by Quinn Loftis
His back was stiff with tension, his shoulders pulled back, hands in the pockets of his grey slacks. He rolled his neck in an attempt to ease the tension, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something very important – some piece of knowledge that had been buried in history. He kept asking himself why Mona was so willing to help him. She was powerful, no longer needing his pack's protection, and yet she stayed.
His brown eyes narrowed with an eerie glow. It was time to start digging, he decided. How long had it been since he had looked into the past of his species? Centuries of history, that if forgotten could be detrimental to them, and yet he knew without a doubt the Canis lupis had become too comfortable in their place on this earth. Mona was up to something, something that would benefit her and bring destruction to all in her path. Definitely time to take a walk into their past.
Rachel had barely moved from Jen's side for the past two days. She hadn't thrown up blood since the night before, but she was afraid to leave her unattended for even a moment. In all her centuries she had never been more ashamed and more scared of her actions. Her selfish need to protect herself was costing this young girl her life, and quite possibly her mate's life as well. Rachel shook her head. No, she refused to accept that. She would not let her die.
Gavril had gone in search of Perizada. He had left hours after Jen started convulsing and vomiting. She was in and out of consciousness, often mumbling incoherently. Rachel took to telling her stories, sharing her past and many adventures. Occasionally Jen would open her eyes, but they were unfocused, not really seeing.
Now Rachel watched as Jen began to take shallow breaths. This was the worst part, when she struggled to breathe, and there was nothing she could do. She propped Jen up with pillows behind her back and head, trying to help open her lungs, but still Jen labored and gasped.
"Please, Jen, don't give up," Rachel whispered fervently. "Hang in there. Gavril will unite you with your mate. Just hang in there, young one."
Jen felt her chest tighten and tried desperately to get more air into her lungs. She hurt all over and the emptiness that continued to swallow her was becoming unbearable. She just wanted it to end. She heard a soft voice somewhere in the darkness telling her not to give up. And truthfully, the idea was tempting, until she thought about his deep voice, his beautiful amber eyes, his amazingly strong body and immovable will. She couldn't give up, she owed him that much. But, damn, it hurt. She tried to open her eyes but they wouldn't cooperate. Lifting her head or any part of her body for that matter was out of the question.
So this is how it ends, she thought. oOne would think with all that has happened in the last months that I would at least get to go out in a blaze of glory. But no, here I lay in a gypsy healer's home, battered, broken, and sick. Man, this just sucks.
Jen thought about her parents and how Jacque and Sally would have to come up with some story as to how she died. Her mom wouldn't take it well. Though their relationship was tumultuous on a good day, she was their only child. Jacque would have to take care of Sally because Sally didn't do loss well. Jen still remembered when Sally's dog, Tick, died in third grade. They had named him Tick because they found him in their front yard, hiding under a bush, covered in ticks. Sally had refused to talk for days. Finally Jen had demanded her mom take her over there and help her do a funeral for Sally. No, Sally did not do loss well at all.
And what about Decebel? How would he handle her death? Of course, since he didn't remember her it might not be that bad, so maybe she should be thankful for the curse. The thought of never seeing his face again caused a sharp pain in her chest. She felt tears slip out of her eyes. She had been crying a lot lately and it was beginning to get on her nerves, but nothing could be done about it. She was hurting physically, yet even more so emotionally. She longed to hear Decebel's voice, even if it was him yelling at her, bossing her around. She remembered the day Decebel had sat with her on that couch and held her, kissed her, showed her with every touch just what she meant to him. She remembered the text messages they had sent each other when he Vasile had locked him up. The tenderness in those messages had warmed her to her toes.
Jen wanted to live, but even if she hadn't, she still felt so blessed to have had that four days with her wolf, her mate.
Sally nearly ran into Peri's back when the fairy came to an abrupt halt. She raised her arms and Sally, Costin, Cynthia, and Decebel watched with wide eyes as the air in front of them rippled and shimmered.
"This is the veil of the Fae. Our world is in another dimension. No one other than a Fae can open the veil and only a Fae can grant permission for others to cross over."
Just as Peri was about to step through the veil, a deep voice rumbled through the trees.
"Perizada!"
Costin and Decebel moved into a protective stance between the woman and the unidentified male that was coming out of the trees straight at them.
"Gavril." Peri actually sounded surprised, something that seemed out of character for her. "I presume you come because of the dormant?"
Decebel growled and took a step toward the wolf she called Gavril.
"Where is she?" Decebel snarled.
Gavril looked at him and then realization dawned. "You are her mate?"
Decebel nodded once and continued to growl. His eyes were glowing deep amber and his claws had emerged. Costin laid a restraining hand on his Beta.
"You are the healer's mate, you have Jennifer." Decebel didn't question it because he smelled something on the wolf that was familiar, but not at the same time. He took another step toward Gavril and took a deep breath, then he turned back to Costin and Cynthia. "Does he bear her scent?"
Costin and Cynthia took deep breaths in through their noses. Both let out low growls.
"Yes, he has been with her." Costin realized too late how that comment sounded and had to restrain Decebel further and clarify himself. "He has been in the same room with her, Beta." Costin lowered his eyes in submission, trying to calm Decebel's raging wolf.
"Gavril, how is she?" Peri interrupted the wolves' interaction.
"Not good. She is rarely conscious and she has began to vomit blood." Gavril's voice was void of emotion, but his eyes didn't hide the fear and pain he felt for the dormant.
"She is worsening more quickly than I realized," Peri said more to herself than those around her. She looked back into the veil and then back at the group who stood staring at her, waiting.
"Gavril ,you must bring her to me. Rachel cannot and must not come."
"I will go with him to get her," Decebel announced, and then without warning fell to his knees. His breathing came in gasps and when he looked up Sally and Cynthia gasped themselves.
"Decebel, your nose is bleeding – and your ears." Sally crouched down in front of him and laid her hands on his chest. She closed her eyes and let the magic in her flow out. She felt his wolf struggling with the man, wanting to be in control, needing to find their mate. Sally realized Decebel's wolf knew who Jen was, he had recognized her scent, and it was making him very dangerous.
She pulled her hand away and opened her eyes. She looked over to Cynthia and Costin. "His wolf recognized her scent. He is in a rage. I don't know how long Decebel can hold off letting his wolf have control, especially since he is so weak."
Cynthia's voice was a near whisper. "If his wolf takes over while in that state we would all be in danger. He will take out anything in his path until he has her back."
"Costin, you will accompany Gavril to his home and retrieve Jennifer. Gavril, you must hurry."
Gavril nodded and without waiting to see if Costin would follow, turned and took off through the woods. In mid-step he phased into his wolf and hit the ground on all fours. Costin stepped over to Sally and lifted her chin to look up at him. He leaned in close, his mouth resting next to her ear. Sally shuddered when she felt his breath on her ear and neck.
"Be safe," Costin whispered and his lips grazed her sensitive skin. "I will be back for you.
"
Before she could respond he turned and took off running, phasing as he did so. Sally noticed his fur was a silvery grey that shimmered. She tried to take in some deep breaths after their little encounter and when she turned back to look at Cynthia and Peri, Cynthia was raising a single eyebrow.
Sally blushed. "I don’t know, Cynthia, so don't even ask."
Cynthia chuckled, turning back to Peri. "What now?"
"Now we wait," Peri stated as she found a fallen tree limb. After brushing off the snow, she sat down.
"I suck at waiting," Sally muttered as she and Cynthia both sat on fallen branches across from the Fae.
Decebel moved to sit in front of a large tree trunk, listening to the voices around him but keeping his eyes closed. It took all his concentration to keep his wolf under control.
"How do you think things are going with Jacque and the others?" Cynthia asked Sally.
"I don't know. I wish I could call them but my phone isn't getting a signal."
"Bring me your phone," Peri told her without preamble.
Sally looked up at her then to Cynthia. Cynthia shrugged in a 'why not' fashion. So Sally stood up and walked over to Peri. She handed the woman her phone and watched as Peri touched it gently. A small, glowing light appeared under hand briefly and then was gone.
"There you go," she said casually, handing the phone back to Sally.
Sally looked at the screen and saw that she had full signal bars. "Wicked. How did you do that?"
"I'm Fae," she said simply.
Just then, as if on cue, Sally's phone began to play a song. Sally nearly jumped out of her shoes in surprise at the noise breaking the silence of the forest. She listened for a moment before answering it. The ringtone had been changed to Brooks and Dunn's “My Maria” song. The ringtone started with the line, "Gypsy lady, you're a miracle work for me. You set my soul free like a ship sailing on the sea. She is the sunlight when the stars are grey, she treats me so right, lady, take me away."
Sally laughed as she answered the phone. She had no doubt in her mind that Jen had somehow confiscated her phone and put that ringtone on there after they'd found out Sally was a gypsy healer.
"Hello?"
"Sally! Oh my freaking gosh! I didn't think we would actually get you but I thought it was worth a try. You're on speaker phone and we have some info for you, my sweet gypsy." Jacque sounded so excited to talk to Sally that it nearly brought tears to Sally's eyes.
Decebel perked up and opened his eyes at the sound of the red head's voice.
"What do you have for me?" Sally asked eagerly.
"We know what will break the curse. You ready for this, chica?"
"Let me have it." Sally prepared for the worst, fearing that it would be some horrific sacrifice that would have to take place in order to fix Decebel. The answer was much simpler than she ever imagined and yet more powerful than anything physical sacrifice one could give: the sacrifice of one's heart to love – the ultimate personal sacrifice.
Vasile and Alina sat in the makeshift headquarters they'd created in the village tavern. As always, the room was lit with oil lamps and a fire burned in the large stone fireplace. The room was surprisingly clean, the floors free of dirt and dust. Alina noticed, not for the first time, that no pictures hung on the walls, no decorations adorned the small end tables or book-filled shelves, but it was still surprisingly warm and inviting. What wasn't was the air. It was thick with worry and the impatience to move forward, to do something.
Across from the Alphas sat Fane and Jacque. Sorin was propped against the far right wall, Crina was folded onto the floor in front of the fireplace. The fire crackled and the wind made the fragile glass windows shudder. The silence was deafening as the Alphas waited.
Jacque stared at the phone she had laid in the middle of their circle, as if she could see Sally if she stared long enough.
Finally, Jacque spoke. "Love." She shook her head. "Love is what breaks the curse."
The group heard Cynthia groan loudly from somewhere close to Sally. "Are you kidding me?"
"That's what I said," Jacque agreed.
Suddenly Vasile spoke up. "Sally before we get into this please give me an update. I assume since your phone is working that you found Peri?"
"Hi, Vasile, my old friend," they heard a musical voice chime through the speaker.
Vasile smiled. "Hello, Perizada. You are well?"
Peri chuckled. "As well as can be expected in such times."
"Fair enough. Sally, how is Decebel?"
"Not good. His wolf is struggling to be free." Sally began to explain everything from the time they'd left until the current moment.
"So we're waiting on Gavril and Costin to return with Jen," she finished.
Jacque realized Sally must have put her phone on speaker as well when they heard Cynthia's voice loud and clear. "How is the curse going to be broken when Decebel doesn't know his mate and therefore doesn't feel love for her?"
There was quiet across the line.
"Sally, you said his wolf recognized her scent on Gavril?" Vasile broke the silence.
"Yes."
"That may be enough to help pull Decebel's emotions to the surface. His love for her isn't gone, it's just buried under that curse."
"What about blood?" Jacque asked. "What if they exchanged their blood? Would that maybe bring the bond back together, and in turn trigger Decebel's feelings toward Jen?"
"It's a possibility, and it probably wouldn't be difficult since his wolf still claims Jen," Vasile agreed.
"We also found out the witch's name. It's -"
"DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME!" Perizada's voice broke through the phone and filled the room as if she stood before them.
"You mustn't speak her name where it can be heard out here," she spoke calmly. "Vasile, surely you have explained the power in a name. We mustn't put her name on the wind and draw her attention."
"What do you mean put her name on the wind?" Crina asked, speaking up for the first time.
"A witch practices dark magic and calls on the elements to do so – earth, water, wind, and fire. She can use the wind to send out her will and call on others. If her name is spoken in the open, you can bet she will hear it."
"My bad," Jacque muttered, then added, "So, wait. Peri, you know who she is?"
"Of course I know who she is. I have been seeking her out for centuries. Her power grows and her evil knows no bounds. She must be destroyed, but there is only one way that can happen."
"How?" Jacque asked.
"The time for that revelation has not come."
While they waited for Gavril and Costin to return, Jacque told the others about the tables Wadim had shown her and the story behind them. Crina brought up the fire and how the witch – name not spoken – had somehow gotten to Wadim. They continued to talk long into the night, finding comfort in finally being reunited with their pack.
Chapter 14
After several hours and still no Costin and Gavril, Vasile ordered everyone to get some sleep and for Sally to call them as soon as the others returned. Jacque wiped tears away as she said goodbye to her friend, then let Fane pull her into the shelter of his arms.
"They are safe, Luna," he whispered.
"They won't be safe until they're back here with their pack." Jacque followed Fane to their bedroom, and with no more words crawled into bed, curling up in his arms. Sleep was a long time in coming as they both waited for the phone to ring.
(Eleven days from day of departure)
Sometime in the early morning of the next day, Decebel let out a low growl from his place against the tree. Cynthia jumped up and Peri stood looking into the early morning haze. Sally sat up from her makeshift bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
Suddenly Gavril and Costin emerged from the forest, a battered and weary Jen in Costin's arms. Decebel jumped to his feet, lunging toward Costin. His eyes were glowing and the growl coming from him was all wolf. Costin looked at his Beta and realized the wolf
had finally won.
"Sally, back away," Costin told her. Sally had begun to move toward Decebel as he surged forward, stumbling from his weakness.
"His wolf is in control. Decebel has left for the holidays," Costin told her firmly. "Cynthia, pull Sally back."
Cynthia obeyed without question, keeping a cautious eye on Decebel.
Decebel growled at Costin, his lip lifted and his sharp, long canines showing as he spoke. "Mine."
Costin nodded. "Yes, she is yours, but she is hurt. You have to be gentle with her."
Decebel tried to take Jen from Costin but he would not relent. Costin lowered his eyes in submission but spoke firmly. "Let me lay her down, Beta. You would not forgive yourself if you dropped her."
Costin moved slowly to the pallet where Sally had been laying and gently laid Jen's limp body down and covered her with a heavy blanket.
Decebel pushed Costin back firmly. "Don't touch."
Costin bared his neck to his Beta. "I mean her know harm and I do not want her for my own. She is very sick."
Decebel crouched down next to Jen, and in a tender way Sally had never seen in any man, he brushed her hair away from her face. He leaned down and pressed his nose against her neck, breathing deeply over and over. He ran his hands tenderly through her hair and then over her arms. He pulled the blanket back and ran his hands down her legs. Sally was confused – the action wasn't sexual but it was very possessive.
"What is he doing?" Sally asked Costin.
"Putting his scent on her. She has my scent and Gavril's scent. Two males on her, it's probably driving him mad."
Decebel struggled for control and he was losing. His wolf knew her. As soon as Costin had come into view, Decebel hadn't had a chance against his wolf. It took everything in him to keep from killing Costin when he saw his mate in his arms. Now, as he looked down upon her unmoving body, so weak and vulnerable, he knew his wolf wouldn't let her out of their sight.