Beyond the Veil by Quinn Loftis (1)

 

 

Prologue

"No one ever thinks of the consequences of promising to name your firstborn child after your best friend. If your best friend is Jen, however, you should think of any and all possible consequences which are, more often than not, created simply by her presence."

~ Sally

 

Jacque just happened to be walking by the door when she heard one of her best friends yell, "Bloody hell!"

She backpedaled to Sally's door and, without knocking, turned the knob and quickly pushed it open.

"Sally, sweetie, you okay?" she called tentatively into the room.

"I'm over here, Jacque, and okay is taking a vacation at the moment."

Jacque followed the sound of Sally's voice into the attached bathroom.

She found her friend standing in her bra and shorts with her back to the mirror, holding a handheld mirror in one hand so that she could see her reflection from behind. Jacque's mouth dropped open at the sight.

"Yeah, that was my first reaction too." Sally nodded at Jacque's dropped jaw. "But then I moved quickly into the next possible reaction of, 'what the hell is on my back?'"

"Your markings," Jacque whispered. "So he really is your mate."

"That, or some random wolf is walking around out there with new markings that he wasn't expecting. If you hear a loud, deep voice reacting in kind, then we will know." Sally's voice was shaky, but she was beginning to regain her bearings.

"Peri said that when you turned 18 the mate signs would show up." Jacque motioned with a head bob to Sally's back. "Guess the old Fae knew what she was talking about. Today is your birthday."

"I don't hear anything in my mind." Sally closed her eyes and scrunched up her face.

Jacque laughed. "You won't have to make funny faces in order to hear your mate, Sal, although you probably will until you get used to hearing a disembodied voice in your head. In which case Jen will be sure to ask you if you're constipated."

 

"Who's constipated?" They heard Jen's voice coming from Sally's room. "You know, they make stuff to help unclog the pipes down there." Jen came into the bathroom doorway and grinned at her two best friends. "So, you guys started the party without me, I see. Sally's already started stripping."

"Yeah, Jen, we didn't want to invited you so we decided to have Sally's birthday party in her bathroom because, ya know, that is all kinds of cool," Jacque rolled her eyes at Jen.

"Mother of pearl," Jen murmured as she saw Sally's back. "Well, welcome to the mated family, Sal. I will tell you now that the sex is fantastic. Just in case you were wondering."

"Gee, Jen, that's exactly what was crossing my mind right about now, as I realize that my life has just changed for, I don't know, EVER!" Sally yelled.

Jen calmly replied, "Now, have you gotten the shrieking out of your system or do you need to hang your head out the window and let it rip?"

Jacque silently watched Sally's thoughts pass across her sweet, gentle face.

"No, I don't think I need a hanging out the window moment right now. However, I reserve the right to have that moment when it is deemed appropriate." Sally was taking slow, deep breaths as she spoke. She had a hand pressed to her heart as if that could keep it from beating out of her chest.

"Your request is duly noted," Jen said with a curt nod.

 

Jen jumped up on the bathroom counter and began to swing her legs. She felt warmth flow over her as her mate spoke through their bond.

"How is she?" Decebel's voice was deep, and yet very gentle.

"Actually, not doing too bad. She didn't have a break down, and oddly enough she wasn't interested in hearing about married sex life with a werewolf."

"Imagine that, baby, someone not obsessed with the physical relationship between mates. Someone who doesn’t feel the need to discuss them with others and who would, more than likely, listen to her mate when he asks her to keep her trap shut."

Jen let out a low growl. "You are getting entirely too comfortable with the concept of sarcasm, my dear mate."

"Can I help it if I have had the best teacher known to man?" Decebel's voice was tinged with humor and Jen swore she could feel him swat her butt.

"That's enough, B. I've got a party to get ready for."

“You do understand that that nickname no longer applies? I’m an Alpha, not a Beta.”

Jen snorted out loud. “Oh, my sweet fur ball, I wasn’t using the letter 'B' to refer to your former Beta status. Nope.” She grinned to herself. “The B now has a whole different meaning. You’re a smart cookie; you’ll figure it out.”

She sent him an image of her winking at him and blowing  him a kiss. “See you later, alligator.”

"Behave." Decebel's voice took on a deep timbre. "And, Jennifer, you will keep your clothes on at this party."

"Why, my dear hubby, whatever do you mean? A well-bred southern girl like me would never participate in such public spectacles."  Jen laid on the thick southern accent in her thoughts as she teased him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"I feel the need to tell you that Decebel has informed me that I must keep my clothes on tonight at the party," Jen told her friends as she examined her nails, looking for all the world like she had no plans to oblige him.

Sally's head snapped to look at Jen. "Actually, that's not a half bad idea."

Jen's jaw dropped. "You want me to strip at your eighteenth birthday party? You do realize that a stripper is typically used at a bachelorette party, not a birthday party?  If a stripper is used for a birthday party, it’s really only appropriate for the big two-one. And even then it has to be at the beginning of the party because shortly after it starts everyone is smashed enough to think that they have the body to be a stripper as well.  That’s when things get ugly – literally.”

Sally and Jacque stared open-mouthed at Jen. Before they could talk she quickly added, “Oh, and in case you haven’t noticed, I am very much a female. I would think that if you must have a stripper at your party then surely you would want someone, oh, I don’t know, who maybe has the absence of breasts. Unless, of course, you are into man boobs.  But I think you would find it hard to find a male stripper who is endowed with said boobs. Especially if you were wanting someone with my -”

Sally interrupted Jen’s commentary with a loud shout. “SHUT IT, JENNIFER!”

Jen’s mouth snapped closed as her eyes widened, staring at Sally in surprise. “Wow, kitty has grown some claws,” she muttered.

"The point is not for me to enjoy the show, Jen,” Sally snapped. "The point is, if you strip, you would keep the attention off me."

"It's your party, you goober smooch. The attention is supposed to be on you."

Jacque snorted out a laugh. "Did you just call her -"

Jen interrupted her redheaded friend. "Yes, a goober smooch. It is completely warranted at this point in the conversation. Also, I don't think you two understand the wrath that I would endure from the Alpha of the Serbian pack for even taking off my shoes and wiggling my cute little toes at everyone."

This time Sally and Jacque laughed together.

"Man, that would totally be a Mastercard moment – priceless."

"Who said your toes were cute?" Sally added.

"Don't be brash, Sally." Jen rolled her eyes. "You just asked me, me of all people to take my clothes off in front of at least 50 people, maybe more."

"Jen, you played strip poker with the enemy. You flashed your not-quite mate in front of the other males of our pack, you -"

Jen snapped her fingers together in front of Sally's mouth with a, "Shh!"

"That was the old Jen. This is the newly improved, mated Jen," she said, the look on her face daring them to contradict her – and, of course they did.

"Do you really want me to get into the fact that I saw you running to your room in the middle of the night just a few days ago…in your underwear?"

Jen clapped her hands together, laughing. "Oh, man, you guys should have seen his face. I thought he was going to kill me."

This time, Sally and Jacque crossed their arms across their chests, giving their own smirks back.

"Okay, okay. So maybe I still have a tendency to run about in less than acceptable attire. Still, this is a major, seriously owe me, like, name your first child after me request."

"That's okay," Sally said enthusiastically. "The chances of me getting pregnant are slim to none, so I can go with that. And of course, if it's a boy, I won't have to name him after you."

Jen clucked her tongue at Sally. "Oh, you naïve, sweet thing.  You think a little thing like the sex of your child will get you out of naming him after me if I do this for you?" She shook her head as she took slow steps toward the brown-eyed healer.  "Oh, no, gypsy woman. You will name him after me. I don't care if it's JenBo, JenBob, or JenJakifer; I don't care if it's as blatant as YesIAmABoyNamedJennifer. But know this: I will sign my freedom away by simply suggesting that I'm going to undress. I will have to watch my oh-so-possessive mate stare daggers at me  while I dance on a table. Then I will have to tuck my furry little tail and run for my life from said possessive mate. For  all this, you will owe me."

Jacque let out a low whistle. "Man, Decebel must be tying her up whenever she steps out of line. She's usually jumping at the opportunity to get freaky in a crowd – the bigger, the better."

Sally was looking at Jen with her mouth dropped open, but nodded, acknowledging Jacque's words.

Jen stepped back and clapped her hands together with a grin. "So, now that that's settled, when does this hoedown get started?"

 

 

Chapter 1

"In the event of some sort of gathering, if one of the bossy, overbearing, possessive fur balls has not flipped his switch and attacked some poor young pup in some misguided attempt to protect his woman's virtue, then the night is not over." - Jen

 

 

Costin paced his room like a caged tiger after having stood in front of the mirror for an hour, staring at the markings that now encompassed more than just his right shoulder and right shoulder blade. The markings had moved up the right side of his neck to behind his ear and down his right arm. There was one swirl that came just an inch over his right shoulder, close to his collarbone. He was more surprised by that than anything. It meant that he had the potential to be an Alpha. The right-sided markings revealed his dominant status, but only Alphas had markings on the front of their bodies.

His natural inclination after seeing them was to head straight for Sally's room and demand she bond with him – now. But, surprisingly, his wolf had stopped him and reminded him that she wasn't a wolf, she was human, and wouldn't totally understand the need for him to claim her. So after pausing to think about it, he realized that after all these months of seeing Sally and her friends interact, she would need them as she discovered that they were indeed mates and with the physical evidence to prove it.

Of course, that made Costin want to jump up and down like a teenage boy who had just landed a date with the girl of his dreams – which, to some degree, was exactly what had happened. Only this date was going to last a lifetime. He had no problem with that, but he had known his whole life that he would be mated to someone the Great Luna had made just for him. Sally wasn't from his world, despite having lived in it for nearly six months. Humans chose their mates; Canis lupis had one perfect mate out there that carried the other half of their soul.

With those thoughts running through his mind, he decided to give her some time.Well, until her party started. Then she had to face him. A wicked grin spread across Costin's face as he pulled a deep green dress shirt over his head and buttoned it up, leaving it untucked. He rolled the sleeves halfway up his forearms. Then he slipped on a faded pair of well-worn, loose jeans and grabbed his brown steel toe boots.

He looked in the mirror one last time and ran his fingers through his dark, messy hair. Shrugging, he thought that for a bartender he looked pretty good.

Good enough.

Finally, whistling a random tune, he headed out of his room – dimpled grin and all – to hunt down his mate.

 

 

 

Sally tensed at the sound of the knock on her door.

She had tried to leave her room with her two best friends, but they'd insisted she wait for Costin. Her response was, “What if he doesn't come and get me? How dumb would I look?”

Jen and Jacque's responses were identical, with a snort, rolled eyes, and a, "Yeah, good luck with thinking that your mate won't always come find you."

 

She walked over to the door and smoothed the simple black dress she wore. It was knee-length, and flared out from the empire waist; just below the bottom hemline was one inch of black lace – a small black bow was tied at her left hip. It was the dress that she had planned to wear to her senior prom. It had a small V back that ended just between her shoulder blades. If her hair was down, it covered the markings on her back, which Jen and Jacque had been adamant about. Covering them in public was important, but it was actually good that the dress showed a little of the marks. Sally had asked why and Jacque had explained how important the markings were to the males and that Costin would want to look at them.

Sally knew that she was safe with Costin, but she had never really had a boyfriend. She didn't figure that Steven Mathews attempting to kiss her by shoving his tongue in her mouth after school in the seventh grade counted. Everything with the whole true mate stuff seemed so intimate in comparison with anything she knew about relationships.

Another knock brought her out of her thoughts. Apprehensively, she grasped the door knob and pulled it open.

Costin's contagious, dimpled smile was positively breathtaking on his handsome face. She took in his appearance and liked how he hadn't changed who he was for her party. He didn't try to look fancy or be something he wasn't; his untucked dress shirt and jeans fit him perfectly and a little voice inside her whispered that he was freaking hot. She called that voice her “inner Jen”.

Jacque and Jen did not know about her inner Jen  – it was her little secret when she needed a boost of confidence.

Sally smiled back and stepped aside to let him into the room.

"You look beautiful," Costin told her as he stepped close. Sally noted, not for the first time, that he had no sense of personal space boundaries – at least not when it came to her.

"Thank you." She felt the blush creep up her neck. "You look handsome."

He winked at her. "Pretty spiffy for a bartender in Romania."

Sally let out a small laugh. "I prefer it to a suit."

"Excellent." Costin smiled. He began to circle her slowly and his smile turned intense and there was a wicked gleam in his hazel eyes. Sally took in a short gasp when she noticed they were glowing.

"Do you have something to show me, Sally mine?"

It was then that Sally noticed the markings climbing up the right side of his neck and the ones that crawled down his right arm from underneath his rolled-back sleeve.

"Umm," Sally stalled.

"My markings have changed. Surely you noticed." He was teasing her and the tone of his voice helped her relax.

She slipped her hand under her brown hair and swept it over her shoulder to reveal her back to him.

A low growl came from him as he stood behind her. She nearly jumped away when she felt his fingers like a whisper of silk against her skin. Starting at the top of her neck, his fingers traced the marks until the dress halted his progression.

"Easy," he whispered to her when she jumped.

Sally swore she could feel the oxygen being sucked from the room as Costin's dominance filled the space.

"Umm, Costin," Sally squeezed out through her tight lungs. "Sort of short of breath here."

Costin immediately reigned in his possessiveness at the sight of the beautiful markings, which climbed up her spine like a vine. He pulled her hair back over her shoulder to cover them.

His hand rested on her waist and followed around as he circled back to stand in front of her. "Your friends explained what the markings mean?" The question was gentle.

Sally nodded. "They mean that I'm your mate."

Costin grinned. "Yes, gypsy lady, you are indeed mine. But those markings are for my eyes only." His voice was still gentle, but there was an underlying darkness to them. It was clear that he, like Fane and Decebel, was going to be very possessive and obsessive about the markings.

"Your eyes only," Sally repeated. "Got it."

"So," Costin's voice brightened as he squeezed her waist, "I hear you have a birthday today."

Sally laughed. "I don't know where you could have possibly heard that."

"It might have been from a certain blonde running around the mansion reminding everyone of the party of the century taking place in honor of, and I quote, 'the most bad ass gypsy healer known to man', which was followed up with a, 'no offense to Rachel, but fact is fact'.

Sally rolled her eyes and let out a moan of embarrassment. "Sometimes I think we should make a waiver for her to sign so that she understands we aren't responsible for our actions when she flies off at the mouth."

"Well, I for one have been looking forward to it. It will be the first time that we will be seen before the pack as mates, though not bonded," Costin's eyes cut to the side to look at her as he led her to the door, "yet," he finished boldly.

Sally followed him out of her room and had to admit that she liked his hand on the small of her back as he guided her to the large gathering room. The party was already in full swing. Jen and Jacque had gone all out – with the help of Crina and Cynthia, of course.

 

As Costin led her up to the entryway, the music suddenly died and all eyes turned to look at them. She hadn't considered how large the party would be since Decebel's Serbian pack had been invited. Not all of them had shown up but there was a good number. Sally almost took an involuntary step back but Costin's firm hand held her in place as he whispered, "I've got you. I've always got you."

Sally let out the breath she had been holding and smiled at the room.

 

"Finally!" Jen spoke into a microphone from across the room. She stood next to the table where the "DJ" was set up. "Here's the birthday girl, everyone! Get your well wishes in because she will soon be on the dance floor partying like it's 1969." Jen paused and spoke softly to Jacque but didn't cover the microphone. Jacque was standing next to Jen, trying not to laugh.

"Was 1969 a good party year? Do we know?" the room heard through the speakers. Snickers rippled through the crowd.

Jacque looked at her and shook her head. "How about we party like it's New Year's Eve 2009?"

A huge smile spread across Jen's face. "Ah, that was a good one." She turned back to the crowd and yelled again, "Rewind! We're going to party like it's New Year's Eve 2009. If you're curious as to how awesome a party that was, please see me, Jacque, or Sally. Sally's version will be much more accurate, and also free of any important inappropriate details." Before she could say anything else, a large hand wrapped around the microphone and pulled it from Jen's hand.

Decebel handed the mike to Jacque as he growled at his mate and pulled her away. All the while Jen was telling him exactly how much she didn't appreciate him getting all up in her Kool Aid.

"Happy birthday, Sally!" Jacque said into the microphone and the room broke into applause. "Everyone enjoy yourselves. The cake will be out soon, and then presents!"

As soon as Jacque put the microphone down and the music resumed, the crowd was back in motion and the murmur of conversation filled the air.

 

Sally looked up at Costin as they continued into the room. "Well, that was interesting," he said softly and grinned.

Sally was wrapped in a tight hug before she could respond to Costin's remark.

"You look amazing!" Jen squeezed her, apparently haven gotten away from Decebel.

"Jen, you saw me before I came down." Sally told her with raised eyebrows.

"That's not the point. It's all about presentation. You walk up in here in this yummy black dress with yummy, furry eye candy plastered to you... Jeez, you are very striking together."

Sally tried to put some space between her and Costin after being referred to as “plastered” to him. Costin tightened his hold on her and pulled her close. The move did not go unnoticed by eagle-eye Jen, who raised a single eyebrow at Sally and smirked. Sally was very tempted to kick Jen in the shin or give her the one finger salute that Jen tended to throw around when she was in a particularly nasty mood.

However, Sally decided that the birthday girl should probably not act that way. She did note that her inner Jen was all for the kicking and saluting.

 

Sally, Jacque, Jen, Crina, and even Cynthia spent most the time on the dance floor. They bumped and ground and gyrated all over, earning them applause and laughs from both packs and growls and frowns from their mates. Crina, of course, loved rubbing in the fact that she didn't have to worry about a mate dragging her off the dance floor.

 

Finally, after an hour or more of dancing, Jacque announced the entry of the birthday cake, which was beautiful, but Sally did not understand its shape. Perizada stepped up next to the table on which the cake had been rolled out.

"I can tell by the look on your face that you don't know what your cake is supposed to be." Perizada smiled at Sally.

Sally looked at the three round maroon cakes that were pushed together, forming a circle.

"Berries?" 

Peri chuckled. "No, healer. This is a gypsy rune symbol. It indicates a bonding when thrown during a casting of the future, or can link situations together when used properly. This cake was chosen due to what a little bird -"

"Jen," Jacque coughed, trying to disguise Jen's name as she interrupted Peri, who continued on as if Jacque hadn't spoken.

“- who told me that you have experienced a bond. Am I correct?"

Sally froze at Peri's question. She knew she couldn't hide her and Costin's mating signs forever, and she knew that they would have to complete the bonding ceremony – eventually. What she didn't know was how to face a room full of Canis lupis and discuss her love life.

Before she could speak Costin stepped forward, and as he said he would, he had her.

"We are here to celebrate Sally turning eighteen." Costin's voice rang firmly over the room, and the dominance he so easily hid was very evident now. "At this moment there is nothing more important than celebrating that on this day, eighteen years ago, Sally Morgan came into the world. Thank you, Peri, for the explanation of the cake. I for one am ready for Sally to blow out the candles so I can have a piece."

As Sally stepped forward to blow out the candles, Jen eased over next to Costin.

"Well played, lover boy. Well played." Jen nodded her approval at Costin's protection of Sally and continued past him toward the cake.

 

 

After Sally had opened present after present – with the help of Jen's incessant commentary – the night began to draw to a close. Sally was breathing more easily. Costin had graciously side-stepped a formal announcement of their mate signs and Jen had kept her clothes on. All in all, it was a successful party. In fact, she had been having so much fun with the girls that she had pushed her and Costin's bonding to the furthest part of her mind. It wasn't until she pulled her hair into a pony tail that the hell that she'd hoped wouldn't break out...did.

 

Jen, Jacque, and Sally sat on the far side of the great room, pretty much oblivious to everyone else as they reminisced about things from high school and how, if a year ago someone had told them they would discover the existence of werewolves, they would have busted a gut laughing. Then they started laughing over the things Jen had pulled over the past year once they all had gotten their driver's licenses.

Late one night, two weeks after Jen had gotten her license, she took her new found independence in her new Honda Civic and used it to wreak havoc on the good people of Coldspring. Jen – and, of course, she dragged Jacque and Sally along – made the rounds to each student or teacher that fit into her “waste of perfectly good oxygen” category. Depending on the amount of oxygen the person wasted, according to Jen, determined the intensity of the prank. Some got their cars saran-wrapped so they couldn’t open the car doors; some had their yard forked, which was very time consuming and utterly annoying to the prank-ee when it came time to mow the grass; some got Vaseline put on every visible handle of any kind. After that night, Sally and Jacque had wholeheartedly agreed that allowing Jen access to a vehicle was definitely not in the public's best interest.

"I can't believe your parents thought it was a good idea to let you have a car," Jacque said, then cocked her head to the side. "Speaking of parents, when are you two going to call dear old mom and dad and give them the news of your change in circumstance?"

Before either Jen or Sally could answer, Sally felt a finger brush gently against her back, directly over her spine. She knew instantly that it wasn't Costin because the sensation of ants crawling all over her skin rippled over her. Jacque's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of her head as her mouth dropped open and Sally just had time to hear Jen mutter under her breath before a deafening snarl ripped through the room.

"Guess I'm going to have to strip after all." Jen stood, motioning to the DJ by bumping her thumb in an upward motion, indicating she wanted him to increase the volume. As she climbed up onto the table, she watched Costin, who was now glaring at the young Serbian pack member who stood behind a terrified looking Sally.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion from that point on.

"Shit," Jen breathed out as she watched Costin lunge and phase in mid air. Only a few in the back of the room had realized what was going on, so Jen took the opportunity to jump across from table to table, like a frog on lily pads, until she landed on the table closest to the dance floor – and in one of those rare Jen moments, the DJ started The Black Eyed Peas' "Let's Get it Started in Here".

Jen thought, How appropriate, and then let out a loud whoop, pulled her hair out of her pony tail, and shook it out as her body moved to the rhythm of the music. She tried to ignore the growling in her mind. She knew that Decebel would be torn on whether to drag her off the table or help restrain Costin from killing one of his pack members. She could admit that maybe by now she would have learned not to poke the sleeping tiger, or in this case, wolf. But as she had said in other stripping situations, desperate times call for desperate measures.

The crowd was clapping and all turned to watch Jen as she kicked off a shoe. She was trying to do as much dancing as possible in between removing items from her body, hoping to minimize the damage. She kicked off her other shoe, and when she began to pull up the sheer black top she wore over a camisole, the room erupted in whistles and more applause.

The music switched and Pitbull's voice came across the speakers, "Give Me Everything" streaming out. Again Jen mentally rolled her eyes at the song, wondering if each one was going to describe the current situation. Someone in the universe was taking great pleasure in adding to the already dangerous situation.  Jen made a big show of using the sheer top as a dancing prop so she could keep from removing more clothing.  She heard Decebel's voice in her mind and the anger that radiated from it.

"Why are you always the one to volunteer to take your clothes off in public?" Decebel's tone barely covered the contained rage. She could feel his power pulsing through the room as he commanded Costin not to attack. She was amazed that he could admonish her while dealing with a feral wolf.

"Is it some compulsive behavior that every so often makes you feel the need to strip? Because that can easily be accommodated. The difference? I will be your ONLY AUDIENCE! Now put what you have removed back on and step down from the table. If a male touches you as you remove yourself from that table he forfeits his life."

"Aren't you being a little dramatic? You would rather me fall off this table than let a gentleman help me?" Jen put her shirt back over her head and took her shoes from Crina, who had picked them up.

Crina winked at Jen and mouthed, “You're my hero”.

"You got your butt up on that table on your own; you will get down on your own. I might not be bothered by a male helping you if you had not just sparked all kinds of excitement in their young, immature minds."

With an exasperated sigh Jen sat down on the table and slid off.

"It's not like they're going to get all hot and bothered over my sexy little toes," she muttered, heading back to the table where she, Sally, and Jacque had been sitting before the evening's main – and dramatic – event.

 

 

Costin's wolf was out of control and the only thing able to hold him in place was Decebel's dominance. Vasile had not intervened since a Serbian pack member had committed the offense.

Decebel commanded him to stop and the Alpha command wrapped around Costin and halted him in his tracks. He stood snarling, his eyes glued to the wolf that had so stupidly touched Sally. Costin was trying to push his wolf back and regain control, but the wolf was having none of it. The possessiveness he felt toward Sally was like nothing he had ever experienced, and on some level it worried him that as long as they weren't bonded he was dangerous to anyone and everyone. But it did not bother him enough to keep him from making it clear, when he walked over to Sally and stood in front of her, that no one was to get close to her. He snarled and met the gaze of each wolf and waited for them to lower their eyes. Costin looked at Sally and let out a low rumble. She started to take a step back at what seemed to be a growl, but Costin shook his head. Then he motioned with an upward nod.

"I – I..." Sally's voice was hoarse as she tried to speak to the wolf that was Costin. "I don't know what you want.”

Jen stepped up and gently pulled Sally's dark brown hair from the pony tail and arranged it in a way that covered the markings on her back.

"He wants these out of sight so that no other flea-infested fur ball will see them," Jen whispered.

Sally's head snapped around toward Jen and then back to Costin.

"I forgot." Her voice was apologetic. "I'm -" She started to say more but stopped when Costin nudged her hip, trying to push her toward the door.

"I think he needs to call it a night," Decebel told Sally.

She still had the shell-shocked look that had come across her face when Costin landed next to her, looking every bit the part of the big bad wolf.

Sally nodded absently as she turned and headed for the doors with Costin walking so close to her that she could feel his fur brushing her leg. Sally heard Decebel tell someone – she assumed Jen and Jacque – to come check on her in a little while.

Sally wasn't sure what she would say to them. Am I okay? she thought as she continued up the stairs toward her room. She decided to be honest with herself: no, she was definitely not okay.

 

Chapter 2

"If you find yourself suddenly mated to a werewolf, whatever you do don't panic. Simply turn to Jen for assistance and she will give you a cool acronym to call him…because that's just so important." -Sally

 

Once they were at Sally's door Costin nudged her forward. She opened it and when she stepped back to let him in he stayed in the hall. Sally stared for a moment before it hit her.

"You need to phase back and get dressed," she said.

Costin nodded once and then stepped forward. With his right paw he stomped the floor just outside her room. Sally cocked her head to the side, not understanding. She watched as he did it again and then shook his head as if to say no.

"Oh." Sally brightened, proud of herself for deciphering his sign language. "You're telling me not to leave my room."

Costin nodded his big wolf head again. His eyes had begun glowing during the earlier confrontation and even now they shimmered an eerie shade of green.

Sally's inner Jen had been triggered as soon as she got the words out. So, naturally, she did what her inner Jen told her to – she stepped forward, putting one toe outside her door. Costin growled, so she stepped back. Watching him coyly, she put her other toe outside her door, and he growled again. Inwardly she was scolding herself for taunting him and allowing her inner Jen to control her actions, but she had discovered long ago that sometimes inner Jen was just more fun.

When Sally stuck her foot out for the third time, she giggled when Costin snapped at her. She could tell he was playing by the way his tail wagged and his eyes lightened.  It seemed her playfulness had helped calmed him. That was a good thing because she was going to need him calm for what she wanted to discuss.

"Are you coming back?" Her words were tentative.

Costin nodded once, then turned and trotted off toward his room.

 

Sally closed the door and stood with her back pressed against it. She closed her eyes and took slow, deep breaths, trying really hard to get the picture of Costin lunging across the room – lips curled back, eyes glowing, ears down and hackles raised – out of her mind. She wasn't afraid of him, not exactly. She was afraid of the intensity he felt for her, and she for him. It was one thing to see your two best friends meet their soul mates and watch the passion they felt for each other flow out them like water, and another to experience it yourself.

She took one last deep breath and headed to her closet to change out of her dress. She put on a red, fitted long sleeve tee shirt and a pair of black, low waist yoga pants. She was going for comfort, at least physically because she knew as soon as Costin returned, emotional comfort would fly out the door as he closed it behind him.

Sally was walking out of her closet when the knock came.

 

 

"How long do you think it's going to take Decebel to deal with the wayward wolf who touched Sally?" Jen asked Jacque casually as they sat in the now nearly empty gathering room.

After Sally and Costin had left, both Vasile and Decebel had agreed it was time to call it a night. Jen and Jacque had been helping clean upm\, but just as Jen was carrying empty cups toward the trash, Decebel told her to park her cute butt and not move. So she had dragged Jacque with her to a table and parked it.

"I don't know, probably not long. Why?"

Jen shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, no reason."

Jacque's head slowly turned to look at Jen. "What do you have up your sleeve?"

"I'm just trying to calculate how much time it would take me to undress, phase, and go hide in the woods." Jen leaned in close to Jacque, whispering her words.

"Are you blocking your thoughts from him?" Jacque whispered back.

Jen nodded. "I'm giving him the impression that I'm pouting and that's why I'm blocking them."

"Do you honestly believe he doesn't think you are plotting some escape plan?" Jacque looked back to where Decebel, Vasile, Fane, Gavril, and Sorin had gathered around the young wolf, who was adamantly shaking his head. Jacque called on her newly-found wolf skills and used the hyper-sensitive hearing.

"I don't know why I touched her. I honestly wasn't challenging Costin. I didn't even know she was mated!" Jacque heard the guy tell them.

"She isn't mated yet," Decebel explained. "That is why Costin reacted so strongly. You could challenge him for her. Let me strongly advise against that." Decebel's voice was gruff but not harsh.

"Alpha," the young wolf looked up at Decebel, "I honestly don't know why I touched her. I was walking by and glanced at her and then I was touching her."

Jacque watched Decebel turn to Vasile and then Gavril, "Do you think this has anything to with her being a healer? Are wolves drawn to healers? And, if so, could the fact that she and her mate have the mate signs but aren't bonded essentially paint a target on her back?"

"How would this make her a target?" Jacque heard Sorin ask. She smiled to herself and mentally thanked him for taking the words out of her mouth.

Decebel answered, "As long as Sally isn't bonded to Costin he can be challenged for her. If there is any dissension in my pack that I haven't weeded out, they could use Sally as a way to attempt to kill one of our dominants, not to mention take one of our healers. Unbonded mates are a disaster. The males are unpredictable and violent."

"They have the mate signs, why not have them do the bond as quickly as possible?" Gavril offered.

"Have you discussed with Costin his place in your pack?" Vasile asked Decebel.

"Yes." Decebel nodded.

Jacque perked up at this information. This was news to her.

"Wolf-man, you holding out on me?" she sent Fane the thought through their bond.

Fane had become so accustomed to having Jacque in his thoughts that he never indicated in any outward way that she was talking to him.

"I just found out today and was commanded by our Alpha to keep it between the ones you see standing here."

"That sucks," Jacque whined and turned back to fill Jen in. She tried to slap her hand over her mouth before the "hell fire," slipped out but her arm was not quick enough. She whipped her head around in time to see Decebel's eyes snap over at the sound of her voice. He looked at her and then at the empty seat next to her and chills ran across her skin as Decebel's eyes began to glow and a very wicked grin spread across his face.

Jacque shuddered. She knew that look. That was the look of a wolf getting ready to hunt.

"Do you think you should stall Decebel and let Jen get a little more of a head start on him?" Jacque asked Fane.

This time she saw him visibly shaking his head as he answered, "When are you females going to get it through your heads that you don't get in the way of a male and his mate? Especially an Alpha."

"Scared?" Jacque taunted.

Fane slowly turned and looked at her from across the room. Jacque could see the blue glow in his eyes. 

"What is with all the glowing eyes tonight?"

"You know why our eyes glow," Fane responded. "You've challenged me, love. That is why my eyes are glowing."

"Challenged you? When?"  Jacque's voice squeaked out.

"I must now prove to you that I am not scared of the Serbian Alpha."

Jacque's chair crashed to the floor as she stood up abruptly.

"I was just teasing, Fane. I know you aren't scared of him. Don't do anything stupid."

She watched as Fane cocked his head to the side, a motion Jacque had seen him make in his wolf form.

"Now you think that it would be stupid of me to attempt to prove I am not scared of him because why? Because you don't think I could hold my own against him?"  Fane's voice was thick with accusation.

Jacque stomped her foot, something that she hated doing, but somehow Fane managed to elicit the reaction on a regular basis. "Fane, stop. I know you are brave and can take on any wolf who challenges you. I know that you can go all 'I can kick your butt with one paw tied behind my flanks' on your enemy. You've already proved it many times over." She was pleading with him, and through their bond she let him feel the truth in her words.

Jacque watched as Fane's grim face turned into a brilliant smile.

"A paw tied behind my flanks?"  he asked incredulously."I don't know whether to be flattered that you think I am so capable or laugh at the imagery your words evoke. In any case, I think they are done here. You ready to go to bed?"

Jacque watched her mate walk toward her. Her jaw dropped open at his playfulness.

When he got close she crossed her arms across her chest and glared.

"You were playing me, weren't you? You were never going to challenge Decebel," she accused.

Fane laughed. "I may be paw-tying awesome love, but he just became pack Alpha and is mated. I'm not stupid."

Jacque huffed.

Fane took her hand and began to lead her from the room. They stopped abruptly when they heard a low snarl and then a loud howl. Decebel had phased right there in the gathering room. Jacque looked over her shoulder at the massive grey wolf with his four white paws. She felt the pull in her as her wolf responded to the Alpha. As the howl died, Decebel's head snapped down and his gaze landed right where Fane and Jacque were standing. Decebel began to move toward them at a fast pace. Fane quickly pulled Jacque to the side just as Decebel passed them. They heard another snarl as Decebel pushed open the mansion doors and took off into the night.

"He must get exhausted being mated to Jen." Jacque chuckled.

"Decebel was a stone before Jen came along. No life was in his eyes. She has brought that back to him. Everything about her is exactly what he needs. Just as everything you are is exactly what I need."

Jacque stopped and pulled Fane's head down to kiss him passionately.

When she pulled back she looked deeply into his eyes. "I don't know how you do it, wolf-man, but you always manage to say what I need to hear."

Fane winked and tugged her to keep moving. "I have a book."

Jacque laughed. "Naturally," she said, and rolled her eyes.

  

~

 

Sally stepped aside and Costin walked into her room. Her nervousness was obvious, but he didn't sense any fear of him. Nerves he could deal with; he didn't think he could handle her being afraid of him. He moved slowly, not wanting to upset her more.

Costin looked around for a place to sit. The queen size bed had a simple wooden headboard and a silver bedspread on it. It was against the wall in the middle of the room. There was a tall chest of drawers opposite the bed and on the wall to the left was a roll top desk and chair. He made his way to that chair and took a seat facing Sally.

She stood there looking at him, not with accusation, but with simple curiosity.

"I feel like there's something you want to talk with me about," Costin prompted.

Sally let out a breath and her shoulders slumped. She walked over to her bed and climbed up, sitting Indian style facing him. Her elbows were propped on her knees and her chin rested in her hands.

She drummed her fingers lightly against her cheeks as she considered how to begin. Then everything just came pouring out.

"I'm just not ready. I mean, I understand that we are connected by this whole mate thing, with the mate signs and what not. But I'm not – I just can't..." She was flustered, but paused as she watched a enthralling grin spread across Costin's face, revealing the cute dimple. That smile was disarming.

"Why are grinning at me?" she asked as she let her hands drop from her face and fall helplessly onto her lap.

"Are you scared of me?" he asked her gently.

Sally shook her head.

"Do you think I would ever hurt you intentionally?"

Again she shook her head.

"Do you believe I want what's best for you and that I will protect you with my life? Do you trust that I will hold you above all others and live to see that you have joy in your life? That I will hold you when you cry, laugh with you when you laugh, and honor you as my mate? Do you believe these things?"

"Yes, Costin. I see the way Jacque and Fane are – and Decebel and Jen. I get it. But that's the problem. You're intense. The whole mating thing is freaking overwhelming." Sally stood up and began to pace back and forth. "I...I've never even had a boyfriend. I've only kissed one guy and it was nothing to swoon about. Can't you see how this would be pretty drastic for me?"

She stopped and looked at him when she heard a low growl.

"You've kissed someone?"

Sally tried to hold back the snort of laughter that bubbled out. "Of course. I'm eighteen, Costin. Only having kissed one guy by eighteen is pretty darn conservative."

"I don't want to know about this guy." Costin frowned. "He won't hold a candle to my kisses anyway."

And the hundred watt smile is back, she thought to herself. 

"Sally mine, sit down. Relax."

Sally was doing what he told her before she even realized it. She narrowed her eyes at him as she sat down.

"Why are you wolves so bossy?"

Costin stood up and walked over to her. He crouched down so he was eye level. Sally started to scoot back to put some space between them, but Costin stopped her by putting his hands on her waist. She froze. She didn't really know how to react to his touch. It made her nervous, but it also made her feel something she never had- desired.

"To keep our mates safe. To keep the pack safe," Costin answered, and gentleness laced his voice.

"How is telling me to sit down keeping me safe?"

"You were working yourself up into an unnecessary frenzy which could have led to a panic attack, thereby causing you to pass out and fall and hit your head." Costin smiled; triumph danced in his eyes.

Sally rolled her eyes and giggled. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, Costin. Stretching it a little, don't you think?"

"Maybe a little bit," he conceded with a laugh.

Costin regained his serious tone, but his expression was softer.

"I won't force you into anything, Sally. I know this is all different to you. I've known all my life that I had one perfect mate out there for me. And when I look at you I'm in awe of what I've been given." Sally blushed as he paused. "I won't leave you unprotected, and allowing other males around you is something that neither I nor my wolf will be able to handle. Besides," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "how could you not want to be around all this?"

Sally let out a snort. "You've been around Jen way too much."

"I don't know, she's quite educational."

"Yeah, I don’t think I really want you to be educated by her." Sally looked down and noticed she had begun fidgeting with Costin's sleeve. She found comfort in being free to touch him, so she pushed away any worry that maybe he didn't want her to. She raised her eyes to look into his hazel ones. "So, what are you saying exactly?"

"I'm saying let's talk and spend time together. Let me help you fall in love with me," Costin answered.

Sally's breath came out in a short gasp at the word “love”. She hadn't really considered if Costin loved her. She knew it would be easy for her to fall in love with him – she was already halfway there.

"Do you love me?" she asked cautiously.

Costin leaned forward and kissed her gently on her forehead. "Sally mine, you were made for me. I loved you before I knew you and love you more now. Yes, I love you. And you will love me."

"No self esteem issues, I see," Sally teased.

Costin smiled and leaned his forehead against hers. "It's late, my love. I should go."

Sally nodded her head against his, but made no move to back away. She grinned when he did first, then was caught by surprise when he leaned in quickly and touched his lips to hers.

He laughed at her shocked look and jumped back when she attempted to swat his arm.

"Your innocence is refreshing," he told her as he backed away, toward the door.

"Well, I'm so glad that my lack of experience is such a thrill for you." Sally narrowed her eyes at the grinning wolf.

"Ah, Sally, sweet Sally. Everything about you is a thrill for me." He chuckled as he watched her face turn red and blew her a kiss as he closed the door behind him.

Sally flung herself back on her bed, letting out a long breath. Then she began to giggle, unable to contain her joy. She had been worried he would demand she complete the bond the way Decebel had, but instead he had been understanding, playful, incredibly sweet, and yes, sexy. Darn those wolves and their appeal. Despite their bossiness, Sally thought to herself. 

"How could I not fall in love with him?" she asked. And at the tail end of her words her bedroom door flew open and closed just as fast.

Jen bent over, panting as she looked up at Sally.

"Hey, girl. Who are we falling in love with?" Jen asked breathlessly.

"Jen, what's wrong?" Sally paused and then decided on a better question. "What have you done now?"

Jen stood up and, seeming to have caught her breath, spoke quickly.

"First off, I've changed my mind. I don't want you to name your first born after me -"

Sally interrupted, "Thank goodness for that."

"- I want you to name your entire freaking litter after me," Jen growled. "Do you know what I've been through? " Her arms were flinging around as she glared at Sally. "I did that little strip tease to try and keep things from escalating with the rest of the pack. Decebel was beyond pissed. I had to sneak out of the gathering room and make a run for it. I've been running through the freaking forest trying to throw him off by changing back and forth so I could place my clothes, which I carried in my freaking muzzle – CARRIED IN MY MUZZLE, SALLY! – and place them in different areas to throw off him off my scent."

Jen went over to Sally's window and seemed to be judging the danger of using it as an exit.

"Jen, he isn't going to hurt you." Sally said gently to her agitated friend. An agitated Jen was never a good thing.

Jen's swung around, piercing Sally with her blue eyes. "There are worse things than being hurt, Sally Morgan. You just wait until you are mated. Bossy, overbearing, controlling, possessive, mega hot, tasty, sexy -"

"Uh, Jen, I get it," Sally cut in before Jen could get even more explicit.

"What I'm saying, my little wall flower, is desire becomes your enemy when your mate is being a butt head, which Decebel is – in mega, super-sized butt head way. Do ya feel me? You see where I'm going with this or do I have to sit you down and have the birds and the bees conversation?"

"No, I'm good." Sally held up her hands to halt Jen's line of conversation. "Why exactly did you come to my room?" She looked at Jen and then at her door, just waiting for it to be flung off its hinges.

"I figured he wouldn't come here because he would think you and Costin were getting your groove on." Jen looked around, noticing for the first time that Costin was not there. "Speaking of the yummy, dimpled, endowed wolf, where is he?"

"He went back to his room. We talked. It was good."

Jen put her hands on her hips and pinned Sally with the famous “you're going to spit it out or I'm going to rip it out of you”.

"You talked? Sally," she cleared her throat, "you have a mate. A guaranteed husband. A sure thing. Not to mention, he's hot, funny, sweet, and he has a dimple. You talked?" This time, Jen's voice was skeptical.

Before Sally could defend herself, her door opened slowly, calculatingly.

"I know you weren't describing me, Jennifer. So who is this male that has caught your eye so descriptively? Please do tell so I can rip him to pieces." Decebel's power filled the room and Sally took an involuntary step away from the very angry Alpha.

 

 

 

Jen watched her mate cautiously. He was angry. Really angry.  His eyes were glowing, revealing that his wolf was at the wheel. She knew that was her fault because she'd challenged him by running. She needed to calm him down, however, for the first time wasn't sure how to go about doing it. Usually her humor and sarcasm came to the rescue, but at the moment she felt like if she spoke at all he would go feral. Not that he would hurt her.

She opened her mind to him slowly. She had been blocking him in order to hide from him, not to hurt him. That's when she saw the flash in his eyes that showed her the feelings below the anger. With that knowledge she knew what to do.

"I was trying to help Sally, not hurt you. I wouldn't have taken off any more clothing than what I had. Everything was covered, Dec. Baby, please. You're scaring Sally."

Decebel took a slow step forward, but Jen held her ground. He was hers, she was his equal and she would not back down.

"Do you understand how crazy you make me?"  Decebel's voice was a growl in her mind.

"I imagine it's close or surpasses how crazy you make me,"  Jen answered his question, though she knew it was rhetorical.

Decebel shook his head and rubbed his hand down his face, trying to regain control.

"I love your spirit, but I'm designed to protect, possess, and my wolf doesn't understand your need to constantly push the boundaries. I need one thing, Jennifer, one thing that I won't compromise on. I think we've already discussed this, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't understand."

Jen snorted a laugh as she spoke out loud. "Gee, thanks. So kind of you to just toss it off as me being a dumb ass."

Decebel chuckled and his eyes began to get lighter. "You will stop undressing in front of other people."

Jen put a hand on her hip as she tipped her head to the side. She narrowed her eyes at her mate and tapped her lip with a finger.

"Now, I'm going to need you clarify that." When Decebel didn't respond, just continued to stare at her, Jen rolled her eyes. "Clarify, elucidate, enlighten. Do. You. Understand. The. Words. That. Are -" she emphasized each word.

"Jennifer," Decebel growled.

"Comingoutofmymouth," Jen finished quickly, making Sally giggle.

"Only undress in our bedroom."

"Nope, na-ah, there's waaaay too many loopholes in that little decree. Seriously, Dec, you can do better than that." Jen raised a single eyebrow.

Decebel growled at the challenge in her words and at her tone of voice.

Damn, when am I going to learn not to poke the angry wolf? The thought ran through her mind before she could censor it from a now wickedly smiling Alpha.

"I have to agree. Jen could run wild -" Sally began, but stopped abruptly when Decebel's head snapped around and he pinned her with his amber eyes.

"Sorry, shutting up now," Sally squeaked.

Decebel looked back at his mate, then glanced down briefly, trying to think of how to beat her at her own game.

"Okay." Decebel smiled smugly.

Jen did not like the look of that smile, one that said the cat had the mouse by the tail.

"You set the boundaries. You tell me exactly how to word that I don't want your clothes coming off in public."

Jen huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine, Ricky," she blurted out in her best Lucy voice. "You want me to esplain it, then I will." She walked toward him and began slowly circling him as she spoke.

"I'm not to disrobe myself -" Decebel chuckled at her choice of words. "- in front of any person of the male persuasion, in any location, at any time, for any reason." She paused and looked at Sally. "Would you say that covers all the possible ways I could wiggle out of his decree?"

Sally thought for a moment. She knew Jen, knew how good she was at working around the rules. "'Any person'," Sally started. "That doesn't necessarily cover the Canis lupis species. It could be argued that they are indeed not persons because they are not human."

Decebel looked back and forth between the two best friends and ran a hand though his hair. "Did you two take a law class of some sort in school?"

Sally shook her head. "No, Jen has just learned over the years how to get around certain questionable details of any incident." Her eyes brightened as she continued eagerly, "Like this one time -" Sally stopped as she looked back at Jen, who was admittedly making a cutting motion with her hand, telling Sally to shut up.

Decebel looked back at Jen, who quickly put her hand on her chin as if she were thinking about Sally's words.

"I can agree with that." Jen nodded. "So we will change 'person' to 'species'."

Decebel took another step toward her so that he was standing only a breath away.

"I do, however -" h\He groaned in exasperation when she started speaking again. "- reserve the right of clemency if said species is unable to be determined as a male simply by sight alone."

"Uh-huh, yeah, I think that's fair," Sally said helpfully.

Jen looked around Decebel's large frame and winked at her. Sally was trying to laugh silently. She felt like she shouldn't watch the exchange between the two, but now that she had a mate, she was curious as how to deal with such a dominant person.

"Jennifer."

"Decebel."

"Sally." Sally spoke. She'd tried really hard not to add her nam,e but when they both said each other’s staccato style, she just jumped on the wagon.

Decebel turned and glared at Sally, who quickly made a zipping motion across her lips.

His glare didn't soften as he turned back to Jen.

"Are you finished?" he asked calmly.

"Hold on a sec, let me think."

He growled, then leaned down to whisper in her ear. She stepped back and gasped. Her eyes narrowed and her lips drew tight. She looked positively ticked off. Decebel, however, looked very smug.

"You wouldn't," Jen snarled.

Decebel grabbed her hand and turned toward the door, dragging a growling Jen behind him.

"Oh, smart ass of mine, I will. I told you once that one day you would write a check your ass couldn't keep. Make no mistake."

Decebel's eyes were glowing again.

"Uh, no, you actually said cute ass. Get it right if you're going to quote yourself, you barbarian covered in hair and fleas. Bossy, domineering, overbearing, ridiculously overprotective -" Jen paused and hollered back at Sally,

"Sally, our conversation about the FAHDEH is not over."

Sally laughed when she heard a smacking sound and imagined Decebel had swatted Jen's butt. Then she heard Jen yell, "I don't care how hot you are! You're still a flea-infested butt head!"

 

"FAHDEH, FAHDEH, FAHDEH," Sally chanted out loud, trying to figure out Jen's latest acronym. She laughed and shook her head when it hit her. "Fine as hell, dimple-endowed hottie.”

Only Jen, she told herself as she climbed into bed.

Exhausted from the eventful evening, she closed her eye,s and there waiting for her in her mind’s eye was her FAHDEH.

 

Chapter 3

 

"How evil is my soul, you ask? Gaze into the darkness, a place where all light is consumed and not even a hair's breadth can be used to cast a shadow. Then you will begin to understand the depth of my depravity."~ Desdemona 

 

She paced back and forth, back and forth, in one of the underground sanctuaries she had been driven to centuries ago. The dark, rough walls complimented her mood well, and the stale air continually reminded her that she had once again been forced to leave the land she called home. Her rage simmered and was dangerously close to boiling over. She had to keep control. This was all just a setback, not defeat. Mona hadn't realized how powerful the two healers together would be and they also had the aid of that intrusive Fae.

After the healers had countered her spells Mona had needed to break the connection before they were able to reach into her, into the very magic she drew from the living that she killed, then stored in her black soul. She couldn't let that happen. That would destroy everything she had become. So she stepped back to reevaluate her circumstances; she did not flee. Well, that's what she kept telling herself.

She had left on her faithful steed Octavian and into the protection of the foresst of Romania. Heedless of the cold, she pushed him until they reached a bridge deep in the Carpathian Mountains. If a human did not know what was below the bridge, they would just continue across without a thought. The supernaturals, however, would know what it was because there was no passing the bridge without paying toll to the troll who guarded the portal. If they could not pay the toll then they had to work it off by going through the portal to the In Between. Mona never paid the toll.  If she entered the In Between, it was always by choice.  So every time that she encountered the troll, they went through the same routine.  He asked for the toll and she told him to go to hell and entered under her own power.  She thought that the troll must find this amusing and a nice break from his mundane existence.

The In Between was the place between the human world and the demon realm. It was where the wicked went when they needed to lay low, and where the not so wicked went to work off an indiscretion toward the wicked. It was a place void of peace, or comfort. A place where the darkness covered you like a blanket and despair filled your lungs with every breath.

The atmosphere adjusted to the being's greatest discomfort. If you hate the cold, then you will be surrounded by ice. Blizzards will attack you, frostbite will cripple your fingers and toes – your very veins will feel as if the blood is freezing in your body, slowly depriving your organs of the precious fluid they need to live. The ice never melts and dehydration sets in even though you are surrounded by water. 

If you hate the heat you will stand in the desert under the scorching sun, your lips cracked and your skin dry, your body calling out for water. You will hear the vultures above you, waiting for you to fall under the relentless, melting ball of fire. You will feel them swooping down, encouraging you to give up so they can pick your carcass until only bones are left, bones that will be incinerated over time. 

If water is your fear, if the open ocean with no land in sight is what makes you shudder in your dreams, then there you shall be, water as far as you can see; no help in sight. You must tread water to stay above the salty, dehydrating fluid. With every bob of your head under the surface your body weakens. Your muscles begin to cramp, your thirst causes delirium, and you no longer know why you shouldn't drink the ocean water. You give into the temptation and take in gulps, but you are too weak. The water that seems to have a life of its own calls to you, you belong to the sea, and as you sink and your lungs fill with water the darkness you long to consume you stays just out of your reach.

Maybe it isn’t the elements that you hate or fear; maybe it is your own death or the death of the one you care deeply for that terrifies you.  If this is what fills you with dread and despair, then you will watch that loved one die over and over again in the most gruesome of ways.  You will try to help them, reach out to them when they call your name, but it will be in vain.  For though everything that you see and feel in the In Between appears so real to you, it is only in your mind that it is happening.  All the while you are actually stuck in your mind with no means of escape.

Those places were there to hold those waiting their next assignment by the demons, or other evil supernaturals that needed some sort of assistance. Sometimes it was simply delivering a message, other times it was a little bit nastier. The best thing for a supernatural to do was just pay the toll. The In Between was not a place for the light weight evil beings and definitely not a place for the ones pure of heart.

Mona had seen many suffer here. She herself had never experienced it. The evil that filled her was even darker than what lay here. Nothing the In Between could use to try and torture her would be effective. There were times, though very few, when she wondered at what point the evil had completely consumed her. At what point did she completely sell her soul? She never thought about it long because the power that came from the darkness was what she needed and she had a lot of it.

Now here she was, pacing, thinking, scheming. Her power was great, but possessing the blood of two healers would make her the most powerful supernatural this side of the demon realm. There would be no wolf, no Fae who wouldn't fall at her feet. A smile stretched across her face, so wicked that the darkness around her reached out to touch her, and she imagined the great Vasile kneeling before her. She would have her revenge; she would take what she deserved. But her power was waning. She could admit that she was going to need an army to go before her and weaken those who would stand against her. Damn those Fae for taking her sisters from her. As much as she hated to admit it she was going to have to go see him. At one time he was very powerful, as were his people. Now, circumstances had begun to weaken him. It wasn’t his strength she sought; it was his knowledge. She needed information that only he knew. She would do whatever she had to do in order to get that information from him.

 

 

~

 

"Before we head over to the new Serbian pack mansion, there are some things we need to discuss," Vasile announced to the two packs that had assembled per his request.

"I always hated it when my parents wanted to discuss -" Jen whispered to Jacque, making air quotes, "- something. What they were really saying was sit your ass down because we're fixing to rip you new one."

Jacque held her fist up for a fist bump, adding the slang they were known for: "Word."

 

"Hey, what have I missed?" Sally asked as she took a seat next to her two friends.

Jen cut her eyes at Sally and then raised her eyebrows suggestively. "And where exactly have you been this morning, Sally? Do tell."

Sally blushed even though she really didn't have a reason to.

"Costin was teaching me how to pour drinks the cool way bartenders do."

Jacque laughed when Jen acted aghast. "Is that what they're calling it these days? I'll have to let Decebel know that we aren't supposed to say we were looking for my contacts."

"Jen, you don’t wear contacts," Sally pointed out.

"Well, what exactly do you want me to say? That he was trying to find my -"

Jacque slapped her hand over Jen's mouth. From across the room she saw Decebel scowling at his mate, Fane laughing, and Costin looking very confused.

"Why must your sex life always be the topic of conversation?" Jacque whispered in Jen's ear.

"Because it's so freaking awesome it would be a crime not to share the greatness with the world!" Jen grinned and waved at Decebel. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning back against the wall with the scowl. The broodiness he was famous for was plastered on his handsome face.

"Look how cute he is when he pouts." Jen giggled.

"That's his pouting face? It looks more like his 'quit talking about our sex life, you crazy ass female' face. I'm just saying." Jacque shook her head.

"Nooo," Jen drawled, "his eyebrows would be scrunched a little lower and his lips would be in a straight, tight line." Just as Jen finished talking Decebel took on the face she had just described.

Jacque and Sally laughed. "Oh, he's good, Jen. He totally has your number."

Jen growled. "He may have my number and he can dial it all day for all I care, but I'm not answering. Put that in your cherry pie and cook it."

Jen looked over at Jacque and Sally when she realized what she'd said. There was a pause before all three girls fell out laughing.  .

"Jen, you are an Alpha female, don't you think you should maybe tone it down?"  Jen heard Decebel ask.

"Most definitely not," Jen said, slicing her hand through the air. "As the Alpha female it is most definitely my job to make sure our girls are educated in every way. Sexual innuendos included."

Decebel sent her an image of him rolling his eyes at her. She promptly returned with a less than lady-like response.

“Why do you never feel the need to talk about our sex life? Is it not awesome enough?” Jacque heard Fane’s voice in her mind.  There was humor behind the words, but also a hint of insecurity.

Jacque looked over at him and grinned. As soon as he saw what she had planned, he quickly started in her direction. But she was faster than him.

Jacque stood, climbed up on her chair, and spoke as loudly as she could without yelling. “I would like it to be known, just to make it very clear so that no one has any questions; that Jen and Decebel aren’t the only ones with an awesome sex life. Okay people?  She may talk about it a lot, but Fane totally rocks my world. So, yeah, there you have it.”

A loud “WHOOP!” was hollered out, and Jacque turned to see Costin giving her a ‘thumbs up’ and an exaggerated wink. Jacque beamed at him and then took her seat next to her friends.

Jen was laughing so hard that she was falling out of chair. Sally was laughing too, but trying to help Jen back into her chair at the same time. Decebel’s face was lowered so that his chin was tucked in and his shoulders shook with laughter. Fane, who had finally reached his mate, was not laughing.

He leaned down next to her ear and whispered calmly. “Was that really necessary, love?” 

Jacque shrugged her shoulders and looked up at him innocently. “Now you don’t have to wonder if I think our sex life is worthy of public discussion.”

Fane rolled his eyes and started to speak, but was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. He looked up to see his father, standing with his arms crossed staring straight at the little group.

Vasile cleared his throat from the front of the room and glared back at the girls.

"Are you three finished?" he asked.

"Yes, Alpha," they all answered in unison.

Sally, sweet Sally, followed with a whispered, "Whatever you say, Alpha," in the nasal voice the quote was known for.

That's when they found themselves slid apart from one other with a mate in between each of them.

 

"Good. Let's get started." Vasile was quiet for a moment, seeming to rethink what he wanted to say. His gave a single nod and began.

"Decebel has become Alpha to the Serbian pack. Therefore my Beta position must be filled. Based on recent events, the spot will not be filled per normal protocol." A low rumble rippled across the room, but abruptly stopped when Vasile growled.

"Gavril and Rachel have been found and brought back to us. Gavril is a dominant and dominant enough to be an Alpha. However, he doesn't want that position and he is more dominant at this point than those available for the Beta position. Normally the spot would go to Sorin. Sorin has agreed to the decision and declined requesting a challenge as is his right. Gavril will be my Beta, Sorin my third, Skender my fourth. Rachel will be the Romanian pack Healer."

Sally gasped and Costin laid a hand gently on her shoulder from where he stood beside her. Sally knew that meant she would be going to the Serbian pack. Her reaction was echoed by Jacque and Jen.

Jacque started to stand, but Fane's hand on her shoulder held her in place.

"Listen before you act," she heard Fane's voice advise her. Realizing that others would be looking to her and her friends' reactions on how to react to this situation themselves, she quickly put on the best poker face she could – which she knew sucked.

 

Vasile went on. "Peri will continue to work with Rachel and Sally, training them in things the healers used to know. That is where my pack stands. Alina is your Luna and Alpha female, Jacque is in line for that position. You will respect their places in the pack."

"As you say, Alpha," the room responded.

"Now Decebel will address you."

"You come with me, baby."  he told Jennifer, who looked up at him, confused. "Where I go, you go. Remember?"

"I didn't know you meant that quite so literally," Jen told him as she stood and took his hand.

He led her to the front of the room and kept her hand in his when they turned to face everyone.

"I am the Alpha of the Serbian pack. By pack law I have taken this position because I killed your previous Alpha and proved my strength. I let you know the last time I spoke with you that I would be picking my first four and that it wouldn't be done traditionally. As you know, once the wolves are picked you may challenge said choices. Are we clear so far?"

"Yes, Alpha," the Serbian pack answered.

"Costin will be my Beta."

The gasps that were heard that time seemed to occur in surround sound..

Jen's hand tightened on Decebel's. He glanced at her once and she saw the “don't question me” look. She knew they needed to always appear as a united pair so she bit her tongue.

"Costin's proclaimed mate, Sally, though unbonded, will be the Serbian pack healer. My third will be Drake, who was fifth in the former pack, and my fourth will be Seraph, who is a dominant of the former Serbian pack and has proven himself faithful." Decebel paused and looked around the room, making eye contact with the most dominant in his new pack. One by one, their eyes fell to the floor in submission. "If any of you have a problem with this and want to challenge, please come forward now."

The room was silent. Jen held her breath, waiting to see if any would defy their new Alpha.

"What now?" Jen asked through their bond.

"Now we try to unite a broken pack, train a new Beta, encourage a new healer, support a new mate bond, and find the evil witch,"  Decebel responded.

"Oh, gee," Jen muttered under her breath. "Is that all?"

 

Chapter 4

“Humans think that the Fae are little, happy, winged beings that flitter around, causing mischief. If they truly knew the power we wielded simply by existing, they would tremble in their beds in an attempt to hide from us. Heaven help them if we ever decide to use that power against them.” ~Perizada of the Fae

 

"I don't think it is wise for us to take part in matters of the human realm."

Perizada listened as the high Fae of the council addressed her. She was trying very hard not to roll her eyes, and was beginning to realize why Jen felt it necessary to roll her eyes so often. When people said stupid stuff, an eye roll was by far the safest plan of action, especially when what you really wanted to do was tell them to pull their heads out of their butts.

"With all due respect, Dain," Peri ground her teeth together as she spoke, "it isn't just matters of the human realm. It's matters of the supernatural world and that does affect us whether we want to acknowledge it or not." She began pacing in front of the council members, three male Fae and three female Fae. "We can't leave the wolves to deal with this on their own, especially when part of it is our fault."

"OUR FAULT?"

Peri stopped in mid stride and slowly turned to face the Fae who had yelled.

"Yes, Lorelle, our fault."

"How can you possibly say that we have anything to do with their current tribulations?" Lorelle asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because we wiped every stinking witch, save one, from the face of the earth! Now, that 'save one' has power, power unlike any of them individually or together ever had. She has no other to compete with her power; she has none to hold her accountable. We did that! And now you think we should leave the problem we created to the wolves?" Peri was breathing hard as her hands fisted at her sides.

The anger she felt at her own kind manifested due to their lack of concern for other supernaturals – and humans – was enough to make her want to scream. They, who were the most powerful magic wielders of all the supernaturals, should be the ones leading the battle, not sitting back watching while the others were annihilated and hunted to the brink of extinction. At least, that's what would happen if Desdemona was planning what Peri thought she was.

“We understand you concern, Perizada, but we have to consider the wellbeing of our own race.” Alston, the highest member of the council spoke. “Let us confer on this matter and we will summon you when we have made a decision.”

Peri glared daggers at the council. “Yeah, you do that. Confer,” she spit out the word as if it were a disgusting taste in her mouth, “and you get back with me. Meanwhile, I will try to make sure that Desdemona doesn’t take over the world.”

“Aren’t you being a little dramatic?”

“Well, I guess you wouldn’t know for sure since you all insist on staying in your little bubble beyond the veil.” With those words, Peri turned on her heel and marched out of the great hall of the council.

Peri transported herself to the veil, all the while muttering under her breath about stubborn, selfish Fae who insisted on allowing others to perish.

“Not on my watch,” she said clearly as she passed through the veil. “Not on my watch.” She sent out a mental call to Adam and Elle, two Fae she knew she could count on, and who believed, like her, that the human realm needed them.

 

~

 

Two weeks after the announcement of the pack orders and designation of the healers, Sally sat in the indoor courtyard garden of the Serbia pack mansion. It was her favorite place to be. Flowers bloomed all around; some towered over her while others dotted the ground. A pebbled path wound its way through the garden and at the very back of the garden was a small waterfall that poured over large rocks into a pond filled with fish. Winter was beginning to wane and spring was on its way. She sat on a bench swing with a book that Peri had given her. It was a history of the gypsy healers, and their purpose in the pack. It also had lots of information on how their magic worked. Sally ran a finger over the sentences as she read out loud in the empty garden.

“After the Great Luna created the Canis lupis, she knew that her children would not be able to be medically treated by humans. Because of that, she looked into the spirits of different human cultures and found that gypsies had the greatest capacity for magic. She appeared to one of the female leaders of a tribe in Romania and told her that she would bless certain gypsy descendants with the ability to heal the Canis lupis. This not only ensured the health of the wolves, but created a special relationship between them and humans.”

Sally paused and thought about how the gypsy leader must have felt. Was she shocked into silence? Did she believe the experience or chalk it up to just a dream? She looked around the garden, pondering the emotions that must have flowed through the gypsy as she realized the legacy of her people was to be forever changed. Sally jumped as a large pair of hands came down gently on her shoulders and she felt warm lips press gently against her neck.

She heard a chuckle. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Sally turned to see Costin smiling, the dimple in his right cheek etched deeply in his face. She watched as he walked around the swing and sat beside her.

“That’s okay. I was in my own little world.”

“What are you reading?” he asked, motioning to the book in her lap.

“Oh, this is a book that Peri gave me about the gypsy healers.” Sally blushed as she realized he might have been listening to her read.

“Well, don’t stop on my account.” Costin grinned as he leaned back, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing them. He folded his hands in his lap and stared at her.

“You’re just going to sit there and watch me read?”

“Sally mine, I could sit and watch you stare off into nothing, as long as I got to gaze on your sweet form.”

Sally blushed again, feeling the heat run up her neck clear up to her hairline. She shrugged her shoulders, recognizing a lost cause when she saw one. Costin was going to sit there whether she was embarrassed or not. So she turned back to the book and picked up where she left off.

“The gypsy leader was skeptical at first, but then the first of the healers was chosen. The young gypsy girl met her mate in the market one day. There was nothing that would keep them from being together; the pull was too strong. So the leader went to the girl and explained her dream to her. She asked her mate to show her his wolf form to confirm what she was telling the girl. At first the girl was a little frightened, but the love she felt for the male Canis lupis helped her overcome her fear. The gypsy leader continued to watch descendants of her tribe become healers until she was called to the next life.”

Sally felt Costin's fingertips begin to gently trail over her back. She unconsciously leaned back into his touch, as natural as breathing. She understood the pull that the book described. She feared the intensity of their bond, but knew in her heart that she could never walk away from him. Though the markings had appeared on her skin, indicating that she was indeed his mate, the mental bond had yet to appear. Sally was beginning to think that maybe it was because of the doubt and fear that she held in her heart.

“I hope that one day I can stand before the Great Luna and thank her for the gift she has given our kind through our true mates.” Costin's words were soft, but she felt them in her very soul. “Even in the short time that I have had you in my life, I cannot imagine it without you.”

Sally turned to look at him and felt his hazel eyes peering into her, searching for the feelings that she was unable to express.

“It’s okay, Sally mine, I can feel what you feel for me. And I look forward to the day when I hear the words cross your lips.”

With that, she leaned into his side and settled close as he wrapped his arms around her. Oh, how it felt so right to be there with him, his body heat seeping into her. She closed the book and decided she could read more later. For now she was going to just enjoy being close to Costin.

“Will you tell me about your life?” she asked hesitantly. “I mean, you’re sixty years old, right? Surely you’ve done some pretty cool things in the course of that time. Uh, but I don’t want to hear about your escapades with other girls.”

Costin chuckled at her. “That is a conversation for later.” He squeezed her briefly. “Okay, so you want to know about me. Let’s see, I was born here in Romania in 1951.”

Sally interrupted with, “That is so freaking weird.”

“I can see how that would be weird to you,” he agreed.

Sally sat up, quickly pulling from his hold, and turned to look at him straight on. “Costin, where are your parents?”

Costin brought his hand up to her cheek and brushed his fingers lightly across her cheek, then dropped his hand as he answered her.

“My mother died in childbirth with my little sister. She was stillborn. You see, there was no healer in our pack. And my father died with my mother since they were bonded.”

Sally took his hand and held it to her chest. “Costin, I am so sorry.”

“It was a miracle that she conceived after me. Most Canis lupis only have one child and it’s very rare for the child to survive if there is not a healer in the pack. My parents were so filled with joy when they found out she was pregnant.” Sally watched Costin’s eyes take on a faraway look as he remembered a time long past. 

“I think as the pregnancy progressed my mother knew that it wasn’t going to end well,” he continued. “She was beginning to get things in order for me to be on my own. It was a sad time, but I am glad my father followed her. A male Canis lupis is a dangerous one if his mate passes on without him – which, of course, can only happen if they are unbonded. I can’t even begin to imagine the pain I would feel if you went onto the next life without me. I would follow you.”

Sally gasped. “You would take your own life? Costin, you cannot. If that happens, please promise me you wouldn’t.”

“Sorry, love, that is a promise that I can never make to you. Where you go, I go. Simple as that.”

Before Sally could respond, a voice reached out to them from the front of mansion.

“I hate to bust up this declaration of utter devotion, love, and dying for another blah, blah, blah,” Jen’s loud voice penetrated the peaceful garden, “but we have been called to an emergency meeting, so save the make out session that inevitably follows such declarations and get your to the meeting room.”

Costin stood up, pulling Sally with him. His face had morphed into the intense one that Sally was beginning to recognize as his “it’s time to kick some major butt” face. She followed as he led her out of the garden and into the meeting room.

As they entered the room they saw that a conference call had been set up. A large screen sat on a stand in the front of the room. Staring back at them from the screen were the faces of Vasile, Alina, Sorin, Fane and Jacque. Decebel stood at the head of the table and Jen stood next to him, leaning on the chair in front of her. The table and the chairs to their right were empty. Costin headed toward them and pulled out Sally’s seat for her. Across from Sally sat Drake, Decebel’s third, and next to him Seraph, his fourth. Farther down the table sat more dominants that Sally was beginning to get to know, and around the room in chairs against the walls sat other members of the Serbian pack. Peri stood to Decebel’s left.

The room quieted as Decebel cleared his throat.

“Perizada of the Fae has brought us troubling news. Listen to what she has to say and when she is finished we will decide what course of action we need to take.” He made a motion for Peri to take over.

“I have been tracking Desdemona’s actions. Unbeknownst to her, of course,” Peri added. “If what I believe she is doing is indeed true, then we are in for a battle like this world has never seen. From what my resources have discovered, it seems that she is seeking out a warlock, the only warlock known to be able to open the veil that separates this world from the In Between.”

“The who be what?” Jen asked.

Peri cocked her head and raised an eyebrow.

Jen raised her hands in surrender. “Shutting up now. Please proceed.”

“Thank you, Jen.” Peri turned to address Vasile and Alina. “Vasile, you have heard of the In-Between, correct?”

Vasile nodded. “It is a place I prayed none of us would ever have to visit.”

Peri looked at the wolves around the table and slowly began to walk around them as she spoke.

“The In-Between is a sanctuary, but not a sanctuary in the sense you are thinking. This sanctuary is for the evil, the ones who have allowed the darkness to consume them. Those who stumble upon it unknowingly or are put there and are pure of heart, to them it is anything but a sanctuary. It is a place that draws on their biggest fears and magnifies them, twists them, and submerges those beings into them. Most do not leave with their mind intact.”

“Bloody hell,” Jen whispered under her breath.

“That’s a good term for it, actually, Jen,” Peri told her. “It is hell that will strip the ones undeserving of such treatment until their bodies are bloody and worn. My hope is that we can stop Desdemona before it comes to us taking a visit to that horrid place. It would behoove us to find the warlock before she does.”

Fane interrupted, “Who exactly is this warlock? What makes him so special that he is the only one who knows how to do this?”

“He is the king of the warlocks,” Peri said tersely.

“Oh, snap,” Sally muttered.

“Seriously, this just keeps getting better and better,” Jen added, shaking her head. “Let me guess, next you are going to tell us that the lord of the vampires has taken over any and all forms of blood transfusions and is requiring the general population to stand in front of stores like snack machines, allowing blood suckers to put quarters in their pockets to satisfy the little afternoon munchies. Oh, and King Kong has come out of hiding because the blonde he stole is 85 and he wants a newer, younger love slave. Also, the Federation for Worldwide Domination by the Trolls of America – FFWDBTTOA for short, just an FYI –  have been inspired by the intelligence that the Harry Potter trolls portrayed and now want to implement a plan to infiltrate the banks because surely they can count as well as good ‘ol J.K. Rowling’s little creations.”

“Why hasn't someone installed an off switch on that one?” Peri pointed at Jen.

Decebel slipped his hand underneath Jen's long, blonde hair and wrapped it around her neck, giving it a light squeeze. “You okay?”

“You know how I get in tense situations. The sarcasm filter seems to malfunction and it just comes spewing out. I should carry an emesis basin for times like this.”

Her response made him chuckle out loud, which garnered him a glare from Perizada. Decebel cleared his throat and schooled his face.

Jen nodded to Peri. “Okay, I think it’s all out now. Wait -” Jen held up a finger. “No, no, never mind. I’m good.”

Jacque and Sally were trying to cover their laughter, as were Crina and Cynthia. Sorin even had to swallow back a chuckle.

“I have been visiting supernaturals all over,” Peri went on, “trying to see if any can give us any information. Unfortunately, many are very hesitant to aide us because of the fear of Desdemona finding out and unleashing her wrath on them.”

“Who have you spoken to so far?” Decebel asked.

“I have been able to speak with the warlock leaders in several different countries. I have spoken to members of the magi, and the troll that mans the bridge above the veil to the In-Between.”

“Okay, when exactly were you going to share with us part-humans that there were such creatures in this world?” Jen asked, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring at her mate.

“Yeah, what she said.” Jacque glared at Fane. When Sally didn’t pipe in, Jacque shot her a pointed glare.

“Oh, um, yeah.” She looked up at Costin. “What they said.”

“Yesterday, but I got busy,” Decebel teased. Jen growled at him but grinned when he winked at her.

Fane, from the screen and Costin, in the room, responded in unison. “What he said.”

The girls all rolled their eyes.

“What do you recommend that we do?” Vasile’s voice came from the screen, interrupting their verbal sparring.

“I would like to meet with your pack, and Decebel’s. Tomorrow night.”

Vasile nodded. “We will come there.”

“I will have rooms prepared, Vasile, for you and yours to stay in,” Decebel told him.

Jen grinned and looked at Sally and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Hells to the yeah. We get to plan a mission – the old crew together again.”

Sally laughed and quickly covered her mouth. She rolled her eyes, amused at her friend's need to use military lingo.

 

 

The meeting finished and Decebel dismissed the room. Now alone, he turned to look at his mate, who stood grinning at him.

“You scare me sometimes, Jennifer.”

She frowned at him. “Why is that?”

“Your pension for getting into trouble is worrisome, and the fact that you relish the idea is quite frustrating.”

Jen patted his back, attempting to placate him. “Oh, come on, big guy. Surely by now you know that I can kick some major ass.”

“What I know is that you need your butt put in its place more often than not.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly on the lips.

Jen pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “Really? And you’re just the wolf to put me in my place?”

“Since your place is at my side, then yes, I am the perfect one to put you there.” He grinned wolfishly. “You are welcome to try to fight me on this.”

“Oh, hell no. I know what that means to you, you pervert.”

Decebel let out a booming laugh. “Oh, my sweet Jennifer, life would be so boring without you.”

“How about you remember that the next time you want to put me in my place?” she retorted.

Decebel lowered his head and this time he kissed her slowly and thoroughly. Jen let out a soft moan. When he pulled back and stared into her eyes, his amber ones were glowing. She smiled and laid her head on his chest. 

He reveled in the joy she brought him, even when she drove him crazy. He would do anything to keep her safe, anything to keep her in her place by his side. With that in mind, a nagging thought burst in unheeded, something that had been bothering him more and more lately. The Fates had yet to summon Jennifer, but he knew something was coming. He could feel it. The frustration at knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it was enough to have his wolf pacing constantly, wanting to tear something apart, but not knowing what or where that something was.

 

Chapter 5

“If you have ever felt the world melt away when the woman you know is destined to be yours walks into the room; if you have felt your soul reach out to hers, finally making you feel whole; if you tremble when you touch her from sheer awe at being the one who has that right; if the darkness swallows you and you begin to suffocate at the thought of losing her –  then you will have a small taste of what it is to be bonded.” ~Costin

 

After the emergency meeting split up Peri pulled Sally to the side just outside the room.

“We need to talk.”

Sally looked at Peri’s concerned face and nodded. Peri turned without another word, obviously expecting Sally to follow. Sally looked over her shoulder and saw Costin watching her. He winked and nodded encouragingly, letting her know that he understood she needed to go.

 

 

Peri entered the room that Decebel had made into Sally’s workroom. To the left of the door were several beds. Across from them was a long table for Sally's herbs, and behind the table on the wall were shelves that ran the length of the room. The shelves housed jars of crushed herbs, liquids, and various potted plants with different properties necessary to Sally’s healing ability. The room had a comforting smell due to all the herbs and plants that filled it.

Peri turned dramatically, her shiny white hair whipping around her shoulders.  The pale eyes that resembled peridot stones narrowed as she stared intently at Sally.

Sally swallowed loudly, unsure of what exactly Peri wanted to talk about, and so far not really liking the Fae’s behavior.

“You need to complete the bond with your mate.” Peri’s voice was firm and it was apparent that she wasn’t making a suggestion, but rather giving a command.

Sally groaned as she sat on the tall bar stool that was next to her worktable.

“I’m not ready, Peri.” Sally looked anywhere but at the Fae.

“What is there to be ready for? He is your mate, you can’t change that. What is the point in postponing the inevitable?”

Sally twisted her fingers nervously in her lap as she spoke.

“I’ve never even had a boyfriend, Peri. How can I possibly jump into a relationship – a very permanent relationship, I might add – with a guy I don’t really know? I have no experience with relationships. I mean, Costin was my first real kiss for goodness' sakes.”

Peri grinned. “Well, a kiss is a start. The rest will follow. Sally, you need to understand some things. I don’t know if anyone has explained to you exactly why a mate to a male Canis lupis is so important. If not, then I’m going to quickly enlighten you.” Peri pulled over another bar stool to sit in front of Sally.

“Without his mate, a male is in danger of the inner darkness that makes him so deadly overwhelming him. He needs the darkness to be the fierce hunter that he is, but he needs his mate to balance that darkness with her light. You are unique, Sally. The light in you is strong and pure. When a male is bonded to his mate and has that balance, he is a stronger and more focused wolf. He can control the wolf that lives inside him and he no longer runs the risk of becoming feral.

“We have a battle coming. It will be on our doorstep before you know it and we need all the strength we can get. You will be a more powerful healer and Costin will be a much more powerful wolf. Would you really deny him that? Would you deny him the peace that comes with the mate bond?”

Sally’s mouth dropped open. Peri was really kicking her in the gut.

“Wow, Peri, you sure know how to make a healer feel like a big, selfish butt head,” Sally muttered.

“My desire isn’t for you to feel like a butt head, but you need to understand the importance of not delaying this any longer. You love him.” Sally’s head snapped up at that. “It’s written all over your face.”

“I do,” Sally confessed. “I love him so much that it’s actually painful to be away from him. That can’t be healthy, Peri. Isn’t that like codependency or something?”

“You are thinking in human terms. He isn’t human and you are more than human. The bond between you two is stronger than any human relationship could ever be. You don’t have to worry that he will ever leave you, cheat on you, or hurt you purposefully. He won’t break your heart, Sally.” Peri reached out and took Sally’s hand, offering a comforting touch.

“He won’t break my heart because he’s stuck with me. Peri, have you looked at me,” Sally motioned up and down in front of her, pointing out her body, “and have you looked at him? He’s way out of my league. Like, I’m in little league t-ball as the catcher because everyone knows that in little league that’s where you put that kid and he’s in the major league and he's the best player to ever grace the game.”

Peri cocked her head to the side as she listened to Sally, her eyes never leaving her face.

“You don’t see yourself very clearly, Sally Morgan, healer to the Serbian Pack. You are beautiful inside and out. Costin could not have asked for a mate that fits him better than you. You are calm and peaceful, whereas Costin is rambunctious and playful. You both complement each other very well.”

“I just don’t want to be a disappointment to him.” A single tear slid down her cheek.

“You could never be a disappointment to me, Sally mine.”

Sally gasped at the voice that came from behind her. She really didn’t want to turn and face Costin. She was embarrassed at him overhearing her insecurities.

“I think this is my queue to leave,” Peri said as she stood. She placed a finger under Sally’s chin, pulling her face up to look at her. “You can feel your soul calling out to him. Stop denying what the Great Luna has given you and embrace the gift that your bond with your mate is.”

Then Costin and Sally were alone.

Sally sat very still and stared at the floor, willing it to open up and swallow her.

Costin sat on the stool that Peri had occupied and remained silent. Sally could feel his eyes on her, those beautiful hazel eyes that captivated her every time she looked at him.

She finally let out a deep breath, unable to stand the silence any longer.

“Say something, please.” She spoke softly, so unsure of what he was thinking.

Costin reached over and brushed the hair that had escaped her pony tail from her face.

“You love me,” he said with a grin.

Sally’s breath whooshed from her lungs as if she had been punched in the stomach. “How much did you hear, exactly?”

Costin shrugged. “Enough to tell you that it is I who am unworthy of you. What can I do to prove to you that you are more than I could have ever hoped for? You hold my heart in your hands, my sweet healer. Your soul is calling to me so loudly that my wolf demands I stay near you. I don’t want to pressure you and I don’t want you to complete the bond with me because Peri says you should. It has to be your decision, for the right reasons.” He pulled his stool closer to hers. She could smell his unique scent – something spicy that she couldn’t place...and something like the woods covered in freshly fallen snow.

“Sally.” He spoke her name reverently and it came out nearly in a whisper. She felt his breath caress her face. Before she realized what he was doing, he stood and pulled her up from the stool. He picked her up by her waist and sat her down on the worktable and wedged himself in between her legs. As he wrapped his arms around her, she heard him murmuring softly to her in Romanian.

Sally’s heartbeat quickened. He buried his face in her neck, taking deep breaths. After several moments, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Nothing had ever felt as right as being in his arms.

Costin pulled back just enough so that his lips were next to her ear. She felt his warm breath against her skin, and as if it was the most natural thing in the world, she tilted her head to the side, allowing him more access to her neck.

A low rumble emitted from Costin. His warm lips against her neck caused chills to ripple down her back.

“I won’t lie, Sally.” She felt his lips moving against her skin as he spoke and a soft moan escaped her. Costin chuckled, enjoying the effect he was having on her. “My wolf is restless. He wants his mate. He wants to protect you, be close to you, and the man agrees with him.”

Sally’s head fell forward onto Costin’s shoulder and she gripped the tops of his arms when she felt his tongue dart out quickly on her neck. “I need you,” he continued. “When I’m away from you all I think about is the next time I will see you. When I’m with you it’s all I can do to keep from touching you, holding you, kissing you. Knowing you are going to be with me through this life, feeling the darkness recede when you touch me, watching your defenses melt when I hold you....these things keep me from going crazy while I wait.”   

Sally pulled back and placed her hands on either side of his face. She didn’t have any experience with relationships, emotional or physical. She decided to just let her instincts guide her. She ran a thumb across his sensual lips and let out a breathy laugh when he playfully nipped it.

“You won’t ever leave me?” she asked softly. Her hands left his face and slid down his neck to his shoulders.             

“Never.” The intensity in his eyes and the conviction in his voice almost quieted the doubts, worries, and fears that had been keeping her heart from him. Almost.

“Okay.” She smiled shyly.

“Okay?” Costin felt his wolf perk up. “Are you saying okay you believe me or okay let’s do this bonding thing?”

Sally giggled at the eagerness in his voice. “Yes,” she answered simply.

A huge grin spread across Costin’s face as he cupped her face and pulled her close, pressing his lips firmly to hers. Sally tensed at first but the passion she felt from their bond quickly made her overcome her insecurities. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss. She tentatively separated her lips, offering him entrance and he wasted no time taking advantage of her boldness.  One of Costin’s hands slipped from her face and traveled to the back of her neck, while the other skimmed down her arm, ending up on her hip. He pulled her closer and growled when she moaned into his mouth. The kiss was intense. Sally felt a pull inside her reaching out to Costin. She felt like she couldn’t get close enough. Her inner Jen perked up at that and Sally smiled inwardly as she thought about how this must've been what Jen was always raving about.

Costin pulled back and, much to her embarrassment, Sally actually groaned in disappointment. This brought a chuckle from him.

Sally’s eyes narrowed. “What is so funny?”

Costin leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You are, my sweet. You are actually embarrassed by your desire for me. It’s cute.”

Sally groaned again and tried to hide her now blushing face in his chest. “You have got to be kidding me. How could you tell I was embarrassed?”

“I could feel it. That’s part of our bond. It must be getting stronger if I’m beginning to feel your emotions. See if you can feel mine.”

“How exactly am I supposed to do that?” she asked hesitantly.

“It might be easier if you close your eyes and just concentrate on me. Think about how I look, how I feel, how I smell –  and, if you want, you can think about how I taste.” Costin laughed when Sally playfully slapped his arm.

She closed her eyes and began to think about him. She thought about his messy hair, his beautiful hazel eyes that danced with mischief. She thought about the smile that stretched across his face that always seemed to say that he knew something no one else did, and then she thought about the dimple that accompanied that smile. Slowly she felt a pull toward him, almost as if a string connected them and it was drawing them together.

Suddenly intense warmth flowed over her and she knew it was his love. It was pouring out of him and covering her like a cloak of protection. It was intense, like the waves flowing in with the tide. His love was like those waves crashing into her doubts and fears, drowning out her insecurities, and just as those waves brought destruction they also brought life. The waves brought life from the open ocean close to the shore and to those who needed that life. So it was with his love for her. He filled her with life. Costin claimed to have darkness in him, but he was so much more than that.

Sally gasped at the overwhelming sensation and grabbed onto his arms for support. Her head slowly rose to look at Costin. Intense, glowing hazel eyes pierced her.

“You -” She tried to speak, but the revelation that had just hit her had robbed her of breath. She tried again. “You love me.”

Costin tenderly cupped her jaw and ran his thumb gently across her bottom lip. “More than anything in this life or the next.”

“But, I mean, you seriously love me.” Sally was trying to grasp the reality of what she had just felt. Her eyes were wide in awe as she looked at the man who was her mate.

“I’ve been trying to tell you that, Sally-mine. Do you believe me now?”

Sally slowly nodded her head and then her lips tilted up in a small smile. “Thank you,” she told him.

“It is my incredible honor to get to love you,” Costin told her sincerely.

She closed her eyes once more and opened herself up to him. She wanted him to know how she felt, and now that she had no doubt about how Costin felt about her, she opened the gates to her heart.

 

Costin pulled Sally tightly into his arms. He felt the wall between them crumble and Sally finally letting him in. Though his love was a crashing wave, her love was no less fierce. It came more in the form of a unswerving river that flowed steadily out of her. As water filled any opening, so Sally’s love filled every empty place in Costin. Any space, no matter how big or small, was now flooded with it.

When he opened his eyes, it was to Sally’s sweet smile. Her beautiful brown eyes looked at him in adoration.

Finally, he thought.

Sally’s eyes widened. “Did you just speak out loud? I didn’t see your lips move.”

“No, what did you hear?” he asked.

“You said, 'finally'.”

Costin grinned. “That was in my mind, love. It appears our bond has opened all the way.”

Costin’s smile widened as he used their new mental bond. He repeated her earlier words. “You love me.”

Sally smiled back at him. “I do.”

“Say it, please.”

“It?” Sally teased.

Costin groaned and growled at her through their bond. “You know what I mean, woman.”

Sally laughed and pulled him close. She pulled his face down close to hers and leaned in so her lips were next to his ear.

“I. Love. You.” She let her warm breath brush his skin as she spoke and felt his hands tighten where they gripped her hips.

“Good. We will do the bonding ceremony and blood rites tonight.”

Sally squeaked out, “What?”

Costin only laughed as he helped her off the table and led her by the hand out of the room. “Come on, my sweet. I have plans for you,” he teased wickedly.

 

Chapter 6

“Tick-tock, tick-tock, little wolves. Do you feel time slipping away from you? Do you feel the urgency to pursue me, the one who plans your destruction? I am coming, little wolves. Tick-tock, tick-tock; I am coming for you. And one by one you will fall. One by one the wolves will be silenced.” ~Desdemona

 

Mona had waited long enough in the In Between. It was time to put her plan into action. She left the sanctuary in a flurry of smoke and called to her faithful steed Octavian. Using back roads and staying off the beaten path, she pushed Octavian as hard as he could run, heading for the border of Bulgaria. She had been told by a helpful little warlock that he had a clan located just beyond the border.  Apparently there was someone there who could tell her what she needed to know. Though she made it a point to never trust anyone, she had no clue where to start looking for the information she needed, so she had decided to make an exception just this one time. Of course, she had threatened to choke the little warlock with his own intestines if he was lying.

Mona rode through the Carpathian Mountains, the cold winter beginning to become a memory as spring started to emerge from its long rest. Mona rolled her eyes at the life flourishing in the forest, the blooming plants and trees bearing fresh new leaves. It gave her a bit of satisfaction knowing that Octavian’s dark hooves killed every living thing on the ground which they landed. The evil that filled her could no longer be contained and was leaking out into the areas around her. She laughed a soul-cringing laugh that bounced off the rocks and trees, creating a disturbing echo. Once she left the cover of the forest, she tried to avoid major towns or cities. She didn’t rest at night, and only stopped briefly to water Octavian. Yes, she was an evil witch, but even evil witches needed to make sure their mode of transportation was properly cared for.

Time slipped away as she rode on.  Mona’s thoughts were consumed with the plan she was concocting. She had done some research while she had been in the In Between and discovered that she might have the ability to raise an army like no other. The Fae weren’t the only ones with a veil, turns out that the veil leading into the underworld had a doorway, one that had been closed and sealed long ago because of the evil that lay behind it. She needed to know more. She needed to make sure that she could control the darkness that she planned to unleash – the darkness that would orchestrate the ultimate destruction of her foes.

Mona finally crossed the Bulgarian border and followed the Yantra River into the Balkan Mountains. The warlock had told her that the one she needed to speak to would find her and that she just needed to make herself known. He said that the mountain and the trees would let them know of her intentions and to be wary. So once she entered the forest she brought Octavian to a slow walk and kept her eyes moving constantly, roving over the landscape around her. After several hours she felt a presence; it was nearly as evil as her.

“Show yourself, brother of the craft.” Desdemona spoke confidently into the silence.

After several seconds a tall figure emerged. He was shrouded in a deep green cloak that blended well with the lush forest around him. His hair was black as night and he had pointed ears – his face was close to human in form although his nose was sharper in appearance and his lips were so thin they were nearly nonexistent. Most strikingly, his eyes were almond-shaped, a little more separated than a human's, and glowed an eerie yellow like that of the harvest moon. . He was strong of stature with a broad chest and long powerful legs.

Even with the unusual features he was dazzling. Mona thought she might have found him attractive if she cared for that sort of thing – which she didn’t. He carried a sword across his back, and various other knives decorated his form.

“Why do you bring your evil stink into my forest, witch?” The power that rolled off of him and through his words told Mona that what she really had hoped was indeed the case. This was a royal warlock.

Not just royal, no, Mona thought to her pleasure. This was Cypher, the King of the warlocks.

Mona laughed, a sound that came out as an evil hiss. “The evil that permeates these woods is not disturbed by me, Warlock King. My evil simply adds to the allure, don’t you think?”

Cypher took a step closer to Mona, not to threaten, but more as a warning. “Since when is there a witch left in this realm? Did not the Fae take care of your kind?”

“I am the last of my kind. I am not so easily destroyed.” Mona lifted her chin and arched a brow. “To business then, I do not come to bring you problems, I come seeking information and perhaps a trade of some sort.”

Cypher scoffed. “What could you possibly possess that I would want to trade for?”

“Tsk, tsk, great King. Do not so quickly dismiss me. Will you not at least hear my proposition?”

Cypher stood silently. His eyes narrowed as he considered her request.

“Fine. I will hear you and then you will leave.” 

“If I recall correctly,” she began slowly, “there was a time when the warlocks were very interested in the stones of the Fae. In fact, I think your kind was seeking them rather fervently.” Mona watched as the warlock King straightened at her words.

“The Fae have been absent from this realm for quite some time. I have come to tell you that I have seen the stones.”

Cypher took several menacing steps toward her. “Why should I believe you? The Fae would never be so reckless with such powerful objects.”

Mona laughed. “Oh, they would if they were threatened by an extremely powerful witch out to destroy the Canis lupis and steal two gypsy healers.”

“What!” Cypher was taken aback by her words. “The wolves have healers? How long has it been since a healer has been a part of a pack?”

“Too long,” she replied.

“Even if you have seen these stones, how could you possibly get close enough to steal them? What is it that you want so badly that you are willing to take such a risk?”

"I have my reasons. Now is neither the time nor place to discuss them," said Mona sharply.

"Damn your reasons," Cypher spat. “Get out of my realm, witch."

“Have you taken a mate, great King?” Mona asked quickly, before the King could get away.

Cypher turned, slowly freezing her with his narrow, eerie, glowing eyes. “What would know of warlocks and their mates?” His words were a growl and the threat in them was not lost on Mona.

“I know that the females of your race are dying out. I know that your own magic has waned ever since the Fae left this realm and took so much of the power with them. I know that you, like the wolves, are much more powerful when mated.” Mona began to walk in a slow circle, taking measured steps as she reeled the warlock King in with her promises. “What if I told you that I can get you a mate? You can begin to rebuild your race and, with the stones, you can ensure that you get your magic back.”

She could tell immediately that Cypher was intrigued. His lips tightened as he considered.

Finally he spoke. “I need to consider your offer and discuss it with my clan.”

“Surely you, as their King, do not need their permission.” Mona sneered.

Cyper growled and was in her face in the blink of an eye. “Watch yourself, witch. Appearances are not always what they seem. Speak to me with such disrespect again and you will discover firsthand whether or not we have lost as much magic as you assume.”

Mona raised her hands in surrender and took a slow step back. “I meant no disrespect, King. I will be close, so simply speak my name on the wind and I will hear you.” She backed away, careful to continue facing the King, and climbed onto Octavian.

“One more thing,” she said as she turned to go. “Consider this – are your people moving forward or backward?  Can you survive the future in your current state? Where do you see your clan in a decade, or a century?” With that, she turned her steed and took off at a run.

 

 

Cypher watched as the witch took her leave. He realized that she knew she was pushing her limits with his patience. He had to admit that her offer was very tempting. But he was a realistic being; he knew it would not be as simple as she made out.

“Desdemona,” he thought to himself.  He knew of her, knew of the evil that had taken root deep inside her. If she had come to the point of doing something as desperate as trying to steal the stones of the Fae, then there was no hope left for her, regardless of what she had planned.

He also knew of the darkness inside his own spirit. Over the centuries, Cypher’s clan had slowly been forced into extinction because of the Fae’s selfishness and disregard for the other supernaturals in this realm. He had willingly turned to dark magic in an attempt to save the females of his race. What he did not know was that once the evil was allowed through even the smallest opening, even with the best of intentions, it could not be controlled. It had a will of its own, creeping into the dark places of a being’s heart and feeding said being’s thoughts and desires.

One day he had woken up and realized that the help had only been an illusion, a lie so carefully crafted into such an appealing idea that he hadn’t even realized it had slowly ensnared him and his clan. He believed that he had reached the point of no return. He was convinced that his heart was so dark that any amount of light that attempted to pierce the darkness would be immediately extinguished. If this was the case, then aiding Desdemona wouldn’t be adding to the darkness inside him. But, if by some small miracle there was a chance for him, then helping the witch might seal his fate, and he would be controlled forever by the evil that he'd naively welcomed with open arms.

 

 

~

Peri sat with Adam and Elle in the library of the Serbian pack mansion. She had summoned them after leaving the council of the Fae and asked them to help her gather information through their underground connections in the supernatural realm to see if there was any word of Mona or her workings. Peri had talked to a warlock that confessed to speaking with Mona, but he would not discuss what they had talked about. Adam and Elle had been able to follow a faint trail of magic from the In Between Veil through the Carpathian Mountains. Based upon the direction Desdemona was heading, Peri believed that she was heading into the Bulgarian Mountains. That couldn’t be a good thing, considering that according to the last rumor Peri had heard, there was a warlock King and his clan residing there.

“Desdemona must be getting desperate if she's seeking help from someone who could destroy her,” Adam pointed out the same thought Peri had just had.

“She’s getting desperate if she would even consider unleashing demons from the Veil on this world.” Peri added.

“What are we going to do?” Elle asked. “If our own people won’t help what chance do we have?”

Peri took a deep breath. Adam and Elle had known Peri for a very long time and this was the first time they had ever seen her truly worried.

“I’m going to use the stones to petition the Great Luna.”

Elle gasped. “It’s that bad?”

Peri looked at her two friends, her comrades in arms. She wouldn’t lie to them. It wouldn’t be fair. After all, they were sacrificing to be here with her.

“The Werewolf Wars and the Great Purge were cakewalks compared to what it will be like if those demons are allowed on this side of the veil.”  Peri stood. “You two need to lay low until the meeting tomorrow night. I’m going to have to get closer to the Veil so that I can draw on its power and add it to my own and that of the stones.”

“Perizada, you watch yourself.” Adam’s eyes narrowed. “You know there are many who would not hesitate to send you into the next life to get their hands on those stones.”

Peri’s lips curled up in a small smile. “Adam, even as old as you are you are still so very young. You do realize who you are speaking to, correct?”

Elle grinned and Adam tried to hide his own. “Yes, I know you are...what does the Serbian’s mate say? A bad ass?”

“You’d do well not to forget that, fairy boy.”

Adam rolled his eyes at the nickname she had no doubt picked up from the American girls.

 

Peri left them staring after her as she headed once again into the Transylvanian Alps.

 

Chapter 7

“If you think the life of a Canis lupis historian is interesting, you would be wrong. No offense, but seriously? Sitting, waiting on your Alpha to send you data to archive gets old really quickly. Going through ancient archives and converting them to digital; format? Boring! Some days I think stabbing myself in the eye with a spoon would be more interesting, so you can imagine my excitement at having the Great Luna appear. I’ll remember next time not to get excited until after she tells me what she wants.” ~Wadim

 

Wadim laughed as he read the latest t-shirt his sister had sent to him. This one was probably not something to wear around the pups – not that there were any in their pack. He frowned at that thought.

“Historians do it over and over and over…” he read the shirt aloud, smiling at the slight jab she was adding to the sexual innuendo. They continually argued over the fact that history was doomed to repeat itself. Her argument was that people change and, therefore, history had to change. His argument was, “I’m the historian and I know more than you”. She always growled when he threw that one at her. He folded the shirt haphazardly and laid it on the end of his desk, amongst the many papers and files. He had been working on getting the most recent happenings of their pack into the database. Vasile had been adamant about recording the reappearance of the gypsy healers, and the dormants being mated to full-bloods. Wadim was trying to keep events up to date in the system and continue to work on finding archives that pertained to the current crisis. The older archives were still in paper form, which made the job very time-consuming. He was operating on very little sleep and knew that he needed rest. Having his eyes cross at the computer screen due to exhaustion wasn’t exactly conducive to accurate record keeping.

He checked his watch and saw that it was only 6pm. Bedtime or not, he was going to fall asleep at his desk or his bed, wherever he landed.

“The bed it is,” he spoke into the empty room, heading for his quarters.

He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

 

Wadim knew that he was still asleep even as he sat up on the edge of his bed. Looking around, he realized he wasn’t in his room. The room he was in was illuminated with a soft light that seemed just bright enough to keep darkness dancing several feet away. He stood and turned in a circle, looking around him. The walls were stone grey and all around there were sconce lights. In between each sconce was a picture of a wolf, or group of wolves. Wadim could tell by the sheer size of them that they weren’t natural wolves. These were Canis lupis. There was a large, round, deep purple rug in the center of the room. A glass table was on the rug and around the table was various chairs, including a love seat and a chaise lounge.

He took a step forward, toward a white, wing-backed chair. The air rippled around him and caressed his face gently. He looked for a window or door, something that would have brought the breeze. He once again turned in a full circle. Standing behind him where the bed had been was a beautiful woman. She was tall and had long white hair that glowed with a soft halo of light. Her eyes were also white, no pupils, and seemed to glow with the same light. She had a straight nose and full, pink lips that were turned up in a soft smile. A shimmering cloak shifted from silver to purple with her movements.

Wadim watched in awe as she walked toward him, although with the grace that she moved it was more like gliding. He couldn’t look away as he waited for her to speak. When she finally did, her voice was a soothing balm that eased every worry and quieted every busy thought.

“Welcome, Wadim, keeper of the knowledge of the Romanian pack, child of mine.”

Wadim wasn’t sure if he should bow, kneel, or kiss her hand.  He didn’t know the protocol for meeting the Great Luna, for he was sure that it was her that stood before him

“A simple ‘hello’ will do, keeper.” Her laugh was a musical chime that brought a smile to his face.

“You can read my mind?”  He asked tentatively.

“Of course. I created you; I know everything about you,” she told him.

Wadim ran a hand across his face with a small groan. “Man, that cannot be good.”

Again with the musical laugh. “I have not brought you here to discuss your own life, Wadim. Not yet, anyway. There are bigger happenings going on in your world, bigger than any one being of any one species.”

She motioned for Wadim to take a seat and she took the one across from him.

“I have been petitioned by one of the great Fae, Perizada.  She has come to me on behalf of the wolves, my wolves.  How much do you know about the situation unfolding in your world?”

“I’ve been recording all the recent events but haven’t had much time to talk with Vasile. He's been helping Decebel get the Serbian pack reorganized.”

Wadim spoke of his pack as if she knew them; he figured she must since she was the one who created them.

“Much has happened since the battle between the witch and my wolves. Desdemona is on the move. She is seeking out an ancient evil horde to release on your realm and she has been pursuing the one being that has the knowledge to open the Veil in order to allow that evil to cross over. Now she has found him. As of right now he has not decided if he will help her. His heart is not yet consumed with evil. There is still good deep within him – good that needs just a tiny light to pierce through the darkness that is attempting to overshadow him.

“Desdemona holds a great temptation before him, though whether she can deliver what she promises has not yet been determined. Perizada of the Fae has been a great friend to my wolves and long continued the task I set before her. The others of her race have grown complacent and comfortable in the peace they have enjoyed for so long. I will not allow them to sit comfortably behind their Veil while the human realm is destroyed.”

Wadim listened attentively, feeling her passion and love for her creations, and even those that she did not create.

“What are you going to do?” he asked.

“I am going to stir things up a bit,” she answered, with what could only be described as a smile full of mischief. “I have decided that I can create a situation that will be good for all concerned. My wolves are dwindling in numbers due to the lack of true mates. This was of my own doing, for which I am truly sorry. When I saw the destruction they were bringing amongst themselves I made it very difficult to procreate and, over time, this has caused a population with too few females. The tide is turning. My wolves are beginning to gather themselves once again. The love of the half-blood mate of the prince, the fierce faithfulness of the dormant, and the pure heart of the healer are bringing a new era to the Canis lupis species. Because of this, I am going to help my wolves replenish their numbers. I will bless them with offspring that will bring joy to their packs and I will unite them with another supernatural species.” She paused as Wadim processed all that she was saying. “My wolves need mates. Since their creation I have only allowed them to mate within their own species. I cannot allow them to mate with full-blooded humans and form true mate bonds, of course, because the humans lack magic. However, I can make it possible for another magical species to become compatible.”

“Fae,” Wadim whispered in fascination.

“Correct, keeper. I will make the Fae compatible true mates to the Canis lupis. The bond will be no less intense than if it were two wolves. Their combined magic will create the bond between their souls. The mating between the two species will force the Fae to come out of hiding. Despite their laziness, they are still very loyal to their own kind and will not leave one to face peril on his or her own. I will start with two from your pack because of the faithfulness that the Romanian Alpha and his wolves have shown me. I want you to be the one to share this information with Vasile and Decebel. These two Alphas have proven their loyalty to their species and to me. They will determine who else deserves to know this information.”

Wadim was speechless. The Great Luna wanted him to share the most important information in the history of their kind. This would forever alter the course of their species. And he had been complaining about being bored. Guess that would teach him to complain.

“I trust you to do this, Wadim. You have proven to be a very accurate and truthful keeper. I know that you will tell all that I have imparted to you. Do this as soon as you awaken. Tell my wolves how very proud I am of you all.”

Wadim felt his eyes grow heavy and close against his will. Seconds later he sat up in his bed with a gasp, alone in his dark room. He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear the sleep and looked around to see if he really was back in his room. He pinched his arm.

“Ow,” he grumbled, but quickly forgot the pain as the Great Luna’s words filled his mind.

He jumped up, making a bee line to his computer. After pulling up a blank document he began to type everything she had told him. Once he was finished he picked up the phone and dialed Vasile’s cell number.

“Vasile,” the Alpha's deep voice rumbled.

“We need to talk,” Wadim panted breathlessly.

“Pack your things.  You will go with us to the Serbian pack’s mansion. We have a meeting tonight.”

Wadim hung up and realized that he must have slept the whole night even though it only felt like a short time. Shaking his head to clear it, he began to pack. His mind was racing over the possibilities and the consequences of the Great Luna’s decree.

He smiled to himself when he thought of the poor wolf who would be the first paired with a Fae.

This is what happens when you complain about being bored, he thought to himself. He pulled the strap of his bag over his shoulder and grabbed the flash drive upon which he had saved the documentation of the Great Luna’s words.  As he began to climb the stairs he muttered under his breath,“Just sitting around, minding my own business, whining about archiving, and then BAM, 'your species will be able to mate with a totally different species. Oh and by the way, Wadim, it’s your responsibility to relay this information'. That'll teach me to complain.”

 

Chapter 8

“Once you’ve been to one bonding ceremony, you’ve been to them all. The Blood Rites, however, are a whole 'nother bag of tricks…literally, if you’re creative. I’m just saying.” ~Jen

 

 

“Where are you, my Alpha?”  Alina spoke to her mate, who had a far-off look in his eyes. They were waiting for the others to arrive in the meeting room of the Serbian mansion. Vasile and Alina had shown up just before dusk and the others in Vasile’s pack were getting settled in the rooms that Jen and Decebel had prepared for them.

“I’m just wondering if we will ever see days of peace in my time as Alpha. Will we ever have grandchildren dancing around our feet? Will I hold you at night and not worry if we will be fighting for our lives the next day?” Vasile pulled Alina into his arms. She laid her head on his chest as he stroked her hair lovingly.

“All you can do is what is right. Fight the evil and the ones who would use it to devastate the weak with those who are pure of heart and have the will to stand against it. You lead them, you give them your strength, and you trust that not one of us will rest until good prevails.” Alina pulled back to look in his eyes. “We might not see days of peace, or play with our grandchildren.” She choked back on her words as she spoke of the little ones.  “We might never go to sleep knowing that we will wake up and open our door to a bright morning. And that’s okay, because I have loved and been loved by you. I have fought by your side, I have borne your child, I have laughed, cried, hurt, rejoiced, and mourned with you. Those things are my peace.”

Vasile placed his hands on either side of his mate’s face and gently pulled her toward him. Their lips touched, and even after two centuries, the passion that started as embers burned bright and strong. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood up on her tiptoes to get closer. Vasile growled softly and Alina laughed lightly as she pulled away. He looked into her eyes and saw the man she believed him to be. A man can go to his grave with pride when he has seen in his woman’s eyes that he is her hero, her lover, her friend, and her confidant.

 

~

Jen, Jacque, Sally, Rachel, Crina, and Cynthia all sat around the coffee table in one of the many sitting rooms. Each held a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

“Do we know if Peri has been able to get Legolas’ brothers and sisters to join our cause?” Jen asked as she took a sip of her hot chocolate, cringing as it stung her tongue.

Crina and Cynthia, who had also been taking sips of their drinks, immediately began choking as they laughed at Jen’s words. Rachel was smiling, beginning to understand some of Jen’s humor, even if she didn’t understand the reference.

“Jen, just because they are Fae doesn’t mean they are anything like the Lord of the Rings characters,” Sally pointed out. "Not to mention, Legolas was an elf."

Jen shrugged. “Yeah, but it’s so much more fun to refer to them as Legolas' cousins or baby’s daddy than just calling them Fae.”

Jacque nodded. “She does have a point.”

Cynthia was shaking her head. Once again the three girls were trading banter like the world wasn’t coming to an end.

“To answer your question,” Sally said, “Peri told me during one of our little…”

“Potions classes?” Jen blurted.

“Harry Potter!” Jacque yelled out.

“Point.” Jen nodded at Jacque.

“Seriously? You guys are going to play 'what’s it from?' now?” Sally asked. She crossed her arms across her chest, attempting to look intimidating.

“What is 'what’s it from?' now?” Rachel asked.             

Jacque piped in. “It’s a game where we just have normal conversations like usual.  But then throughout the day we throw movie quotes out that are appropriate for the topic. To get a point you have to be the first one to call out what movie or television show it’s from. It’s a very mature game for very mature women.”

“I’m afraid this game isn’t going to make a whole lot of sense to you considering you've been living on fig trees for decades and your only form of entertainment was injuring your werewolf husband so that you could use your healing skills.”

Everyone but Rachel gasped at Jen’s bluntness.  Rachel was laughing. She had told Jen about how Gavril would purposefully injure himself just so she would have something to do.

“I’m just saying,” Jen spouted at the outraged faces.

“Anyway, Rachel,” Jacque continued, “that is the game.”

“Perhaps I will just listen then.  I’m sure Jen will say something that, though I may not understand, I will still find amusing.”

Cynthia laughed. "That’s an easy thing to do. Jen only has to open her mouth and you’re just about guaranteed to laugh, and despite their brashness, she probably means no harm.”

“She’s really very short on charm!” Jacque hollered just as Sally and Jen yelled, “The Princess Bride!”

"Good one, Doc." Jen grinned at Cynthia.

"Okay, seriously," Sally said, collecting herself. "Peri said the council isn't going to lift a finger to help us out."

Rachel snorted. "That's no surprise."

"What do you mean?" Crina asked.

Rachel leaned forward and set her cup on the table. "The Fae are the most powerful of all the supernaturals and, at one time, they were the disciplinarians of our realm."

"Like the police of the sups?" Jacque asked.

Rachel stared at Jacque blankly.

"Rach, just go with it," Jen encouraged.

"Okay then, yes, like the police," Rachel agreed. "After the purge of the witches they retreated beyond their Veil and have had very little to do with this world. Especially since the absence of healers. So it doesn't surprise me that they don't want to get involved. They live in peace, safe in their world."

"Yeah, well, what happens when this world is brought to its knees and the death and destruction brought on by Mona comes knocking on their door?" Sally asked. "What is Peri going to do?"

"She hasn't really come out and said it in so many words, but I think Elle and Adam are going to be helping out again." Sally noticed Crina's shoulders stiffen when she mentioned the Fae. Maybe she didn't like them, Sally thought.

"Sally mine, we're getting ready to meet." Sally jumped at the sound of Costin's voice and let out a yelp.

Jen jumped up at that. "Bloody hell, Sally. Are you okay?"

Sally blushed. "I forgot to mention something," she muttered.

Jen's head snapped around to Jacque. "I told you she was holding out on us. Didn't I tell you she was holding out on us?"

"Yeah, yeah. You told me.  Now sit down and zip it so we can grill her for information."

"I'm just saying – I knew she was acting weird. But does anyone listen to Jen? Nooooo, of course not. It's not like I'm brilliant or anything."

"Jen."

"What!" Jen snapped.

"Sit it and shut it." Jacque pointed to Jen's seat. "Now," she growled, pinning Sally with her emerald eyes. "Spill it healer."

"Well, I was going to tell you guys last night but then the meeting and Peri and then…" Sally stammered.

"Blah, blah, blah. Sally, get to the point." Jen made an impatient motion with her hand.

"Costin and I can hear each other's thoughts," Sally blurted out.

"Shut up!" Jacque grinned.

"That's what I'm talking about. It all starts with the mind talk and next thing you know you're rolling around getting wrapped up in the sheets like a burrito." Jen was up, doing a little dance as she spoke. She stopped when she realized everyone was staring at her. "What?" Her forehead wrinkled.

Crina, Cynthia, and Rachel were shaking their heads with small smiles on their faces. Sally was covering her face in embarrassment and Jacque was rolling her eyes.

"Jen," Jacque started.

Jen held up her hands. "I know, I know. Always with the ‘don't talk about sex, Jen', ‘keep your clothes on, Jen', ‘be a boring square, Jen'."

"Did you hear me, baby?"

Sally jumped again. "Oh, crap, I forgot he spoke to me." She stood and walked away, turning her back on her friends. "Yes, I heard you. Sorry, I was distracted by the girls."

"Hmm, I must not be doing something right if your friends distract you better than I do. Guess I'll have to remedy that." She heard Costin chuckle in her mind and felt warm breath over her neck.

She shivered. "Was that you?"

"Yes, Sally mine, that was me. Now, are you coming to the meeting room or do I need to come and carry you over? Which would be completely fine with me."

Sally giggled. "We are on our way."

"Fine, have it your way. No worries, love. I will find another way to get you in my arms."

Sally was blushing when she walked back over the others.

"Um, Sally, you do realize that we can't hear you talk to him right? You don't have to walk away for privacy like you're on a cell phone."

Sally's blush deepened. "But if I try to talk to him while I'm in front you guys you will tell me that I look constipated."

The room erupted into chuckles.

"Oh, Sally girl, I wouldn't say you look constipated," Jen placated.

"Oh, okay." Sally smiled.

"For all I know you might look like you have gas, or maybe you look like you are in the throes of -"

"Jen!" Jacque cut her off, trying very hard not to laugh. When the others lost their composure Jacque gave in herself.

Sally tried to give them a stern glare, but she was to giddy to be upset. A wide grin spread across her face as she thought about Costin.

 

"Jennifer, Costin said you all were on your way." Jen hear her mate’s voice.

"We're heading that way. We had girl things to discuss. Tell Costin not to get his tail in a twist, his little healer will be there in a sec."

"Costin isn't the one asking, baby. I'm asking. And what girl things?"

"Oh, well, in that case I won't tell you not to get your tail in a twist because I think your tail stays in a perpetual state of twisted-ness. And none of your business."

She heard Decebel growl at her. She laughed. "Love you, my furry fur ball."

"Promise me you will never call me that out loud, in front of anyone."

"Now baby, you know I can't make a promise like that. You're bound to piss me off at some point and I need all the ammunition I can muster."

"Just get your butts in here." He was growling again which only made her grin bigger.

"Now, now, I will not stand for you talking about other chickadees' bums."

"Jennifer," he warned.

"Fine, jeez," she relented.

"Come on, girlies. Decebel’s yapping in my ear about getting all our butts to the meeting room."

"I don't know how you put up with his bossiness," Crina commented on their way out the door.

Jen snickered.

"If he was easy, compliant, and tolerant of her, she would turn him into a wolf rug and walk all over him," Jacque explained.

"Seriously," Jen added. "I can't French kiss a rug. Well I could, but then people would think I'd passed from mildly demented into full-blown off her rocker."

Sally cut a sideways glance at Jacque and raised her eyebrows. Jacque gave a slight nod in agreement with Sally's unspoken skepticism.

"Sally, Jacque, I will not hesitate to put super glue on your toilets, so wipe the smirks off your lovely faces."

Crina, Cynthia, and Rachel listened to the girls' banter, shaking their heads and laughing when Jen made a typical Jen statement.

As they walked, Jacque reached out to Fane. “Hey, wolf-man, I’m feeling a little left out here. All the other men are jumping all over their mates to get their butts to the meeting room.”

Jacque heard him chuckle and then he sent her a mental image of the two of them.

“I will be happy to jump all over you. However, I assure you it will be for a much different reason.”

Jacque laughed out loud and received knowing looks from the others.

“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Jacque asked.

“Yes, but I never get tired of hearing it. Now hurry up and get your butt in this meeting room,” Fane teased.

Jacque grinned to herself and somehow, even after the bonding and marriage, she still got butterflies at the idea of walking into a room knowing she was going to see Fane’s all-too-handsome face.

When they finally arrived at the meeting, the heaviness that cloaked the room brought their laughter and easy banter to an end.

 

~

The girls walked into the quiet room. The men were sitting in a circle. There were empty seats next to Decebel, Fane, Costin, and Gavril. Each mated female made their way to their respective places while Cynthia and Crina took the empty seats next to Sorin and Drake. Vasile and Alina sat near the front of the room with Peri sitting to their left.

Jacque saw Wadim next to Sorin and smiled.

"Hey, history boy," she teased. Fane growled and she elbowed him as she continued to talk to Wadim. "So you're being dragged into this mess too?"

"How could I possibly miss the end of the world as we know it?"

Decebel and Vasile snarled at Wadim’s words.

"Not appropriate, Wadim," Vasile warned.

"My apologies, Alpha. I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed by the information I need to share with you," Wadim told him.

"Let's get started," Peri interjected.

Vasile stood and began to walk slowly around the circle as he spoke.

"Decebel and I, along with our Betas, Gavril, and Costin, have been discussing how we should proceed. We have decided that we cannot wait for Desdemona to strike first.  It would be better to be on the offensive instead of the defensive. This means we need to be taking steps forward to figure out Mona's plan and how we can keep that plan from bearing fruit." He paused, waiting to see if anyone had anything to say at this point. When nobody spoke up, he continued.

"Based on the information Peri has been gathering, we think it would be beneficial to send out two groups to two locations that are opposite one another in the country. We might be able to pick something up inadvertently just by being in the right place. For example, Peri and Decebel were able to get Costin a job at a bar in Ruse, which is right on the border of Bulgaria, close to the forest where we think Mona was headed. This bar is frequented by supernatural beings.

“Sally will join him, along with Jen, Decebel, Sorin, Cynthia, and Drake. And thanks to Perizada, Elle will be joining you as well. The other group will include me, Alina, Fane, Jacque, Crina, Rachel, Gavril, and Adam, again thanks to Peri’s help. Skender will stay behind and take care of my pack and Decebel will appoint someone in his place while we are gone. Our group will be heading deep into the Carpathian Mountains, in the area close to the bridge above the In Between.” Vasile stopped pacing. “Now, at one time there were tribes of pixies…"

"Whoa, hold the heck up," Jen interrupted. Decebel placed his hand on her thigh, which she ignored.

"Pixies? Seriously? Okay, right here, right now, give us a list of all the non-human beings that inhabit this great planet but live in secret all up in our Kool-Aid."

Sally and Jacque were nodding their heads in agreement.

Decebel rolled his eyes and waited to see how Vasile would respond to his mate’s outburst. He probably should have put duct tape on her mouth before the meeting began, but she tended to make things more interesting.

"I heard that about the duct tape, you Neanderthal," Jen growled through their bond.

Decebel chuckled out loud as Jen pushed his hand off her thigh. He just put his hand back, not bothered by her attitude in the slightest.

"How about I have my people get the list typed up and they will give it your people?"

Snorts of laughter rippled across the room.

Jen narrowed her eyes at Vasile. "Did you just make a joke?” She snorted, then added with a growl, “Your people had better get in touch with my people."

"Done." Vasile nodded and smiled slyly, “On both accounts.” He looked back at the rest of the group and continued. "As I was saying, there used to be a tribe of pixies near the bridge. They tend to be quite nosy and like to keep tabs on what's coming and going out of the Veil into the In Between."

"Are they good or bad?" Sally asked.

"Pixies are independent and will tend to side with the winning team. They aren’t inherently evil, but they tend to do what's best for them, not the good of everyone. Hopefully they can see that Mona has no concern for them or the outcome of their species in regard to the demons she wants to unleash."

"Great." Jacque threw her hands up in frustration. "So you're telling me that we are going into a forest close to the opening of what is essentially hell for those of us who don’t want to torture, maim, and rule the world. Then, on top of that, we don't know if the creatures we are looking for even live there anymore, and, just to add insult to injury, we aren't guaranteed to get their allegiance?"

Fane slipped his hand up under her hair to wrap it around her neck. He squeezed affectionately. "You are just a ball of warm fuzzies, aren't you, love?"

Jacque shrugged. "I'm just keeping it real, wolf-man."

"It does look like it will be difficult and quite possibly impossible, but who else is there to do it?" Vasile asked, not unkindly.

Jacque leaned into Fane with a groan. "Okay, okay. I get it. We have to save the world because we can't expect someone else to step up and do it. Gah, you just had to go there, didn't you?"

"Feeling a little frustrated today?" Fane asked her.

"It's just one thing after another. If one of us chicks aren't being chick-napped, it's some deluded, ego-inflated Alpha on a power trip, and if it's not that, then it's a witch that wants to take over the world using some demons from the pit of hell. What's next?"

"Perhaps next the pixies will rise up and decide they're tired of being used and start wreaking havoc all over the place."

Jacque leaned forward and turned to look at Fane. "Really, Fane, that's all you got? Hell, why stop there? Let's go with maybe all the supernatural beings will join forces and decide that they want rule the world."

"Oh, I got one." Jen raised her hand, bouncing in her chair like an eager child. "How 'bout the supernaturals that ban together decide that once they take over the world they don't want to just kill us outright, so they make the humans go out into the woods in groups and fight for supplies and food to stay alive."

Sally and Jacque glanced at each other, rolling their eyes in sync. "Jen, you dork, that’s the Hunger Games. As in the books and the movie."

"Oh, damn. I knew it was a good idea." Jen looked over to Decebel. "It was a good idea wasn't it, babe?"

Decebel patted her leg and nodded. "It was an awesome idea."

Jen frowned at him. "You're just humoring me, aren't you?"

"Most definitely."

Jen shrugged her shoulders. "At least you’re honest."

Vasile cleared his throat as he frowned at everyone. "Can we continue, or do you all need a little more time to think of the next hopeless scenario?"

Nobody answered, which was the wise road to take.

Sally raised her hand.

"You don't have to raise your hand, Sally," Costin teased.

"After the look he just gave us, I think I will play it safe."

Vasile smiled at Sally.

Jen rolled her eyes. "Sally, are you seriously raising your hand? We aren't in school anymore." Jen grinned wickedly at her friend. "But if you insist on acting the part of the student, what part does your dreamy, finger-liquor good mate play?"

Decebel growled.

"Would you like to explain to me why you are referring to Costin as finger-licking good?"

"Baby, I think your old age is catching up with you and affecting your hearing. I said he is finger-liquor good. It's a play on words, 'cause he's, like, a bartender. Get it?"

Decebel let out an exasperated sigh. "Could you just please refrain from describing any males in a way that indicates attraction."

"Jealous?" Jen teased.

This time when Decebel growled and looked at her, he held her eyes with his glowing ones. "You're mine. I don't share, not even your attraction. Keep your eyes to yourself, Jennifer, or you're going to get some poor wolf killed."

Jen, for once, shut up. This wasn't the time or the place.

Jacque looked over at Fane and whispered, “Does it seem like everyone’s emotions are running a little high?”

Fane nodded. “Stress, love. The males of our species don’t handle the idea of their mates in danger very well. Seems like we can’t keep you guys out of it and it’s very frustrating.”

“We’re all alive. That has to count for something,” she told him as she took his hand.

“Just surviving is not the life we want for you all. We want to give you the world.”

Sally looked at Costin and smiled, then she glanced over at Fane. “Just think, Fane, if you guys take out Mona and her evil hoard, you will be giving us the world – literally.”

Everyone smiled at Sally.

“See? That’s why we keep you around.” Jen grinned. “When the rest of us are all ‘life sucks, we’re all going to die', Sally’s all ‘everyone hold hands and sing Lean On Me'.”

The entire room stared at Jen.

“What? I’m just saying.” She slumped back into her chair with a huff.

 

Vasile cleared his throat and attention returned to him. For her part, Sally thought the man had the patience of a god. With the addition of these American girls, things didn't run smoothly – or, well, professionally.

“Listen to me,” Vasile said quietly. “All jokes aside, what we're about to face is deadly. Please take some time to consider that and prepare yourselves. We head out the day after tomorrow. Any questions?”

When no one spoke, Vasile dismissed them, a somber mood beginning to descend upon them. Jen wasn't having that. As they all began to stand and file out, she loudly said, “Long live the fellowship of the ring.”

Jacque shook her head. “We were so close.”

Jen rolled her eyes. “Oh, give me a break, you were all thinking it.”

~

“Wadim,” Vasile addressed the historian, “you stay.”

Wadim nodded and returned to his seat.

Once the room was empty of everyone but Alina, Peri, Wadim, and himself, Vasile sat back down.

“Whatever information you have, Wadim, I don’t feel like the pack needs to know right now,” he explained. “Now, please tell us what is so important that it seems to make you want to crawl out of your own skin.”

Wadim took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he began to speak. The first words out of his mouth had everyone sitting up much straighter.

“The Great Luna came to me in a dream.” He paused, letting that information sink in. “She’s not happy that the Fae aren’t willing to help in this realm,” he went on, looking at Peri.

“I didn’t realize that she would act so quickly. And of course she isn’t happy about that,” Peri snapped. “They’re being spoiled brats and need their butts beaten.”

Vasile looked at Peri. “You petitioned her?” His voice held the awe that was written across his handsome features.

Peri nodded. “You have been good to me, Vasile, good to our people. It is the least I can do. But I do hope to do more.”

“Thank you, Perizada of the Fae. This act will not be forgotten,” Vasile said formally.

Wadim cleared his throat, regaining their attention. “Well, she has a solution to that problem.”

He began telling them all of what the Great Luna had revealed; her knowledge of what Mona was up to; her plans to bring Fae and Canis lupis together; her desire to let her creations know that she was pleased with them. When Wadim had finished, the room was quiet.

Peri was the first to speak.

“Damn, when sista decides she’s going to take action, she goes balls to the wall.”

Everyone turned to look at her.

“What?” She shrugged. “Blame Jen. She’s the one who teaches me these un-ladylike and totally out of character statements.”

Vasile focused on Alina, who had tears in her eyes.

“Finally,” she whispered. “Finally our wolves will have mates. The males will no longer be consumed by the darkness that relentlessly pursues them.” She looked over at Wadim and smiled gently. “She honors you to come to you.”

Wadim blushed under his Alpha’s gentle compliment.

“Did she indicate when these new mates would appear?” Vasile asked.

“No, but she did say it would start with our pack, because of our faithfulness to her and the others of our kind.”

Vasile’s head snapped up to meet Peri’s stare. “If you had to guess, which Fae do you think would first be chosen as mates?”

Peri rolled her eyes. “Do I really have to answer that, Alpha? You know as well as I do who will be chosen. She will pick the ones who are already loyal to you. Then, when more come to help their kind, the most faithful and pure of heart will be picked. I’ve only been blessed by the presence of the Great Luna one time – she is very wise and very calculating.”

“Mina,” Vasile reached for her hand, “I need your counsel in this. You are more attuned to the emotions of our pack. Do you think we should tell anyone, even my first four?”

Alina thought about this for a moment before speaking.

“At this point, it would just be one more thing to distract them. Leave it be for now. If it happens between the two we believe it will happen with, then we will cross that bridge.”

Vasile nodded in agreement. He thought about the consequences of what Wadim had revealed and, for the first time in a very long time, felt hope. Hope for his species to continue on; hope for the males to find love and be relieved of the consuming darkness; hope that he would get to have grandchildren and watch them grow up; hope that they would finally find an end to the darkness that had begun to consume their world.

 

 

 

Chapter 9

“There are over twenty two thousand, four hundred different mixed drinks known to man.  You might think that learning their names and recipes would get a little boring. That’s because Costin isn’t your teacher. For some reason he just makes everything more fun. Well, and he’s kind of nice to look at. And touch. And smell. And – gah! I’m turning into Jen.” ~ Sally

 

Costin took Sally by the hand after the meeting broke up and led her to the room they'd been in the first time he showed her all his mad skills as a bartender. He pulled her behind the bar in the game room and grinned.

“Okay, beautiful, we got some training to do.”

Sally’s brow bunched together. “What are you talking about?”

“We are going to be bartending,” he said with a wink.

“What do you mean we? I thought I was just along for the ride,” she said nervously.

“Oh, no, my sweet mate, you are going to be behind the bar where I can keep an eye on you and keep groping hands and paws off of you. I would hate to blow our cover by ripping some schmuck’s arms off.”

Sally cringed at the picture he painted.

Costin tucked a towel into the back pocket of her jeans and gave her a soft pat on her backside.

Her head snapped around to look at him in shock. He just shrugged his shoulders, not remorseful in the least.

“Okay, first things first,” he began. “Drinks on tap.” Costin showed her the different beers on tap and explained how this was different from a bottled drink. Then he pulled out bottle after bottle of different kinds of liquor. He explained the technical difference between liquor and alcohol and explained each bottle’s contents. Next, he pulled out a sheet of paper that had lists of drinks and then the ingredients for those drinks.

Sally blushed as she read aloud, ‘Sex on the beach?’

Costin had his back to her, pulling down glasses.

“I figured it was a little early on in our relationship for that,” he said, “but I’m up for whatever.” He turned around to find a stunned Sally. He placed his finger under her chin and gently closed her mouth, which had dropped open.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle, yet somehow electrifying kiss on her lips. Her eyes closed as she attempted to keep breathing.

“One day, Sally mine. One day.”

When he pulled away she slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

“I really like it when you do that,” she admitted boldly.

He set the glasses down and walked her back until she was pressed against the bar. He placed his hand on the counter on either side of her, effectively pinning her in. As he leaned closer, he took a deep breath and let out a low rumble.

“I really like doing it,” he told her softly. Sally’s breathing came in short gasps as she tried to control her racing heart. Costin slid his hands on the bar so they were touching her hips. He smiled when she stopped breathing all together.

“Breathe, Sally. How will I kiss you again if you pass out?”

“I imagine it would be rather difficult and not very enjoyable,” she rambled.

Costin’s smile widened. “No, I imagine it would not be very enjoyable for either of us.”

He leaned closer until his lips were so close that they touched hers as he spoke. She could feel his warm breath blow across her face and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.

“Sally,” he whispered.

“Mm-hmm,” she moaned out.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Please,” she pleaded.

Costin chuckled as he closed the rest of the distance and pressed his lips firmly to hers. They both let out groans as they gave into the tension that had been building.

Sally reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly to her. She felt him smile against her lips and nipped his bottom lip at his smugness.

He pulled back and rubbed his nose against hers. “Feeling feisty?”

“You always make me act out of character.”

Costin laughed. “Oh no, you can’t blame me for your sudden desire to ravish me.”

Now Sally’s face was as bright as ripe tomato.

“I guess now that I have thoroughly embarrassed you maybe we should call it a night. We can work on mixing the drinks tomorrow.” He tugged her close to him and leaned down and buried his face in her neck. After several minutes of him breathing her in, he bit gently on her neck just below her ear. She gasped and then moaned when his lips gently kissed away the pain of his bite.

“Soon, my love,” he whispered in her ear, “you will bear my mark.”

Sally tried to respond but she had yet to regain the ability to speak. Costin stepped back and grinned, his dimple appearing on his handsome face.

“I better take you back to your room before I talk you into letting me bite you now.”

That snapped Sally out of her stupor. She let him pull her behind him as he led her from the room.

When he dropped her off at her door he kissed her gently on the neck where he had bitten her. As he turned to walk away she grabbed his arm.

“Wait,” she said a little desperately. She looked up into his eyes and told him with all the sincerity she could, “I’m so glad it’s you.”

Costin understood what she meant and took her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back they were both breathing heavily.

“Let me stay,” he whispered, nearly as desperate as she had sounded. Sally’s eyes widened.

Costin’s lips lifted in a crooked smile. “Just to sleep, Sally mine.” He ran his fingers through her hair and then down her back. “I just want to hold you. I’m not ready to say goodnight.”

“Me either,” she admitted.

He grinned wickedly. “Excellent.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the room, shutting the door behind him.

 

Sally’s brain was going ninety to nothing as she tried to process what she had just agreed to. She had never slept with a guy.

“Don’t overthink this, beautiful. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.” Sally heard him through the bond and had to admit she loved the intimacy in it, that she was the only one he could do that with.

“I trust you. It’s just weird,” she told him as she grabbed her pajamas and head into the bathroom to change.

When she came out of the bathroom she froze. Costin was lying on his back in her bed, arms behind his head, legs crossed. He was attempting to look as innocent as one could on his girlfriend’s bed…shirtless. She took slow breaths as she approached her bed, unable to keep from noticing his defined chest and arms, and flat, washboard abs. She closed her eyes as she climbed into bed next to him. Her only thought was how she could ever compete with such perfection. She wasn’t athletic in any way – in fact, the only exercise she ever got was when Jacque and her had to run for their lives because of some stunt Jen had pulled.

She didn’t have washboard abs, she didn’t have defined arms, but she had a defined chest, just not in the same way his was.

“Hush now, quit your worrying,” Costin told her as he rolled over and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him. “I assure you, your body is perfect for me. And I’m quite glad that your chest isn’t defined like mine. To be honest, that would be a little disappointing.”

Sally couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled up at the picture he had in his mind. She slapped his arm. “You said you were going to behave.”

“I have been. You’re the one who brought up your chest. I mean, really, Sally, how is a man supposed to ignore that topic?”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t think about how it would affect you,” she told him bashfully.

“Go to sleep, beautiful. One day I will show you just how perfect you are for me.”

Sally snuggled closer against him and smiled to herself. She believed Costin. After the things she had seen and felt in his mind, she knew he would never lie to her. If he said she was beautiful, then he meant it. If he said her body was perfect for him, then she would stop worrying about it.

 

~

“What do you ladies want to do tonight?” Fane asked Jacque and Jen as he and Decebel led them out of the meeting room.

Jen looked at Jacque and grinned. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I’m feeling the need to get furry.” Jacque winked at Fane.

Fane and Decebel grinned.

“I’m always up for a good chase.” Decebel smiled at Jen wickedly, his canines sharpening and his eyes glowing.

Fane crossed his arms and looked at both girls. “Tell you what. We’ll give you guys a three minute head start.” He turned to Decebel. “You cool with that?”

“Oh, I’m cool. It doesn’t matter how far ahead my girl gets in front of me, I will always find her.”

Jen shivered under his intense gaze.

“Okay, you two, save it for the chase.” Jacque rolled her eyes. She leaned into Fane and kissed him deeply, drawing out a low growl. “That’s some incentive for you to not dawdle.”

“Dawdle,” Fane scoffed. “Woman, I've got plans for you. So no worries, there will be no dawdling of any sort.”

Jen and Jacque both walked backward toward the exit, to the freedom where they could be who and what they were. They each blew kisses to their mates and then turned, taking off at a sprint.

“How far do you give them?” Fane asked Decebel, still staring at the door his mate had just fled through.

“Half a mile tops. And that’s being generous,” Decebel answered. His focus was firmly on his mate, who was studiously attempting to block him. She was learning that the longer they were mated, and the more intense and intimate their relationship became, it became much harder to hide things from him. It wasn’t impossible, but it was difficult.

 

 

Jen hopped in place as she tried to pull her pants off.

“Jen, your shoes, ding bat. You aren’t going to get those pants off without taking off your shoes.”

“Oh, crap, my bad. I just want to hurry. I want to give him a run for his money, which is very hard to do.”

Both girls focused on undressing as quickly as possible and then dug deep inside themselves, calling on their wolves. Every change became easier and easier. Jen had told Jacque that she could almost feel her wolf just beneath her skin.

Once in wolf form they nuzzled each other briefly, Jacque keeping her head lower than Jen’s since she was the Alpha female of the Serbian pack. With a quick yip from Jen they took off in a flash.

The cold night air rippled through their fur as they darted into the surrounding forest. There was still snow on the ground but it was sporadic now and what was left was slushy. They attempted to avoid it so as not to leave paw prints. They were getting pretty good at dodging bushes and branches in order not to disturb the foliage around them, giving away the trail they had run. Suddenly Jacque broke away from Jen and Jen took that as her cue to go the opposite direction. They'd decided earlier to crisscross each other's trails. They started out in large sweeps, Jacque running left, then making an arch heading right, back toward Jen, who was coming in the exact same figure from the left.

Gradually their sweeps became tighter and tighter. They both faltered in their steps when they heard two loud howls go up into the clear night. Then they both doubled their efforts and, as discussed, continued their crisscrosses for the duration of the run.