by Ellen, Jo
Chapter 17
Most everyone was up by seven the next morning. Gathering at the dining room table, they all dug in to the pancakes Mack had made.
Once everyone finished eating, Rafe nodded to Robert for him to explain his plan of attack.
“I’ll be taking Rafe and Dunstan with me. Niall and Jem will take two persons each until everyone is there. We’ll transport the women last, just in case there’s some unforeseen danger. If you’ve never done this before, I’m told it can make you a little lightheaded,” Robert told them.
Rafe snorted, “That’s an understatement.”
Grinning, Robert continued. “Or turn a wolf into a wussy. Anyway, I thought the best place to appear would be in the dungeon. He wouldn’t expect us to go there.”
“That’s probably wise. He doesn’t visit the dungeon very often,” Dunstan told them.
Looking at Dunstan, Robert spoke. “I’m assuming you know the castle well and can lead us to him without setting off any alarms.”
“Yeah, there are hidden passageways throughout the castle. I played in them as a child. I can lead us directly to his ‘throne room’ as it’s known,” Dunstan said.
Whispering, Lisa leaned over to Melissa. “I bet those passages are full of spiders and cobwebs.”
“Don’t you just hate that? You know, when you feel them in your hair and you can’t shake it off?” Melissa asked her.
Both ladies realized the room had gone quiet while everyone stared at them. They both mumbled an apology and they ducked their heads. Glancing at one another, they grinned companionably.
“Anyway, with Dunstan leading the way, the men will follow, and then the ladies. I thought Rafe and Niall could bring up the rear, protecting the women from behind. Of course, any and all webs should be swept away by then,” Robert said, winking at the ladies.
“Once we enter the room, I expect the men to form a blockade with the women behind them,” Rafe told them. Addressing the women, he said, “Keep your cloaks pulled over your heads. I don’t want him knowing who’s who.”
“Lisa, you’ll need to say the spell quickly, before he has a chance to incapacitate us,” Robert said seriously.
Lisa nodded her head in understanding. She just prayed everything went according to plan.
“All this planning may be for naught. I don’t know if he would know when we arrive or not. We can’t cover every contingency, but our first priority is to stop Ciar. If things go bad, I want Robert, Niall or Jem to transport the ladies back,” Rafe told them.
“What? No! We can help. We’re part of this plan too. You can’t suddenly take us out of the equation. If things go bad like you said, we’ll be fighting just as hard, alongside you all,” Lisa said adamantly.
Growling, Rafe responded, “If you’re not there, then I don’t have to worry about your safety.”
It was like watching a tennis match. Heads swung back and forth between Rafe and Lisa.
“And if you get me out too soon, I can’t use the spell. You’re going to have to suck it up and realize I’m not leaving,” Lisa told him as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Frustrated, Rafe told her, “You’ll do exactly as I tell you once we’re there. I mean it. If I say move it, jump, or duck, do so without question. Understood?”
Rolling her eyes, Lisa said, “Yes, Master Wolf.”
The room chuckled quietly, watching the interchange.
Robert spoke to Melissa and Anna, “That goes for you two also.”
Looking at each other, they then both looked to Robert, “Yes, Master Fae.”
Everyone laughed except for Rafe, who stood and stomped outside to the patio. Lisa sighed and rose to follow him.
Rafe was staring out into the woods, gripping the railing so hard, his knuckles were white. Lisa walked over and laid her hands on his back. She could feel his muscles, tight with tension.
Rubbing his back, she spoke. “I’m sorry. When I get stressed or scared, I make jokes. I promise I will follow your lead when we get there.”
Turning, he put his arms around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. “I don’t think you understand how difficult this is for me. Everything in me screams to protect you. Knowingly taking you into danger is ripping me apart. If one of us had your abilities, I would beg the Queen to give them the spell.”
Lisa had tears welling up in her eyes. He made her feel like the most important person in the world. She knew without doubt that he thought she was. It was somewhat freeing to know someone loved you that much, warts and all.
“I’m not letting him beat us. I have plans for you, and a future I’m looking forward to. I fully expect to get this done quickly and be back here by tonight,” she told him firmly.
She would not let anyone or anything ruin her future. She had been devastated when her parents were killed, but she knew in her heart they were together in another place. Moving on with her life, she had been happy. She loved teaching, enjoyed her hobbies and just being with her friends, but being with Rafe filled an empty spot she didn’t know she had.
Thinking of her parents, she smiled remembering how they were always touching each other. How just in passing, her mom would glide her hand across his arm. When she was a teenager, she would make gagging sounds whenever she walked in on them kissing in the kitchen. That was usually where she would find her mom, or if not there, she knew to look in the garden. They would just laugh, their eyes sparkling looking at each other. Lisa thought that sometimes they spoke to each other without words. Maybe they did, she thought smiling.
She finally understood what they had. Sure, she knew they loved each other, but to have another person that you trusted completely was an amazing feeling. She could be herself, sarcasm and all and not worry about censoring herself. To be with someone and not be watching the clock, waiting for the date to be over. Or just losing interest and having your mind wander to mundane things, like the laundry. She laughed softly, snuggling closer and rubbing her cheek against his chest.
“What? What are you laughing about?” he asked her.
“Nothing. I’m just happy and nothing is going to mess up our future,” she told him, determined.
Going back inside, they found the others gone, except for Melissa.
“Where is everyone?” Rafe asked.
“The guys went to make one last patrol, and then they said they will get ready to go. I believe Anna is preparing herself also,” Melissa told them.
Rafe gave Lisa a peck on the cheek and went out to find the men.
Sitting down with Melissa, she grinned, “I think he’s afraid he’ll miss something if he’s not with them. You know, some strategic man planning thing.”
Laughing, Melissa replied, “I think you’re right. Even his dad went on patrol. I believe if they weren’t so worried about us helpless females, they’d be enjoying this.”
Lisa agreed, grinning. She liked Melissa. They seemed to think alike.
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions? About being a shifter? I’ve learned a little about wolves, but I’m curious about the cats. I understand you’re a cougar, so how come you all are friends? I keep picturing dogs and cats fighting. With cats swiping dogs on the nose, training them.”
Melissa laughed. “I like that. Think it would work with Robert? Nah, he’d probably just laugh. Anyway, some cats and dogs do get along, as long as we keep them in line. But it’s more than the domestic animals you’re talking about. Simply put, shifters stick together. We know if the secret got out, we would be hunted, examined, and probably killed. So we all protect each other. Fighting amongst ourselves would bring attention to us. Sure, there have been sightings, but people tend to think of it like they do alien and Bigfoot sightings. Just some nut case making up a story.”
“There are real aliens out there?” Lisa exclaimed.
Laughing again, “I have no idea. I just know about the wolves and cougars.”
Thinking a moment, Lisa asked, “Is it the same for you like t
he wolves? I mean, one mate you know instantly by smell? Which is kind of creepy when you think about it.”
“No, we don’t smell our mate like the wolves do. We don’t tend to live close together either. Most of us prefer our own place on the property, further apart. We’re not pack animals like them. We are the same though when it comes to our soul mate, I guess you’d call it. Whereas, they know instantly by smell, we tend to have a more human connection. Instant attraction. Getting to know the person, that kind of thing. If they are the ‘one’, we have a sort of metaphysical connection. It’s hard to explain. The wolves, as you know, recognize mates instantly, whereas ours is more what we call impressing on one another.”
They both sat quietly, thinking. Lisa still had more questions, finding this other world she had known nothing about, fascinating.
“You know, the more I explain, the more I realize we’re closer to the wolves than I had previously thought. Our recognition is different, but our souls do bond the same. Once bonded, we are mated for life just like them.”
“Okay, I understand everything but the impression thingy. What does that mean?” Lisa asked.
“Oh man, this is really hard to explain. Hmm, okay. Imagine someone close to you. You know their walk, the sound of their voice, and even how they smell. No matter where they were, say in a crowded room, you would instantly know where they were, and vice versa. That’s the best way I can explain it. You’ve impressed upon each other, two halves that make up a whole,” Melissa told her.
Lisa thought they did sound more and more like the wolves. They just used different words. Then there was that whole touchy, feely thing wolves liked to do.
“And the alpha thing? Is Chase your alpha?” Lisa asked.
“We don’t have what you’d call an alpha. Chase leads us, but no one can really order cats around. He is a good leader and we follow him because we respect him,” Melissa told her.
Lisa was thinking about Cindy. “So when that bitch Cindy showed up here, she could have ignored him and stayed?” Lisa asked, angry.
“Well yes, she could have, if she were really stupid. We may not call Chase our alpha, but he certainly is one. Cindy knows he is stronger than she is and she would not attempt to defy him. He leads us because we know he’s strong and he looks out for our best interest.”
Lisa noticed Robert had come in and was leaning against the dining room wall, eating a banana.
“So, you ever date him? I mean, he’s really hot and all, so I just wondered if y’all were…” Lisa stopped, not quite knowing how to ask such a personal question.
She saw Robert come to attention, eyes narrowed as he stared at Melissa’s back. She could see him tense as he waited for her answer.
Melissa was a cougar. She knew when someone was at her back. She could sense and smell him, along with the banana.
“Yeah, he’s scrumptious isn’t he? I could just melt running my hands through that long, blond hair. Did you notice his six-pack? Yummy!” she said, grinning at Lisa while winking.
Lisa got it and decided to play along. “What about Robert? He’s a cutie too.”
Shrugging, Melissa replied, “You know how the fae are. They’re all so beautiful, but they also know it.”
Whispering loudly, she leaned over towards Lisa. “I think they look in every mirror they pass by to admire themselves regularly.”
Lisa giggled as Robert marched over to sit down between them.
“Yes, our beauty even distracts us on occasion. It’s hard being the perfect male specimen. But we do try to help the less fortunate by using less glamor when visiting here. Wouldn’t want the people here to feel bad, you know, about being so plain and all.”
Both Melissa and Lisa burst out laughing. He was so full of it. Patting his arm, Lisa told him, “Yes, we appreciate you toning it down for us. We’d hate to be blinded by your beauty.”
Rising, Melissa stepped around Robert to grab Lisa’s arm. “Come on. We need to go meditate and get our heads in sync before we head out.”
Lisa followed her into her bedroom. She had enjoyed her chat with Melissa. It had been a good way of keeping her mind off of Ciar for a while.
Sitting on the bed, they folded their legs and sat facing one another. Lisa had the urge to start humming as she’d seen on television. She resisted, knowing this was serious. Funny how she seemed to get the giggles and laugh at inappropriate times when she was nervous, she thought.
Focusing in now, she concentrated on what she’d been taught and cleared her mind. Random thoughts kept popping up in her head though. She never realized how hard it was to empty her mind of all thoughts. She found she had to keep jerking her mind back to what she was supposed to be doing.
Opening her eyes, she saw that Melissa was relaxed and seemed to be in another place. Closing her eyes again, Lisa was determined to make herself meditate. Every time a random thought entered her head, she went back to her breathing exercises.
Eventually, she relaxed enough to clear her mind. She let herself float off into nothingness. There were no big revelations, just a calm surrender. She felt at peace. After a while, she opened her eyes to see Melissa smiling at her.
“You were looking pretty relaxed. Did the meditating help?”
“Yup, I believe it did. Of course, it took me some time to settle down. I didn’t realize how much random crap I had floating around in there,” Lisa said smiling.
Laughing, Melissa agreed. “I don’t know how many times I’ve made grocery list in my head while trying to meditate. It’s easier for me now, but I do understand how difficult it is to empty your mind. Eventually, you’ll be able to get in the zone a lot faster.”
They left to gather in the great room and wait for everyone else. Entering the room, they saw Liz there speaking to Anna.
Smiling, she came over and hugged both girls. “I’ve been running all over the area, trying to find cloaks for you three. Luckily, I remembered how the old timers used to wear them in certain ceremonies. They generously allowed us to use these for your cover.”
Liz showed them five or six robes with hoods for them to try on. They each chose one that covered them well without tripping them with their length.
“I feel like a monk,” Anna said.
“Yeah, if I shaved my head, I’d fit right in,” Melissa agreed, laughing.
“I love it. I was afraid I’d end up wearing my hoodie jacket,” Lisa told them.
The men started arriving from all directions. Some from the back, and others came in the front door. The mood changed from laughter to quiet in an instant.
“I believe we’re all ready to go. Please remember ladies, no heroics. Stay behind us so we can protect you. My hope is that this won’t take long. If Lisa can speak the spell, as soon as we see Ciar, there won’t be any need for fighting. But I can’t depend on our surprise attack, so if there is fighting, you ladies look for a place to hide. Under a table, any nooks in the area, wherever you’ll be safe,” Rafe told them all.
Robert stepped forward, “We’ll take everyone in order as we’ve already decided. It will only be a few seconds and then we’ll be back. As soon as we appear in the dungeon, we’ll instantly come back for the rest of you. I don’t want to mess with the time differences, because of the different realms, so be ready. It will happen fast.”
They all nodded in understanding. Robert, Niall and Jem stood waiting for the first ones to take hold of their arms. In a blink, they were gone. The ladies stood silently, waiting their turn.
Chapter 18
With Dunstan holding one arm and Rafe holding the other, Robert transported them to Ciar’s dungeon. He saw Niall appear with Ian and Devlin, and then Jem with Mack and Anna. Instantly, Robert disappeared and reappeared with Lisa and Melissa.
Lisa stumbled slightly and Rafe was soon by her side to steady her.
Quietly, Lisa said, “Whoa, what a head rush! I want to do that again.”
Rafe shook his head, “Great, my mate is an adrenalin junkie.”<
br />
They all stood looking around the dungeon. It was not a pleasant place. Seeing the restraints on the wall and knowing Ciar had held people here was disturbing.
Dunstan motioned for them to follow him. They lined up in the formation they had already worked out. Lisa made sure her head was covered. Besides wanting Ciar not to know her, she figured it would keep any webs out of her hair.
The ladies followed last, with Rafe and Niall behind them.
Dunstan had moved from what Lisa lovingly thought of as the torture room. Not. He passed by some cells to come to the end of a corridor. Reaching up over his head, he pulled on a ring hanging from the wall. Lisa was glad to see there were no prisoners in any of the cells.
She looked ahead and saw an opening appear in the wall. She realized then that it wasn’t a case of a stone moving like a door, it was magic.
Following behind Anna, she saw that there were no bugs of any kind. No sound of rats scurrying away. It wasn’t dark either. As they walked along, wall sconces lit the path for them.
Lisa had a bad feeling. It felt almost like they were being welcomed. She wished she could ask Dunstan if this was normal. Maybe since he played here as a child, the magic was always there for anyone moving through the walls. She hoped that’s what it was.
Glancing behind her, she saw Melissa was looking at the lighting also. Raising her brow in question, Melissa just shrugged her shoulders. Great, she was clueless too.
The walls were just wide enough for even a large man to walk through without scraping the sides. The girls could probably have walked two by two, but they stayed single file all the way. This gave them all more room to maneuver if they needed to.
The path wound around and Lisa knew she could never find her way out if she were alone. She had seen Dunstan reach up several more times to open different passages for them to go through. Lucky he played here as a kid, she thought.
No one was saying a word. It was surprisingly quiet. She knew wolves and cats moved silently, but the fae guys were just as quiet. She realized she was the only one making a sound as she walked. She concentrated on trying to move more quietly like the others.