“Victoria!” Toby called. He ran over to me, and the others trailed after him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me away from Fen. “What’s going on? How did you find the stone without the map?”
My head spun. “Everything happened so fast. Where did you find Soleil?”
“Egypt.”
“Sounds like you two need to communicate more,” Fen said.
“Who are you?” Toby demanded.
“This is Fen.” I turned to him. “And this is Toby, my fiancé.”
“Fen?” Toby asked.
“You can call me Fenrisúlfr.” Fen folded his arms.
Toby stumbled backward a step. “The original werewolf.”
“How did you know?” I exclaimed.
“Tap.” Toby didn’t take his eyes from Fen.
“Were you in the stone the whole time?” Toby asked.
“For centuries, maybe even thousands of years. It felt like five eternities. Now I have some business to take care of.”
“What?” Tap asked.
“I need to find out who’s still alive. There are scores to be settled.”
“Do you need a pack?” I asked.
My friends all looked at me like I was crazy.
“A pack?” Fen asked. “I am the alpha of the world. Every werewolf is part of my pack.”
Toby cleared his throat. “Things have changed, Fenrisúlfr.”
Fen’s eyebrows came together. “You think I don’t know that? My prison was an exact replica of the outside world. Though I was banished to solitude in there—” He pointed to the stone resting on my chest. “—I was able to see how the world was changing without me. Especially with the inventions of the various talking boxes—radio and television, I believe they’re called. And don’t get me started on the world wide web.”
“We call it the Internet,” Toby said.
“At any rate, if I need you, I’ll find you. Just keep that stone away from me, and be careful yourselves.”
“Why?” Toby exclaimed.
“You think a witch can’t trap you inside, too? I’m the most powerful werewolf in existence—impossible to kill. It’ll be easier to stick you two inside.” Fen turned to me. “I can’t thank you enough for freeing me, but I need to get going.”
“If you need anything, find us.”
He nodded, turned away from the caves, and rushed away.
Toby turned to me and held the stone in his hand, studying it. “So, this is the wolf essence stone that so many have lost their lives over.”
I nodded. “Now that we’ve found it, can we shift at will?”
“Why don’t we get that off you before we try?”
“No.” I stepped back.
Toby stared at me. “No?”
“That’s right. I found it. It was calling my name. It wants me to wear it.”
“It called your name?” Tap exclaimed.
I covered the stone with my hand. “It did.”
“Let me see that.” Tap stepped closer. They all did.
The world seemed to spin around me. I clutched the necklace and backed up. “You’re not taking it away from me.”
“We just want to help,” Soleil insisted. “It might be safest with me. I’m the essence expert.”
I shook my head. “You can look at it, but I’m not taking it off.”
“We don’t even know what it will do,” Toby said.
“It can free us of the moon’s curse, but it can also trap us like it did Fen. I’m not giving it to anyone. Besides, look how pretty it is. Imagine how it’ll look with my wedding dress.”
“You want to wear it when you get married?” Soleil asked.
“Yes.” I took another step back.
“Then afterward, you’ll consider letting someone else take care of it?”
My throat closed up.
“Someone you can trust?” she asked.
I held the stone so tightly that it dug into my flesh.
“It might take some magic for it to break the moon’s curse.”
“Magic?” I exclaimed. “I’m not letting any witch near the stone. They could trap us inside.”
“Gessilyn’s coven never would.” Toby stepped closer. “You know them well enough to trust them.”
Soleil stepped closer. “And I know more about essence than anyone you know.”
I was too tired to keep fighting. “Let’s just go home. I’m tired.”
“How are we going to get back?” Toby asked.
“Don’t look at me,” Soleil said. “I can’t teleport anymore today. Not even with Tap’s essence. I’m already stretched.”
“We wouldn’t ask you to,” Toby replied.
“What about the stone?” Tap asked.
I stepped back again. “Nobody’s touching this! The essence is for us wolves to be able to shift at will. Nothing else.”
“We can take a plane,” Toby said. “The vampires have their own field at the Fyrsturae mansion. We’ll land at the castle, and at least be closer to home.”
A plane sounded great. I just wanted to sit and chill. “My car is parked near there. Wait, how’s Zia? Did she ever have the baby?”
Toby looked at his phone’s screen. “Jet hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”
I felt the robe. “I’m not sure what I did with my phone. Maybe Hale has it.”
“Wait a minute.” Toby jogged over near one of the cave entrances and picked something up. “Here it is!”
The three of us went over to him. Toby handed me my phone and a pile of clothes. “In case you want to wear something a little more modern.”
“Thanks.” I grabbed them. “The robe is fine for now, though.” Aside from a slightly musty odor, it was thick and comfortable, made of a super-soft material I wasn’t familiar with. “How far is the mansion?”
“Not terribly far. We should probably catch a cab, though. And I’m going to call ahead to let the vampires know we’re on our way.” Toby slid his finger around his phone’s screen.
We walked toward town, finally coming to a road. There were no cabs, though.
Toby stuffed his phone into his jacket. “They’re getting a plane ready for us and sending a limo.”
“A limo?” Soleil asked. “I think I need to make friends with more vampires.”
“Being friends with the queen does have its perks.” Toby wrapped an arm around me and kissed my cheek. “If you’re going to keep the stone on, maybe you should tuck it under the robe. I’m not sure how others are going to react to a glowing stone.”
I turned to him, surprised. “You’re not going to try and talk me out of wearing it?”
He shook his head. “You’re right. You found it, so you can decide what you want to do with it. However, I do think it’s best to keep it hidden for the time being.”
I thought back to the way some of the vampires had glared at me back at the castle and tucked the necklace under the robe. It chilled my skin at first, but then warmed quickly, sending waves of heat through my body. I leaned my head against Toby, enjoying both the stone and his presence. It was a heavenly combination—euphoric, really.
A few minutes later, a limousine came into view.
“Our ride is here,” Soleil announced.
The long, black car pulled up next to us. The driver stepped out and gave a slight bow before opening the back door for us. We entered and sat on the leather seats. The driver stuck his head in and spoke with a thick Icelandic accent. “Food and drinks are in the fridge. Help yourself to anything you desire. Courtesy of the king and queen.” He closed the door, and just a moment later, the car pulled into traffic.
Soleil opened the tiny fridge and gasped. “Look at all this!” She pulled out a plate of caviar.
The others dug in, but I leaned against the soft seat and closed my eyes. The sweet waves of warmth pulsated through me starting at the stone. It washed away all exhaustion, and I felt no need for food, though it had to have been hours since Hale and I had eaten at the deli.
&
nbsp; “Victoria,” Toby whispered in my ear. His breath tickled my skin, giving me the chills.
I opened my eyes. He held a champagne flute for me.
“Are you hungry?”
“The sushi’s all mine,” Soleil said with a mouthful of food.
I took the champagne and sipped it. More relaxation washed through me as the bubbly drink made its way down. I closed my eyes again and held the flute close to me.
“Do you want something to eat?” Toby whispered, again tickling my ear.
“Just you.” I opened my eyes, set the glass down, and pulled him close to me. His eyes widened in surprise. I pressed my mouth on his soft, sweet lips. He tasted like a mixture of champagne and fruit. It was intoxicating. I deepened the kiss, and the rest of the world melted away. It was just the two of us once again.
He gasped for air and pulled back. I leaned forward, kissing him again. He turned and kissed my cheek. “We need to slow down, sweetness.”
“Why? Now that we have the stone, all we have to do is focus on the wedding. Everything has fallen into place. We can get married, and werewolves everywhere will soon be able to shift at will.”
Toby cleared his throat. “I have a feeling it isn’t going to be that easy.”
“Sure it will.” I took possession of his mouth before he could object further.
Chapter 19
Toby
I brushed some hair from Victoria’s eyes as she slept against my shoulder on the couch in front of the roaring fire. There was definitely nothing like traveling on a Fyrsturae plane.
A servant came over and bowed. “Can I get you anything?”
“A blanket, please.” I ran my fingers across Victoria’s face. She didn’t so much as flinch.
“Certainly.” The servant disappeared.
I rose from the couch, lowered her body until she was laying down, and adjusted the blankets around her. She was sleeping so heavily, it made me wonder what her day had been like to exhaust her so much. Was it because of the stone or just an unusually busy day, searching for a treasure no one else had been able to find and live to tell about the journey?
The servant reappeared with three blankets.
“Thank you.” I took them from him and tucked one under Victoria’s head and covered her with the other two. The chain from the stone rested at the robe’s collar line. I pulled it out and held the stone in my palm. The glow grew fainter so that I could barely see it. I set it on her arm, and it brightened right up.
Was it responding to her because she’d found it, or was it somehow because of her, herself?
Chills ran down my spine at the thought. Certainly the stone—an inanimate object without feelings or thoughts—couldn’t be acting in response to her. Or could it?
What if she was somehow tied to it? Or her bloodline?
Thinking about it made my head spin. I grasped it again and held it up to the light. Other than glowing red and blue, it seemed like any other precious stone. What made it so special that it could imprison the original werewolf and could hopefully help werewolves everywhere to shift at will? Was it the magic or something else entirely?
I glanced over at Tap and Soleil, who sat at a table discussing something over drinks. We needed to figure out what was going on with Fenrisúlfr and the stone—and how Victoria played into everything. I slid the stone back under her robe, readjusted her blankets, and went over to the table.
“How is she?” Tap asked.
“Exhausted.” I sat and poured myself some of what they were drinking. “Have you two figured out anything else?”
They both shook their heads.
Soleil tucked some hair behind an ear. “It would help if I could hold the stone, you know?”
“Maybe once we get home, she’ll relax enough to let us see it.”
“She’s sleeping now. Slide it off.”
I shook my head. “As much as I’d like to get it away from her, I can’t break her trust like that.”
“It’s not like she owns it,” Tap pointed out.
“She is the one who found it. How many have tried?” I arched a brow.
“True.” He turned to Soleil. “Why not go over there and have a look while she sleeps? That way it stays on her, but you can still see what it’s all about.”
Soleil frowned. “Maybe. But with as interconnected as she and the stone are, I’d like to give it a gander away from her.”
“Good luck with that,” I muttered. “If she has her way, that thing will never come off.”
“And that doesn’t concern you?” Tap asked.
“Of course it does, but I’m not going to remove it against her will. She wants to wear it for our wedding. Why not give her that much? Who knows what will happen to the stone once wolves can shift independent of the moon? It might not glow anymore—or worse, it might shatter. We’ll get married, then worry about the stone.”
“I’m more worried about that wolf.” Tap took a long swig of his drink.
“What do you two know about him?” I asked. “Both of you have been alive a lot longer than anyone in my pack.”
“Just rumors,” Tap said. “I never dealt with werewolves personally when I was the troll king. I heard about them, sure, but I didn’t care about details. I had my own problems.”
I turned to Soleil. “And you?”
She shrugged but didn’t say anything. She also avoided my eye contact.
“What do you know?” I leaned over the table, nearly knocking over my drink.
“Years ago, there was a lot of fear over the new canine species. Death, bloodshed, and fear. Lots of fear.”
“At Fenrisúlfr’s hands?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me, but honestly, I don’t know much. Believe it or not, there was a time when I took my job very seriously. I came, I killed my target, and headed straight back to Valhalla for the next assignment. I didn’t pay much attention to earthly politics.”
I ran my fingertips across my beard, deep in thought. For two people who were old enough to remember Fenrisúlfr’s reign of terror, they were no help.
“What about your vampire friends?” Soleil asked.
I gave her a double-take.
“Vampires have been around for over three thousand years at this point. Surely, someone remembers something—especially given the ancient rivalries.”
“And what about you?” Tap asked. “You don’t know your own species’ history?”
“Not that bit, no. History lessons tend to revolve around individual packs. Our origins have always been a shrouded mystery.”
“Now you know.” Soleil downed her drink and refilled the glass.
I glanced over at Victoria, sleeping so peacefully. “Why don’t we go over there so you two can look at the stone? If she’s going to keep wearing it, we may as well try to figure out what we’re dealing with. She’s not going to let us get close enough while she’s awake.”
“Doesn’t that worry you?” Tap asked. “It’s so unlike her.”
My stomach twisted in knots. “Are you saying the stone could be controlling her?”
“Yes,” Soleil and Tap said at the same time.
“Yeah, same here,” I admitted. “She’s been obsessed since she heard about it.”
“It’s the fever.” Tap scowled. “Let’s hope that finding the stone will help. It’s killed everyone else.”
“The stone or the fever?”
He shrugged. “What came first? The chicken or the egg? It doesn’t matter—the stone or the fever has killed many a strong werewolf.”
“But she survived the fever. She has the stone.”
“Really?” Tap arched a brow. “Who are you trying to convince—me or you? That girl still has the fever. She won’t let anyone touch the stone.”
“Let’s just check out the stone. The color faded when I held it.”
Soleil’s eyes widened. “It did?”
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know, but now I want to find out.” Sh
e finished her drink and leaped over to Victoria. Tap and I chased after her. Gingerly, she pulled the chain until the stone appeared. It continued glowing as Soleil held the chain, but she didn’t touch the stone.
I held my breath. Had it only faded because I’d touched it? Or would it stay lit only for Soleil, who regularly dealt with essence?
“Well?” Tap asked, stepping closer to her.
Soleil held it a little higher and closed one eye. The blue and red continued swirling around the stone.
“What do you see?” I asked.
“Hush.” She rested the stone on her palm. The colors faded as they had for me.
I finally breathed, though I had no idea whether it was a good thing. Soleil’s brows came together as she studied it. Then she let the stone fall as she held only the chain again. The colors brightened and swirled around. She moved it closer to Victoria. The colors grew brighter and the swirling, faster.
Soleil tucked it close to Victoria, between the blanket and the fancy, ancient robe.
“What did you find?” I asked.
She gestured toward the table, and we went back.
“What does it mean?” Tap asked. “I’ve never seen anything like that—and I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime.”
“It clearly reacts to Victoria.” She poured some more drink into her glass and took a long sip.
“Meaning?” I stared at her.
“I’m not really sure.”
I slumped into my chair. “All that, and you know nothing?”
“Oh, it definitely has wolf essence inside. It was probably drawn from the first werewolf.”
“But what does it mean?” I exclaimed.
“Someone found it important enough to preserve some of his essence. A valkyrie had to have been involved, because though witches can do a lot, they can’t extract essence.”
I clenched my fists. “Do you think it can harm Victoria?”
“I didn’t feel any evil coming from it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous.”
“So, basically, we don’t know any more than we did before.”
She sipped her drink. “It could still cure the curse of the moon.”
“Does it connect her to Fenrisúlfr?”
“I didn’t really feel him coming from it. There wasn’t much to go on. The essence is inside a rock. Usually, it’s within a person, constantly replenishing itself with newer, fresher essence. I’ve never seen any last that long.”
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