Blood Rites

Lilly looked back at Jen and Sally and allowed a small smile to cross her face though it didn't reach her eyes.

Alina suddenly got one of those far off looks that Jen and Sally recognized immediately.

"What's the boss man have to say?" Jen asked, not caring at this point if it was her business or not. If it pertained to Jacque, then as far as she was concerned it was most definitely her business.

"How did you know I was speaking with Vasile?" Alina asked, true surprise in her eyes.

"You got the same look that comes over Jacque when she and her fur ball are using their mind mojo. Although, I did ask her once if she was constipated because she just sort of got a constipated look on her face." Everyone's eyes were on Jen by the time she stopped talking.

"What?" she asked.

Lilly let out a small laugh. "Thank you, Jen. I needed that."

"That's what I'm here for, Ms. P. Your own personal comic relief." Jen looked back at Alina. "So seriously, what'd he say?"

Alina looked at Lilly, her face softened as she said, "Jacque contacted Fane through their bond."

Lilly took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she let it out. "Is she okay?"

"Vasile says that she told Fane that Logan had not hurt her but that she was still in pain from whatever it is that was wrong before."

"We never got a chance to talk to Dr. Steele about it," Lilly said to no one in particular.

"Did she say if Dr. Steele was with her?" Sally asked Alina.

"Jacque did say Dr. Steele was there and that they had both been kidnapped by Logan,"

Jen made a clucking noise with her tongue. "I don't know if I believe that. Dr. Steele had a back bone. I don't see her being bullied by any wolf."

"I'm with you, Vern," Sally agreed.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the driveway of Lilly's house. They all piled out of the SUV and headed for the front door, which opened before they even reached it. Decebel stood in the doorway, looking as ominous as ever, Jen thought.

"What, no kiss hello?" she goaded him, for some reason finding satisfaction when she could get a reaction out of him. Jen wasn't ready for the look he gave her in response to her remark. It actually looked as if he were considering kissing her. She scurried past him and heard him chuckle, which Jen decided not to acknowledge.

Once everyone was in the house, crowded once again into the living room, Vasile went over again what Jacque had told Fane. Finally, he told them the plan for once they arrived in Denver.

"Dillon and I decided it would be best if we did not stay at their pack headquarters, especially since we will be questioning his wolves and some might think they are being accused of something. So we will be staying in a hotel close by. We will be taking my SUV, which holds 9 and Dillon's SUV, which holds 6, to the airport. Boian, you will ride with Dillon and his wolves. It is 2:00 p.m. Now, so by the time we load the plane it will be around 3:00 p.m. The flight is a little over 2 1/2 hours, so we should arrive in Denver around 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. Any questions?" No one responded so Vasile turned to Dillon. "Do you have anything you need to say?"

"Not right now. I'm ready when you are." Vasile nodded his head and, without another word, headed towards Alina. Everyone took that as their cue to gather up their stuff and head out to their assigned vehicles.

Lilly was walking through the house, making sure all the lights were turned off when she felt a gentle hand on her arm. She turned to find Dillon looking at her with eyes that were as haunted as her own.

"I just want you to know I will do everything in my power to find her," Dillon told , and she could tell he meant every word.

"Thank you," was all she could say. She didn't know what else to say. Here the love of her life stood right before her, close enough to touch, and yet he was forever out of her reach. But it was enough, Lilly decided, that he loved their daughter. Even if he couldn't love her, he loved Jacque and that would be enough.

Once everyone was loaded into the vehicles, their bags all piled into the backs of each SUV, Sally took a minute to look at the seating arrangement. Vasile, Alina and Lilly were in the front, Sorin, Decebel, and Fane were in the back, and Sally and Jen were in the second seat with Skender sitting in between them. Sally looked around Skender to her wicked friend. "What are you up to, Lucy?" Sally whispered.

Jen had that look on her face that Sally was all too accustomed to. Sally thought of it as the face before the storm.

"Oh, Ethel, how could you possibly think I would be up to something?" Jen blinked innocently.

Sally shook her head and noticed again as she sat back that Decebel's location was directly behind Jen. Great, Jen was in one of her moods where she just had to poke the lion. She just couldn't leave well enough alone. Sally braced herself for what was sure to be an entertaining ride to the airport, no matter how brief.

Sure enough, not ten minutes in Jen let out a dramatic sigh. "Sally, I'm so freaking tired," she announced. She then tried to lean against the window, looking like she was trying to get comfortable. Once it was obvious that wasn't going to happen, she sat up and looked at Skender. She shrugged her shoulders in a very 'what the hell' sort of attitude and just before she laid her head on his shoulder, Sally saw Jen wink at her.

Sally jumped when she heard the smack across the back of Skender's head, and turned to look at where the hit had originated. Decebel was glaring at the wolf, his eyes glowing dangerously. He only said one word, but it was enough to give Sally chill bumps.

"Move," Decebel told him. Skender was up so fast that he hit his head on the roof of the vehicle. He slipped around Sally and nudged her leg with his to indicate he wanted her to move over. Sally looked back at Decebel again to see that his glowing eyes were now locked onto the back of Jen's head.

"You are a very bad girl. I've told you that before, right?" Sally whispered in Jen's ear.

"Oh, chillax. I wouldn't mess with him if it wasn't so easy, but he just walks right into them, ya know? I mean, seriously, Sally. How can I pass that up."

"Well, you could do like the rest of us and grow up," Sally said in her motherly tone.

"Ahh, but Ethel, my dear, where would be the fun in that?"

"Where indeed," Sally muttered.

Chapter 29

Jacque reclined in the chair, slightly more comfortable than when she had first woken up now that Dr. Steele, or Cynthia as she insisted she call her, had given her some pain medication. She continued to reach out to Fane, although not always with words, mostly just to feel that he was still there, that the bond was still open between them. She had decided not to mention to Fane just yet what Logan had planned. She had been diligently trying to block part of her thoughts from him so he wouldn't know that Logan was going to try to get her to take his blood. Jacque was sure that if Fane had not killed anyone yet, that little bit of information would tilt the scale.