by Quinn Loftis
He buried his face in her neck, breathing deep, feeling her pulse against his lips. Alive, he thought, she’s alive.
“Why didn’t you run?” He growled as he pulled his face back to look at her. Lilly’s breath caught as she saw the emotions swirling in his yellow eyes. “I was yelling at you to run Lilly. Why didn’t you run?”
Lilly kissed him. He didn’t need her words, he need reassurance that she was there, with him, in his arms. Cypher held onto her as if his life depended on it. He breathed her in and drank her down with everything he had. All hell was breaking loose around them, but in that moment, there was just her and just him. Lilly finally pulled back and pressed her forehead to his as she tried to regain control of her ragged breathing.
“I’m glad you’re alive too,” she grinned at him.
Cypher closed his eyes as the images of what could have happened flipped through his mind like a gruesome horror movie.
“Hey,” Lilly’s voice broke through his chaotic thoughts. “I’m here. I know I should have run and I was telling my chicken legs to get after it, but they wouldn’t move. I just stood there like I was eager to be barbequed.”
Cypher’s lips lifted slightly, as he stared into her eyes. “So you’re okay?” He asked her gently, as his brow rose in concern.
She nodded. “I’m good. How is everyone else?” She asked, looking over his shoulder.
Cypher set her back on her feet and took her hand as he headed over to where Thalion and Cyn were standing. They all looked at the great creature lying before them, its breathing shallow.
“Is there anything we can do to keep it from suffering?” Lilly asked.
Cyn stepped forward and placed a hand against its huge head. The glowing eyes focused on her and Cyn could sense the peace that the animal was searching for. It didn’t like its existence any longer, didn’t want to be what it was.
“Shh,” she told him, gently, “it’s over now. You can rest.” She sent a pulse of magic into him and with a final breath, he stilled.
Lilly felt a tingling on her face. She looked down at her blood soaked clothes, caked in bright red splatters that had fallen from the dragon. Her mouth dropped open as all traces of the beast’s life force vanished from her and her companion’s clothes, evaporating with a twinkle.
Q
“Still haven’t heard from Vasile?” Dillon asked Skender after a long day of training with the other wolves. Aside from a few fights between young wolves, over who was more dominant, things had been progressing smoothly. There was a sense of urgency and determination that kept everyone in the group focused. The Alphas had been sure to keep the wolves busy, rigorously training them daily, to near exhaustion.
“No,” Skender’s voice was tense and Dillon could tell that the wolf was very worried.
“I would like to say that no news is good news,” Dillon said, lightly.
Skender continued to stare out of the window, into the trees beyond the mansion. Something was coming, he could feel it, and it was making his wolf restless.
Dillon moved to stand next to him and brushed his shoulder against his. To a human it would have been insignificant, but to the wolf in Skender, it was reassurance from an Alpha. That simple brush let him know that Dillon had his back. Skender let out a slow breath.
“This is not my place,” he told Dillon.
“Why? Because you aren’t an Alpha or Beta?” Dillon held his hands out wide. “You are in the exact position that you are supposed to be in and you are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing in this moment, and you’re doing a damn good job I might add.”
Skender turned to look at the American Alpha that he had grown to respect over the past couple of days, working with, fighting with, and learning to trust in battle. “You are a good Alpha, Dillon of Colorado.”
Dillon laughed. “Go tell my wolves that.”
“They know or they would not follow you, no matter how dominant you were.”
Dillon gave Skender a slight bow of his head. “Thank you for that. Your Alpha will be proud to know how you have held things together, Skender. And, he will be back. Vasile is nearly impossible to kill.”
Skender laughed then. “He’s too stubborn to die.”
“His purpose in this life isn’t over,” said Dillon, growing serious.
Skender’s head tilted with a slight frown slipping onto his handsome face. “How do you know?”
“Because, I have to believe that someone who loves his people so fervently and would protect them against all odds can’t possibly be taken from us when we need him most.”
Chapter 14
“My skin crawled as my wolf perked up. I knew something wasn’t right. She was too far ahead of me for me to reach her and even if I had, I couldn’t have touched her. So I had to watch what had only been an illusion created by mind, now real before me.” ~ Vasile
“We’re only a few hours walk from the mansion,” Peri told Alina as they continued to keep the brisk pace that they had maintained.
“Are you trying to make a point or do you just feel the need to point out our current position in an effort to create small talk?” Alina raised a single eyebrow at the Fae.
“Alina,” Peri said in a mock sigh, “where is the sweet, compassionate Alpha female we all know, and love?”
Alina snorted. “She got locked in a closet when it became vividly apparent that our males would need to recover from their trial before they can kick the witch’s butt. And, in order for them to do that they all need a good swift kick to the ba—,”
“Language,” Vasile growled, from several feet behind his mate.
Alina held her hand up in the air and much to everyone’s utter surprise, gave her mate the finger.
“Did she, did, I mean seriously, she…” Jen sputtered, as she looked back and forth between Alina and a growling Vasile.
“Yes, yes she did.” Jacque laughed.
“It’s official, Alina. You’re my hero,” Jen shot a fist in the air with a loud “Whoop!”
After several minutes of the girls chattering back and forth about Alina’s retaliation, the group became quiet. They walked in silence. Soon, the only sounds were their breathing and the crunching of the ground beneath them. The air had grown still without so much as the rustling of leaves and the bird’s song that had filled the darkening sky had become silent. The silence was broken by an earth-shattering scream, and then another and another.
“ALINA!” The sound of Vasile’s voice rose above the screams of the females as they, one by one, collapsed.
Peri turned as she watched the last one fall. It was so fast, between one breath and the next, and all six of the mated females were writhing on the ground. She closed her eyes and felt the energy around her. Dark magic was clearly at work.
Costin was behind Vasile when he heard the screams. He didn’t have to see Sally to know that something was happening to his mate. He felt his own heart skip a beat and nearly stop when he saw her small form hit the ground. It was happening again, only this time it was real. She was screaming, tears flowing down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. He ran for her, not worrying about where his feet landed. All he could see was her; her brown hair spilled carelessly across the ground, her tan skin taking on a green tint even as her lips were turning blue. He fell to his knees before her and reached for her. When his hands touched her, he felt a pulse of electricity rip through him and throw him back. He cried out. A chorus of cries rang through the air as the other males tried to touch their writhing mates. He looked over to Vasile and saw that the Alpha looked as helpless as he felt.
“PERI, FIX THIS!” Vasile growled.
“Don’t you think I’m trying, dammit,” the Fae yelled back. Her lips moved quickly and the stones of the Fae had appeared in her hands.
Peri reached for the magic of her people, the magic in the stones, and she tried to fight against the darkness that was weaving a spell around the females. It was a twisted web that kept g
etting tighter and tighter. When she realized she could not break it she decided to focus on trying to break the pack magic that kept the males from being able to touch their mates.
“Peri, what is going on?” She heard Adam’s voice next to her, but didn’t open her eyes.
“Desdemona, she’s done something to the females, I can’t fix it.”
“Yet?” Adam asked, desperately.
“I don’t know, Adam. I’m trying to figure out a way to allow you males to touch your females. If I don’t I’m afraid that I just might be facing my death in the freaky glowing eyes of an Alpha.”
She didn’t open her eyes, but she knew that Adam was no longer standing beside her. Peri squeezed her eyes tighter and sought out every ounce of magic inside her ancient being. It wasn’t enough.
Why won’t you help them? Peri reached out to the Great Luna. They’re your children, why are you letting them suffer?
She didn’t expect an answer, but she got one.
Evil exists in their world and because of that they will face many trials. Pain will be their friend all too often, but it is how they handle those trials and what they do with the pain that will determine who they will become. I love them too much to cripple them by removing this thorn. Allowing them to endure struggles is not because of a lack of love. It is because I love them that I allow them to struggle so they might gain the strength to do what is necessary. The wolves have free will and they can choose to depend on me as their creator. They can choose to ask me for help or they cannot.
Peri frowned. And, what about the times you don’t help? What about the times your answer is no?
Peri felt warmth envelope her as the creator of the wolves spoke to her. Does a parent ever say no to her children? Does a parent ever mean harm for her children? I may not help them by preventing the pain, but the pain is necessary and I will always help them bear it. I will always be with them, holding them, reminding them that they are precious to me. My answer will not always be what they want, and they may not understand it at the time, but I will always have their best interest in my heart. They are mine, nothing can take them from me, but as they live in the world, they will endure the evil in it.
So,. what am I to do to help them? Peri asked.
Be there, Perizada. Be there with them and give them strength when they have none. Offer them peace when they feel none and remind them that I have not forsaken them.
Peri watched as the females she had grown to love lay in pain, their tears drenched the earth and the males that loved them so fiercely sat helpless next to them, unable to touch, unable to help.
Jen couldn’t remember the last time she had felt such pain. Maybe when she had been burned in the car fire, or maybe when Decebel had been taken from her, or maybe never. She could hear his voice as he called to her. Why wouldn’t he touch her? Why didn’t he pick her up and take the pain away? Then, through the pulsing pain that shot through every limb, she remembered that she had made it so that he couldn’t. Well, she thought, that’s what I get for trying to prove a point.
“Jennifer?” She heard his voice in her mind and for a brief moment in time, it was like a balm to her aching form.
“If you mention even for a second that I’m the reason you can’t touch me I swear I’ll skin you and put your pelt in our child’s room.”
“I love you too baby,” he growled at her.
“Why is this happening Dec?” Jen’s usually strong voice was laced with uncertainty and fear.
“I don’t know love, but I’m going to fix it.”
“Hurry,” was the last word she got out before all hell broke loose.
Jacque screamed. She tried not to, but the hulking form coming at her was too much. Logan leered at her. It couldn’t be him; he was dead. Wasn’t he? But he was here, standing over her, smiling at her in a way that made her stomach crawl.
“Get away from me.” She tried to sound stronger, but the pain that was stabbing her stomach kept her from breathing and her words came out as a whimper. “You’re dead, I know you’re dead. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Oh sweet heart, I’m here and I’ve come for what should have been mine.” Logan’s voice was just as she remembered it and she felt like oil had been poured on her skin, dirty, and sticky. She rolled over and vomited, just as his hand gripped her ankle, pulling her towards him.
“NO! STOP! PLEASE STOP, DON’T DO THIS,” She screamed at the tops of her lungs, but he didn’t stop. Her mind reached for a memory, something that she knew was real. They had been walking through the forest, she, the other females, and the males. They had been on their way to the mansion. How did she get here with Logan? How was he here touching her, oh god, he was touching her. She began to shake and her body felt cold, like it would never be warm again. She felt her clothes rip and a new scream erupted from her lungs. She opened her eyes, hell bent on killing Logan all over again. Only it wasn’t Logan standing over her, it was Lucas. What the hell? She must be going crazy. That was the only solution; she had to be losing her mind. She kicked, screamed, and clawed at him. In her mind, her nails were raking his face, drawing blood that was raining down on her.
Fane watched as his mate screamed, clawing at an invisible foe. She was hysterical and through the screaming, he recognized two names, Logan and Lucas. She kept saying over and over “don’t do this” and it was when he saw the desperation and fear in her open, unseeing eyes that he knew what was happening in her mind. It was the same thing that had happened in his mind, only now she truly thought it was happening to her. Once again, he sat helpless before his mate. His hands shook as he reached for her, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to touch her. He watched as tears streamed down her cheeks and blood trickled from her lips as she bit them against the screams she was fighting.
“Jacquelyn,” he whispered gently into her mind trying to be a calming presence even as he felt the chaos that was raging through her.
“Fane! Please help me please!”
“It’s not real love; he’s not real. Please come back to me. I’m here beside you and no one is touching you.” Fane flinched when he saw in her mind what she was seeing. When he saw Lucas reach for her he howled, feeling a rage unlike any he’d ever felt before.
Maybe it was the gypsy blood in Sally, but she knew that what she was seeing wasn’t real. Knew that she was actually experiencing what Costin had watched all that time that he had spent in the In-Between. Even with that knowledge, it didn’t make it easier and it didn’t make it go away. She closed her eyes against the hands that weren’t Costin’s on her body. She bit her tongue against the scream that threatened to spill out when she felt a knife pierce her skin. She fought every instinct inside to keep from calling out to her mate, but she wasn’t that strong. Costin made her strong, Costin made her the Sally she needed to be and without him she felt alone and broken. She felt Costin trying to push into her mind, but she didn’t want him there. She didn’t want him to know what she was feeling, what she was experiencing. But, in the end, her fear and need of him won out.
“Sally mine,” his soft voice filled her mind and she whimpered.
“Please, Costin, please don’t stay. You don’t need to see this.” She tried to keep the images from him, but knew she had failed when she felt his anger and desperation.
Costin understood now why one by one the males were howling. He felt his own wolf tearing through him, raging for blood and bone.
Peri stood, helpless, with Cynthia and Drake next to her. They stared at the mated pairs and watched as rage and despair took over.
“We have to do something,” Cynthia growled.
“You don’t think I’ve been trying?” Peri snapped. “I don’t know what else to do. You’re a damn wolf; help me figure out how to fix the magic that keeps them apart.”
Cynthia thought about it, trying to remember something, anything from their history that might aid them. She couldn’t think of anything that would help, but she knew someone who would know.
> “Do you have a cell phone?” She asked Peri, who gave her an “are you freaking kidding me” look.
“I need to call someone.”
“What, you’re using your phone a friend option at this point in the game?” Peri walked over to where Jen lay, ignored the snarling Decebel, and reached into her pack. She pulled out the cell phone that had been dead for days.
She pushed power into it, and then handed it to Cynthia.
“Hope you know that this is your only life line left. Asking the audience isn’t an option and fifty, fifty just might get us killed by some pissed off mates,” she told the doctor.
“You are just a bowl full of cherries,” Cynthia snatched the phone away and started dialing.
“No my dear doctor friend, you are confused with someone who wants to blow smoke up your furry butt. What I am is a bowl full of wake the hell up and smell the roses.”
Q
Wadim snatched the phone up when he recognized the American number.
“Hello,” he asked, breathlessly.
“Wadim, it’s Cynthia.”
“You’re alive?” He asked as he flung himself back on the couch letting out a deep sigh of relief. Skender and Dillon who had been talking with him about their next move, both moved closer to him.
“Well, for the moment the answer to that question is yes. However, it is liable to change at any moment.”
“Why? Where are you? Where’s the pack? What’s going on? Where is Decebel?” Wadim had jumped to his feet at her declaration. He paced back and forth while the other two wolves in the room watched him with nerve wracking intensity.