Chapter 34
and Sally boarded the private plane Vasile had charted. Jen whistled while Sally's jaw dropped open at the sight of such luxury.
"Sally, I take it back. I don't just want a wolf and whipped cream. I want a rich wolf with whipped cream.
"Ok, let me just write that down for you since you seem to think I'm your personal assistant," Sally responded, her tone clipped.
"You ever noticed how assistant starts with ass? Do you think that’s a coincidence?" Jen shrugged her shoulders as she raised her eyebrows at Sally.
"Oh, how I've missed my two snarky best friends," Jacque quipped as she boarded the plane, closely followed by Fane.
Jacque had begun to follow Jen and Sally when she felt Fane tug her hand. She turned back to look at him.
"Let me check the plane before you and your friends go exploring." He gave her hand a quick squeeze and then walked towards the back of the plane. Jacque noticed that there was a small hall that was blocked off from the front of the plane.
"This thing is huge. Where do you think that goes?" Sally asked pointing in the direction Fane had disappeared down.
"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Jacque said to her friends with a wink.
The three girls sat down on a plush seat that ran the length of one side of the plane. On the opposite side of the plane were bucket style seats, two to a row. Each set of two faced opposite another and there was a small table in between each set. Jacque counted three sets. To the right of her on the wall that separated the back of the plane from them was a large flat screen television and below that was a bar with various drinks in the glass case.
Fane came and stood next to Jacque, apparently finished with his inspection. Jacque, Jen, and Sally watched as the others began to board the plane. Alina and Lilly took one set of the bucket seats while Sorin and Vasile sat across from them. Jacque had to pinch Sally when she started laughing because Boain had attempted to sit on the bench seat next to Jen, and Decebel snarled something in Romanian at the poor wolf, causing him to pale and jump up so fast it looked like he had been stabbed in the butt with a hot poker. Jen acted as if she didn't notice.
Cynthia sat next to Skender across from the now trembling Boain and the frowning Decebel. Fane reached down and grabbed Jacque's hand, tugging at her as he indicated the bucket seats for them to sit in. Jacque stood up, motioned to Jen and Sally to join them in the seats across from each other.
With everyone safely buckled in, the plane began its journey down the runway, picking up speed until finally Jacque felt her stomach drop as the plane's wheels left the ground. As the plane rose higher into the sky Jacque felt like she was finally getting away from the nightmare that she had been living this past month. That is until the pain ripped through her again.
She leaned forward in her seat, arms wrapped around her middle as she laid her head on the table in front of her. She heard startled voices but could not make them out. Not with the sound of blood rushing in her ears as she tried not to scream out. She thought that since she had taken Fane's blood that she was better, but Cynthia was right when she said it would take more than one time. She felt someone undo her seat belt and then strong arms were around her lifting her. She curled her body into the strength that she knew had to be Fane.
Jacque didn’t open her eyes until she felt him laying her down on a soft surface. She didn't bother looking around, the only thing she wanted to see were Fane's eyes. She watched him as he stretched out beside her never taking his eyes from hers.
"You need more blood, Luna," he told her gently.
Jacque watched as he unbuttoned the first three buttons on his black shirt and pushed the collar back to expose his throat. As the pain continued to course through her body she barely registered that her canines had lengthened the moment Fane bared his throat to her.
Fane gently wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and guided her mouth to his skin. This time Jacque didn't hesitate. As soon as her teeth met his flesh she pierced it without a thought. Once again Fane's spicy essence poured into her as she closed her eyes and welcomed his healing blood.
Fane pulled Jacquelyn close, sheltering her with his body as she took what he offered.
He whispered in her ear using his native language, telling her how much she meant to him and how he could never imagine a life without her. And when he told her he loved her he felt her body tremble in his arms. She pulled back this time on her own and Fane saw the tear tracks down her cheeks.
"Why do you cry, love?" he asked her gently.
"I knew you would come for me, but I didn't know if I would be the same person when you found me."
Fane watched as she moved forward and he felt her tongue run across where she had just bitten him. As she pulled back he saw that her cheeks were tinged a soft red and as he ran his fingertips across her face he felt the heat on her skin.
"Sorry, there was, um, some blood." She let her words trail off.
Fane chuckled as he wiped away the evidence of her tears. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Luna. You can run your tongue across my neck anytime. I assure you I will never object." He laughed as she swatted at him, but was glad he had gotten a smile out of her.
"How are you feeling now? Has the pain lessened?" he asked in a much more serious tone.
Jacque took a deep breath and let it out slow. She closed her eyes, concentrating on her body. She could still feel a dull ache but it was even better than after the first time he had given her his blood.
"I feel much better," she told him honestly. Her brow furrowed when she asked, "Fane, will this affect the Blood Rites since I've taken your blood?"
"No, Luna. Because I have not taken your blood, the Rites are not complete yet."
Jacque nodded her understanding. She rolled onto her back and for the first time looked around at her surroundings. She realized they were in a small but luxurious room. There was soft overhead lighting along the edge of the room. They were lying on a queen sized bed that almost completely filled the space.
"Is this the back of the plane?" she asked him.
Fane nodded. "This is the only cabin on the plane. I came back here when we first boarded to make sure it was ready should I need to give you blood again."
Jacque's face once again took on the rosy red coloring. "I suppose they," she indicated with a nod in the direction of the front of the plane, "all know why we came back here."
"Well, I'm sure they are assuming it's because you needed my blood, but we could give them a reason to believe it was for something else," Fane teased as he started tickling her and she couldn't hold back the soft laughter that came pouring out of her.
Jen and Sally sat tensely in their seats as the wondered if Jacque was okay. She had been so pale when Fane had carried her off. Alina kept trying to reassure them that Fane would take care of her. Still, they couldn't help worrying. About the time the plane hit cruising altitude they all heard a gentle giggling from the direction Fane had carried Jacque. Jen rolled her eyes as she unclipped her seatbelt.
"Oh, for crying out loud," she said as she stood up. "If Jacque gets to get her freak on at 80,000 feet, I'm at least going to get my game on." She turned to look at the other wolves. "Skender, Sorin, Boain," but was interrupted before she could finish.
Decebel stood up, nearly ripping the seatbelt before he remembered to unbuckle it. "Jennifer," his voice was deathly soft, "what the bloody hell do you mean to get your game on with three of my pack mates?"
Jen had to slap Sally on the back as she started coughing at Decebel's words.
"Well, when you put it like that it does sound pretty bad. But those were your words, Sparky, not mine." She turned to Alina, ignoring the daggers that Decebel was glaring at her. "Do you have a deck of cards on this ride?"
Alina's eyes crinkled as she smiled. "I bet we could find some." She unbuckled her seat belt and started going through various compartments that didn't look like compartments until she started hitting buttons that made them open. Finally, after a few moments Alina held up a deck of cards triumphantly. "We're in business," she said, smiling at Jen.
Jen took the deck as she looked at Sally. "You in?"
"Always."
"Okay, boys. Let's see what you got," Jen taunted as she sat down on the bench seat across from the others.
The three wolves looked tentatively at Decebel.
"Oh, for crying out loud, Dec. Tell them you won't beat them if they play cards with the two humans." Jen glared at him.
Decebel had not taken his eyes off of Jen since she had declared she wanted to get her game on. Finally he relented and turned to his pack mates, who all cringed under his scrutiny.
"No touching," he said,as he sat back rigidly, angled so he could watch every move of the game.
The three wolves joined Jen and Sally. Uncertain of where to sit they all sat right on the floor in front of the bench seat Jen and Sally occupied.
"So are we playing hold 'em?" Skender asked Jen.
Sally snorted as Jen continued to deal the cards. "Hold 'em's for sissies," Jen teased with a wink. "We're playing something a little less civilized."
"What would that be…exactly?" Sorin asked his eyebrows raised and his lips slightly down cast.
"Strip poker, of course," Jen said innocently while all three wolves coughed into their hands. "But remember," she added with a wicked look directed at the brooding wolf sitting behind the other wolves, "no touching."
The low sound that rumbled from Decebel's chest had the other wolves cringing. "Jennifer,” Decebel growled in warning.
"Fine. Strip poker is out, go fish is in." Jen glared at Decebel. "Who invited you to this party, anyways? Can't your invitation be revoked?"
"That only works with vampires, Jennifer." His eyes narrowed.
"Well, it would be a little more convenient if some things were universal in the supernatural world," she snapped.
"Some things are universal. For instance, there isn't a being in existence that couldn't possibly want to take a bite out of your mouthy hide." Decebel winked at her as she sat in mid-shuffle, her mouth dropped open. Sally reached over and pushed Jen's chin up, effectively snapping her mouth closed.
"Jen, how 'bout I just take over the shuffling, k?" Sally cautiously took the deck of cards from her while Jen continued to glare at Decebel.
Fane lay next to a sleeping Jacquelyn as the quiet hum of the plane engine hummed like a lullaby and noticed how much she seemed to have improved after taking his blood twice. The bruise on her cheek had faded to the soft green color they get just before they disappear. He hadn't looked at her back again to see if the claw marks had begun to heal. Fane didn't know if she would have scars or not since she was only half Canis Lupis.
She looked beautiful lying next to him. He gently picked up a lock of her hair and brought it to his face. The soft strands against his skin were like silk and the scent he breathed in from them was like little piece of heaven to him. He couldn't begin to express his thankfulness and joy at having her back with him.
The plane gave a jerk as it ran into turbulence, the disturbance causing Jacquelyn to stir. Fane watched as her eyes fluttered open and then collided with his own. His breath was drawn from his lungs at the softness and love that he saw reflected in Jacquelyn's beautiful emerald eyes. He saw her eyebrows draw together as a questioned formed on her pink lips.
"Why did your parents only have one child?" she asked him.
Fane took a deep breath as he thought about her question. "They tried to have more but my mother kept losing the pregnancies."
"Oh, Fane, I'm sorry. That must have been hard for her." Jacquelyn took his hand and brought it to her lips as she gently kissed his palm.
"You should know, just in case in the future you want to try, it is difficult for our kind to conceive. We don't know why, but it's not common for mates to have more than one or two children."
"Maybe Cynthia could help," she told him as her eyes brightened.
Fane smiled at her forever optimism, but then his eyes narrowed. "Cynthia has a lot to answer for."
"Oh, Fane." Fane watched as Jacquelyn's face softened. "I know what she did was wrong but I understand that she was hurt and angry. She got me out of there and she could have died fighting Logan so that I could get away. Please don't hurt her."
He tilted her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "You really forgive her, even after all you endured?"
Jacquelyn nodded as she searched his face."I forgive her," she said simply.
Fane closed his eyes briefly and pressed his lips gently to hers. "I will discuss it with my father."
He watched her lips turn up and her eyes lighten. "Thank you, wolf-man."
He inclined his head to her, never taking his eyes from hers.
"Jacquelyn, how did things go with your father? I didn't listen in on your conversation with him when you parted ways." Fane's eyes softened and his mouth turned up in a reassuring smile.
"It was okay. He really felt like he needed to get home and talk to his mate about everything. Apparently she doesn't know a thing about me. I'm glad I got to meet him. I'm glad that I know he cares about me but he isn't who I need right now. The time for me to have a father has passed, Fane, and Dillon understands that. He is happy for us and that means a lot to me, but it's my mate that I need now."
Fane leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently as her words seeped into his heart.
"Can I ask you a question?" she asked when he pulled back.
"I could deny you nothing, Luna. Perhaps you will allow me to look at the marks on your back to see if they are healing as quickly as the bruise on your face while you satisfy your curiosity," he bartered.
She rolled onto her stomach and let him pull her shirt up so he could examine her skin.
"Do you ever wonder if the Canis Lupis want a king or Alpha? Do you think that they have ever wanted to be, like, a democracy?"
Fane chuckled as he ran his fingers lightly across the claw marks that were now red slashes, the skin already closed.
"Where did this question come from?" he asked as he pulled her shirt back down.
She rolled back onto her side, her eyes down cast sheepishly. "I'm just really scared that your pack isn't going to want me as their female Alpha. What if they would rather be a democracy than have a half-breed as a leader?"
"There are flaws in your logic, my love." Fane relaxed on his back, his arms folded behind his head. "First, Canis Lupis, like our cousins the natural wolves, thrive under the leadership of an Alpha. Because of our violent and dominating nature we need the leadership and direction of one that is stronger and more in control than each of us. Without an Alpha there would be chaos and anarchy. We aren't human, Jacquelyn, not even you. We would not survive if we tried to live as humans do. The pack will respect you and follow your leadership. You are strong and that is what they look for in a leader. This also explains why a democracy wouldn't work, why Canis Lupis could not elect a leader. Wolves only follow the strong; the leader has to prove he can lead. His strength cannot be based on others' opinions. He has to be able to demonstrate that he is the most dominant and most capable to care for the pack. The female Alpha, by nature's design, comes into this position naturally because she is mated to the Alpha. You were chosen by fate to be my Luna and because of that it proves you are strong enough to lead, strong enough to take control when others would try to bring disarray into the pack."
Jacque was quiet for a few minutes after Fane had finished talking. She thought about what she had gone through since meeting Fane and wondered if it was fate's way of showing her that she was indeed strong enough to lead, to take control. After all, she had survived two psychotic Alphas and although she hadn't walked away unscathed, she remained whole. She was still Fane's mate, she was still strong. She looked down at Fane who was patiently waiting for her response. His eyes softened as they met hers and she couldn't help but let her eyes wander on his beautiful face. They traced over the markings that flowed across his neck and disappeared under his shirt and then met his eyes once again.
"I can do this. I'm not saying that I'm not scared, but I got this. As long as you are by my side, wolf-man, I'm game."
Jacque curled up next to Fane, content to be in his arms and continued to think about her future, about their future. She wasn't going to worry, she was going to trust Fane and herself and she would give it her all and be the best mate and Alpha female when her time came.
"You will be amazing, Luna, never doubt that." She heard Fane's voice and the love he poured into his words in her mind.
"I wouldn't dare," she replied confidently. His response was a gentle squeeze and low chuckle under his breath.