Blood Rites

"I'm not mad at you, Cynthia. I don't have any emotions left to be mad. I just want Fane. I just want my mate." Jacque pulled back and leaned against the chair she was cuffed to.

"Can you still feel him through your bond?" Cynthia asked her.

"Yes, but I don't want him to know what happened. What if he doesn't want me anymore? How will he ever want to touch me after Logan has?"

"Jacque listen to me," Cynthia growled at her firmly. "Fane is your true mate. There is nothing in this world that could keep him from wanting you. He will never stop looking for you. You have to believe that. Let him in, let him love you, that's the only thing that will heal you emotionally and I suspect only his blood will heal you physically."

"What if he doesn't find me in time? What if I die before he can give me his blood?" Jacque thought she would be sick at the idea of never seeing Fane or friends and family again.

"Don't spend this time separate from him. Reach out through your bond. You have to know it's killing him for you not to let him in and I can tell it's killing you."

Cynthia's head jerked towards the door a second before it opened. Jacque couldn't help the whimper that emitted, but steeled herself before she would let her fear over take her. She decided then and there this asshole would not break her. She wouldn't let him take Fane from her.

"You're awake, finally." Logan glared at her, the contempt obvious on his face.

"Yes, well I'm sorry to keep you waiting but it takes a little out of a girl when she's assaulted. You will have to forgive my lack of consideration towards your feelings," she growled out, knowing she shouldn't provoke him but unable to stop himself.

Cynthia placed a hand on her leg, a silent warning.

"Yes, well like I said, you pushed me Jacque. Now you know. If you push, I will push back, and I will always win."

Jacque didn't respond, she simply glared at him, meeting his stare without flinching.

Logan chuckled. "I see you really are an Alpha, good to know. I would hate for you to be so easily broken. Where would be the fun in that?"

"Logan, I told you earlier that if you want her as a mate then you are not going about it the right way," Cynthia tried reasoning with him.

"I will feel better once my mate no longer bears the marks of another. I will have you give Jacque some of that sedative, Cynthia. That way she won't be in too much pain when I have them burned from her body."

Cynthia gasped. "You're not going to touch her, Logan. I will die before you lay another hand on her."

"Oh, don't worry, Cynthia. That can be arranged. But first I thought you would want to see this through, since you helped me and all. Doesn't it feel good to know that the wolf who killed your Alpha will never have his mate? I thought you would be happy," Logan taunted.

"I can't wait to watch Fane rip your limbs off one at a time. I will revel in your screams and then bathe in your blood." The look Jacque gave him was feral and even she was surprised at the bloodthirsty sound of her voice.

"You are a feisty one, I like that. I'll bring your dinner in in a moment and then you should get some rest, love. Tomorrow looks to be a rather trying day for you." Logan chuckled as he turned to leave.

Jacque watched as he shut the door behind him. She doubled over as pain uncoiled in her body.

"Jacque, is the pain getting worse?" Cynthia asked gently.

"Yes, it just hurts. Will you talk to me, distract me please."

Cynthia thought for a moment, trying to figure out what to talk about, then she remembered about Jennifer and her blood.

"I found out what was different with your friend's blood."

Jacque looked up, genuine interest on her face. "Really? What is it? Is she okay?"

"She has werewolf blood."

"Shut up," Jacque responded bluntly.

"Um, okay," Cynthia said, confused.

"Oh, no, I don't mean really shut up. It's more like an 'oh crap' statement," Jacque quickly explained.

"Oh, well then, let me explain. Jennifer has werewolf blood, although just a little bit. There is this thing called the one drop rule. It was actually used to describe the amount of mixed blood a person had back in the civil war days when there was beginning to be interracial relationships and people were beginning to see mixed children between African Americans and Caucasians."

Cynthia spent the next couple hours explaining to Jacque all about the one drop rule, and how it applied to Jen. Jacque couldn't believe what she was hearing and undoubtedly had been able to successfully keep her mind off of her pain. So maybe it was possible that Decebel was her mate?

"Decebel has been acting so protective of Jen. Is it possible he is her mate even though they haven't heard each other's thoughts and she doesn't have his marks?" Jacque asked.

"I guess it's possible that since Jennifer's blood is rather diluted. I guess it could require something more for the mating signs to reveal themselves."

"What do you mean something more?"

"Perhaps a major physical or emotional reaction is required to trigger the mating response," Cynthia explained.

"Huh, that sounds like what I learned in psychology about how people with dormant genes of mental illness sometimes have to have some sort of major life event to bring the gene to the forefront."

"That's a good point, Jacque. It's quite possible it's similar to that."

Both women were quiet after the long conversation, both thinking of the possibilities. Jacque finally laid down, grabbing a pillow off the chair. She turned onto her side facing away from Cynthia, needing some time to think. She felt Cynthia lay a blanket over her and said a silent thank you that the woman seemed to understand that Jacque needed to be left alone for the moment. That alone time didn't last long. She felt a hard push in her mind and could have done nothing to keep him out.

"Jacquelyn, don’t shut me out. Please don't ever force me to push into your mind like that again." Jacque could hear the desperation in his voice.

"I'm sorry I blocked you, Fane, but I don't know how to face you right now." Jacque bit her lip to keep from crying. She wouldn't break down before she had told him everything, he had a right to know.

"Tell me, Luna. Tell me whatever you need to, but first hear this: I will always love you, always need and want you. Don't you dare ever doubt that, are we clear?"