But I need you to understand, my wolf is not the only one who wants you, Jennifer. I want you. I need you to help me remember."

Jen was hurting and her body was desperately fighting to sink back into oblivion, but with the help of Decebel's blood, she was able to hold off the compulsion. She watched in utter disbelief as a tear escaped Decebel's eye. His jaw clenched and though he looked vulnerable, nothing about him looked weak or any less threatening.

He continued to stroke her hand as he talked. "I need you to remind me who I am." Decebel met her eyes, knowing the next words out of his mouth were going to be difficult ones.

"They...they know what will break the curse."

Jen's eyes widened. "Then why are sitting here discussing me somehow trying to fill in your memories?"

"Because love is what breaks the curse." Decebel watched as Jennifer's breath became shallow. He didn't want to hurt her, it was the last thing on earth he wanted. His wolf was angry that he was causing her pain and pushing at him to give him control. "I want to love you, Jennifer. I want to love you more than anything. But wanting it and doing it are not the same when it comes to the curse. I look at you and I feel something. You draw me in and I long to be near you – not just my wolf, me, the man longs to be close to you."

Jen was shaking while she listened to the man she loved more than anything tell her he didn't love her. Oh, he wants to love her, well loddie-freaking-dah. She wants to get up off the damn bed and hit him with a 2x4, but, as she always says, wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one fills up first.

She didn't realize she had tuned him out until she heard “Blood Rites” and “break the curse” in the same sentence.

"Wait, excuse me, say that again?"

Decebel took a deep breath. It was obvious he was getting frustrated. "I said, Vasile thinks that if we perform the Blood Rites it will pull the veiled emotions to the forefront. And it's the only thing that will save your life. Your wolf needs her mate. She's no longer dormant, and when the bond was severed between us, the darkness in me reached across to you. You won't live just on my blood, Jennifer."

The pain that was tightening Jen's chest began to turn to anger and disbelief at Vasile's suggestion.

"He wants us to bond because he thinks it will break the curse? Really? Are you freaking

kidding me?" She didn't even bother with the whole saving her life bit, she wasn't going to touch that with a fifty foot pole.

Decebel was taken aback by the venom in her voice.

"You're my mate. Why wouldn't we bond?"

Jen looked at him in disbelief. Decebel turned his head as he ran his hand through his hair. It was then that Jen saw the markings on Decebel's neck. Markings that hadn't been there before. She reached up slowly, grinding her teeth against the pain, and gripped his chin, turning his head even more so she could get a good look.

"Your markings changed?"

Decebel smiled the heart-stopping grin that always made her want to crawl up in his lap and purr. By the slight smirk on his beautiful face, it was obvious he knew the effect it was having on her whether he remembered her or not.

"Yes, they changed."

Jen nearly jumped, then groaned at the hurt it caused, as Decebel reached for the hem of her shirt and began to raise it. Her eyes widened as she saw the markings – identical to Decebel's –  running along her right side, starting below the waist of her sweats and continuing up. Without conscious thought to what she might be showing Decebel, she continued to pull up her shirt to look at the markings as they traveled up to just beside her right breast. Jen didn't realize Decebel had been tracing the marks with his finger until he caught himself and cleared his throat. He took her shirt from her and pulled it back down.

She didn't know what to say. Part of her was happy beyond belief, part of her was ticked off that it happened while her mate didn't have a clue who the bloody hell she was, and still another part of her was pissed because of the location.

"Why did it have to be there?" she groaned.

Decebel narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Why does it bother you to be on your side?"

"Fane freaks out anytime someone sees Jacque's marks."

"As he should," Decebel growled.

"Oh, keep your panties on, Decebel. I'm ticked because I imagine, if you ever remember me, that you will be even worse than Fane about it. Which means I no longer get to wear bikinis. So, so not cool. Do you know how old a one piece is going to make me look?"

Decebel was shaking his head at her when he spoke. "You just found out that we have yet another confirmation that we are mates, and you're concerned about bathing suits?"

"You'll get used to it," Jen said absently. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to gather her strength.

"You need to rest," Decebel told her, his words a command.

Jen opened her eyes and cut them up at him without moving her head. "I will rest after I have said my peace."

"Are you always this unreasonable?"

"No," Jen smiled sweetly, "usually I'm worse." She held his stare – something only Vasile was allowed do. "I won't bond with you." She ignored the growl coming from Decebel's chest. "I won't perform the Blood Rites with a man who doesn't even remember me. If I understand correctly from Jacque, the act of performing the Blood Rites is even more intimate than sex."

"You are my mate." Decebel was trying to keep his calm, he didn't want to scare her. "You bear my marks, we share a mental bond, my wolf knows you, and you love me."

His last words were a slap in Jen's face.

" I love my Decebel, MINE! You are not him. So don't you dare try to use my love as leverage to get what you want."

"I want YOU!" Decebel stood up from the bed and was fighting the phase. His eyes were glowing bright amber. "You are mine, Jennifer, and if the Blood Rites are what will save your life, then that is what we will do."

"I'm not a bloody possession, wolf. And if I were, I sure as hell wouldn't belong to someone who doesn't know who I am." Jen hated that there were tears running down her cheeks, hated that someone had that much power over her.

"You act as if it's my fault that I don't remember you. I wouldn't have been cursed if you hadn't asked me to save your friends. I let you talk me into leaving you, my mate, to die. You must make me weak if I would leave you to that fate. I can't imagine choosing anyone over my mate, ever."

Jen's mouth had dropped open when Decebel had said she made him weak; he had spit it out like it was disgusting. Her hands were balled into fists and she thought she might break a tooth from clenching her jaw so tight. But he wasn't done. He obviously felt like he hadn't stomped on her heart enough.

Decebel knelt down on her side of the bed, getting within inches of her face. He was shaking with rage as he grit his words out.

"I won't give you up. I won't go back to a lonely, dark existence. I won't let your selfishness take your life from me, take my mate from me. I don’t remember how we were before, maybe I gave into your every whim, maybe I cowered under your obviously Alpha nature, but no more. I am your mate, it is my job to protect you – even from yourself."

Jen could hardly breathe as she listened to Decebel, her mate, her love, dictate to her and call her selfish and completely disregard her feelings. She was about to tell him to get the hell out of her room, without hitting him. But he just couldn't leave it at that. He had to continue to be an asshole dominant who thought everyone should bow to him.

"I may never be the man I was before the curse, I may never be the man you loved, and I may never love you. But fate gave you to me and we will learn to make the best of it."

Nothing on earth, not her weakness or pain, not the blood she could feel beginning to flow from her nose and ears, not even her love for this wolf could have stopped her.

Jen pulled her hand back and slapped Decebel as hard as she could across his face, a face that she longed to look at for the rest of her life. She shook as tears poured from her eyes. She could hardly see as she reared back and slapped his stunned face again. He just knelt there, the shock of her actions still not penetrating his mind.

"GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT NOW! I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN!" Jen took a deep breath as she leaned forward and tried to push Decebel away. She screamed as she felt a sharp pain in her side, like a knife sliding into her. She was trying to talk around the gurgling in her throat – she realized blood was bubbling up from her stomach.

She was gasping for breath as she tried yelling again, but it only came out in a weak broken voice. "Don't come back." She looked him dead in the eyes when she spoke her last words before she passed out. "I don't want you."

 

Decebel reached for Jennifer as her body fell forward. Her blood once again soaked his shirt. As he held his mate in his arms, he realized he had gone too far. He had been the selfish one and now he'd possibly lost her for good.

 

 

Chapter 18

 

 

His heart began to squeeze in his chest and breathing became difficult – Decebel didn't even notice when the door flew open with a bang and the room began to fill with people.

"What the hell happened to her?"

Jacque and the others had just arrived in the house when they heard the screaming. At first Vasile told everyone to wait, that it wouldn't be wise to interrupt them, especially if Decebel wasn't in control of his wolf. But as soon as the yelling stopped, Jacque had had enough. With Fane on her heels, she burst in the room just in time to see her best friend slump forward, blood pouring from all sorts of areas where blood should definitely not be pouring from.

Alina, Sally, and Jacque all stepped forward to take Jen from Decebel and all jumped back at the same time when he snarled in warning.

Vasile's voice rose above the snarl. "Release her, Beta. NOW."

The power of the command had Decebel handing Jen's body over even as he tried to fight the compulsion.

"Peri," Vasile turned to look at the fairy, "bind him."

"You think that wise?" she asked him.

"He isn't safe. Bind him."

Peri nodded once. "So be it."

She walked around to the other side of the bed where Decebel still knelt on the floor. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he didn't fight her when she placed her hand on his chest and murmured unintelligible words.

"It is done," she announced, then walked out of the room to leave the wolves to care for their own.

 

After they had gotten Jen back on the bed, all the ladies went to work. Sally placed her hands on her friend again and cleared her lungs. Meanwhile, she looked for any other damage, making sure to not leave any part of her unexamined.

When she took her hands away she began to slump back, but strong arms were there to catch her.

"I got you, Sally mine," she heard Costin whisper in her ear as he placed her in a chair. Sally looked up to watch Alina, Crina, Jacque, and Cynthia clean blood from Jen and change her clothes. She was breathing, her heart was beating –  But for how long? Sally wondered solemnly.

 

 

 

Several hours later, as darkness descended, Jacque and Sally sat next to an unconscious Jen. Every once in a while Jacque would run a warm washcloth across Jen's forehead, needing to do something.

"What do you think happened between them?" Sally whispered, not knowing why she felt the need to be quiet.

"I have no idea. But Decebel's a dominant Alpha wolf, which means he's prone to saying stupid things."

Sally chuckled weakly at Jacque's words. Knowing she really wasn't joking made it even funnier.

"She won't last without his blood."

"I know," Jacque answered, then continued tightly, "She won't live without the bond."

"Their bond is..." Sally paused, trying to find the word, "powerful."

"Knowing Jen, she probably told him she wouldn't bond with him if he didn't remember her." Jacque looked back at Sally. "If she told him that, that explains him going ape shit, and of course our meek little Jen sat here quietly and said 'yes, dear'…Not," Jacque finished sharply.

 

 

19 days post-curse

 

 

Days went by and still Jen remained unconscious. Decebel remained bound by Fae magic and Jacque and Sally rarely left Jen's side.

Five days after Jen and Decebel's blowout, Jen awoke. The first thing she saw was Jacque's emerald eyes, quickly followed by Sally's honey brown ones.

"Hey there," Jacque whispered.

Jen rolled her eyes, and unfortunately even that hurt. "Don’t talk to me like I'm a toddler, Red. And, Sally, get that damn goofy grin off your face."

She heard Sally chuckle from somewhere behind the curly red head blocking her sight.

"I would ask how you're feeling, but it must be better than before if you have the energy to boss us around." Jacque smiled and winked.

"It's the one thing in life that brings me pleasure, but don't read too much into it." Jen gently turned her head to look around the room, trying to be inconspicuous – yeah, that didn't work.

"He's not here."             

Jen felt her heart drop at Jacque's words. Jacque must have noticed the distress on Jen's face because she quickly added, "I mean, he's here, just not in this room."

"Why do I give a damn where the bloody hell he is after the mean-ass things he said to me?"

"Hey, Jen, how's that stop-cussing commitment going for you?" Sally asked sarcastically.

"I'm dying, Sally. I don't really give a damn about what bad words might come from my mouth. In fact, I know what I want you two brats to put on my tombstone. 'Jennifer Adams, 1993 to 20 -" She paused. "Is it 2011 yet?"

Jacque nodded. "Yeah, New Year's has come and gone. Turns out it doesn't stop for werewolf curses and dying mates."

"Huh," Jen muttered. "Go figure. Anyway, 1993 to 2011. 'Here's to all you werewolves. Come on, raise your glasses. All you flea-infested fur balls, you can kiss my ass.' Then put dot, dot, dot, followed by, 'Put that in your pipe and smoke it'."

Jacque and Sally were trying not to laugh considering their friend was in fact dying, but, seriously, only Jen would request something like that on her tombstone – and mean it.

"Jen, I refuse to put that on your tombstone." Jacque shook her head at her precocious friend. "And I refuse to discuss this because you aren't going to die."

"Well, I'm not doing the Blood Rites with that jerk."

"Decebel is still inside there, Jen. He still loves you and wants you."

"Oh, he wants me, he made that perfectly clear. But the insufferable ass also told me that he may never love me again, but we would just have to make the best of it."

Jacque turned to Sally. "See, told ya. Dominant male – poof! – stupid words."

"I know he hurt you. And you have every right to want to castrate him. But deep down, Jen, you love him. He's yours just as much as you are his. Please think about it. We love you, we don't want to lose you," Sally pleaded.

Jacque and Sally both wiped away tears as they watched Jen close her eyes in obvious frustration.

"Can I be alone, please?"

The girls knew Jen must really be hurting if she wanted to be by herself. Jen hated being alone.

"We'll be right outside the door. We love you, Jen."

Jen nodded. "I know. I love y'all too."

 

As Jen lay there looking up at the ceiling, she felt a tear slide down her cheek as she listened to the painful howl of a wolf – her wolf. She wanted to hate him. She wanted to never see him again. However, the truth was she was dying without him, and not just because she hadn't had his blood, but because it was tearing her apart inside to not have him near. The only thing that kept her from crying out for him was her pride. Okay, so that would be a really stupid reason to die. She could imagine what Jacque and Sally would put on her tombstone:

              'Here lies our stubborn friend,

              Though she loved him and really tried,

              she met her all too early end