by Quinn Loftis
Sally’s face turned bright red as she heard Costin add in her mind. “No more waiting brown eyes, you have been ordered to ride me.”
Sally choked as she tried to swallow and Jen had to slap her on the back.
“Your man just gave you a line didn’t he?”
Sally nodded.
“I knew I was gonna like him the moment I laid eyes on his lickable, dimpled, face.”
Decebel walked by the group of women to meet up with his pack and slapped his mate on the butt. “Behave,” he growled.
The group of females laughed.
Lilly came hurrying over and wrapped Jen, Jacque, and Sally in a hug. “You three be safe. Peri won’t let me come. She threatened to hogtie me. Since when does a Fae know anything about hogtying?” Lilly frowned at the smirking Fae.
“Peri knows all forms of torture; it’s her thing,” Jen quipped.
“Well, I guess everyone has something,” Lilly scoffed.
Jacque hugged her mom again. “Please stay here. We’ll be back, I promise.”
Lilly, met Jacque’s eyes. “I’m so proud of you.”
Jacque smiled. “I am what I am because of you.”
Lilly shook her head. “No sweets, this is all you.”
Lilly backed away until she was nearly at the door of the mansion. She bit her lip to keep the tears back and prayed that not only her daughter, but all those she had come to care for would return victoriously and safely.
Jen, Jacque, Crina, Rachel, and Alina undressed quickly and phased. They shook out their fur and stretched out in their wolf form and then the mated females trotted over to stand next to their mates. Each male nuzzled their faces and pressed against their smaller frames. When Crina reached Adam’s side he knelt down and gave her a quick tap on the nose. “You watch yourself out there okay?” She nodded her big head once and leaned in to press her face against his chest.
“Peri has requested that I and Elle use our power in conjunction with the other Fae so try and stay as close to me as you can, but we will be spreading out,” he explained and gave her one last loving tap on the muzzle.
Peri motioned for Elle, Adam, and the Fae council to spread out amongst the wolves. Peri began to speak softly as her hands moved smoothly in the air, arcing over the group as the other Fae joined in. The warlocks and elves took up the rear.
Vasile stood proudly at the head of the pack, his mate at his side. He threw his head back and howled. The pack joined in and the trees shook from the sound. He sniffed the air and found Cypher’s trail. Like a bolt of lightning, he shot off with the largest supernatural army in history, at his back.
Q
Sorin’s legs stretch as he ran and his fur blew as the air rushed through it. He glanced up briefly at his mate, who ran beside him. She was breathtaking in all her warrior glory. The memory of the night the curse was broken came crashing down on him and he nearly stumbled under the weight of it. When he had finally been able to hold her, it had not been enough. He had not been able to get close enough. He had helped her shower and dress and then held her in his arms as she wept. When she had finally calmed down, she had opened up to him and shared all she had endured and it had enraged him. He had watched in awe as she had calmed him as only a true mate could. She had given freely her love, comfort, and touch. In his very long life he had never had felt such passion, such need as he found in her arms. Over and over, he had whispered to her all the emotion in his heart and tried to show her through his touch just how precious she was to him. She had asked him to do the Blood Rites with her because she did not want to go into this battle with the chance that they would not be together one way or the other. His wolf had howled in victory, but the man had hesitated. He did not want to seal her fate in case anything went wrong. But, she was his mate, his equal, and it was as much her choice as it was his. So, he had given her what she wanted and what he so desperately needed.
Q
“I love you,” Crina whispered to Adam. She felt his smile through their bond. “I think you know just how much I love you,” he teased her, with his never ending good nature.
She treasured the playfulness in him and knew that it was a blessing to her. But, the night all the females had been saved from the curse by Peri and the Fae, she had seen another side to Adam, a side that broke her heart. She had known that he loved her. But that night, she realized the depth of that love. To her surprise, he had wept as much as she had. His possessiveness was no less than the Canis lupus males and his ferocious protectiveness called to her wolf. She knew that the human females had waited to complete their mating until they were married, but she was not human, and marriage was not a part of her heritage. The Blood Rites was essentially the equivalent of a wedding for their race and when Adam had told her they were going to finish their mating that night, she had reveled in the dominance and her wolf had gladly submitted. It had been the best night of her life, which she was sure, was what every woman said during that time, but she couldn’t imagine anyone experiencing what she had in the arms of her mate. He had worked magic that no other could.
“I am Fae you know, so I have a slight advantage in the whole magic working.” Crina laughed as they ran. Here they were, running into a battle they might not survive, discussing their love life.
“What better time to think about the magic we made together? I mean seriously, I can die a happy man now that I’ve had the privilege of being with you. And, I totally mean that in any perverted way you would like to take it.” Adam’s voice brought chills to her skin as he reminded her of all they had experienced.
“I would tell you to behave, but it would be a waste of words.”
“Too true, my sexy wolf lady, too true. Don’t wear yourself out here today, I got plans for you.”
Crina cut a glance over to him as her wolf perked up at their mate’s teasing. She wanted to chase him. It was the wolf’s form of foreplay, and by the grin on his face, he knew it.
Chapter 22
“With every step we draw closer, with every breath we close in on our prey. Do you feel us coming? We move silently as one, a pack united in purpose, driven by the belief that evil will not prevail. Your end is eminent; your time in this life draws to a close. We are coming. You may have never feared the hounds of hell, but you should fear us. Fear the wolves that live in us, fear the ones who join us and know that you will answer for the crimes that you have committed. You will answer and you will pay.” ~Fane
Mona felt them, Vasile, and his wolves. She knew that she would not hear them. They were hunters and, as such, would come silently, seeking the killing blow. They were too late. Cypher had fallen to his knees long ago and his pale flesh testified to his pending doom. The opening to the veil grew more and more solid as Cypher’s blood fed it.
“Turns out I won’t need you after all,” she turned to Ainsel. “The King has killed himself. You need not worry about capturing him.”
Ainsel backed away, slowly allowing the forest to swallow him up. He had felt the wolves, had felt their intent and he wanted to be as far as he could be by the time the battle started.
Mona raised her hands and looked up into the sky.
“Water, earth, wind, and fire,
Hear me now, fulfill my desire.”
She called on the rain, thunder, and lightning, and the skies opened. Thunder shook the ground and lightning lit up the dark sky, shooting down into the forest.
Her hands moved wildly as she manipulated the wind, pulling and pushing the currents. The gusts were strong enough to uproot trees and send them crashing into the ground.
She watched as all nature bent to her will. It would not be enough. She called on the birds that did her bidding. The blood of the many beasts that she would summon was painted on her clothes, as the presence of blood was often required to control the minds of such creatures. She sent out her will, demanding the trolls leave their hiding places. She called upon the pixies, and though she knew Ainsel would not come, there were those among his ki
nd with black hearts that would gladly answer her call.
Suddenly there was a blinding flash. When Mona’s vision cleared, a woman stood before her.
“You are the Fae who has betrayed her people,” Mona smiled.
“Peri and the healers will be moving in behind the warriors,” Lorrelle told her.
“Warriors?” Mona frowned. “What warriors?”
“Didn’t I mention those?” Lorrelle looked smug. “The warlocks and the elves have come to join the party.”
“Is this all the help you are providing?”
Lorelle pulled three stones from her pocket. “I have weakened my sister significantly. She doesn’t have all the stones of the Fae. If that is not enough to give you a slight advantage then you are not as powerful as you claim.”
Before Mona could answer, the Fae was gone.
“Coward,” Mona growled.
Mona felt the power of the pack surrounding her as they moved closer. She closed her eyes and held her hands out. She spoke quietly, calling on her power. She smiled when she felt the heat of the fire that blazed. It wasn’t real, but the wolves would hesitate and sometimes that was all she needed to have the upper hand.
Vasile watched as the packs broke off and moved stealthily through the trees. They fanned out and around, creating a large circle. Almost as if choreographed, every other wolf turned to face outward, taking up guard for the outward attack that was already headed in their direction. They could feel the rumbling ground beneath their paws.
Peri and the other Fae had managed to minimize the effect of Mona’s influence over the storm. They had slowed the wind when wolves had started being drug back as if the wind had hands and had latched onto their legs. The rain had been blurring their vision, Peri’s voice had risen above it, and as she'd slowed the downpour. Vasile had anticipated the attack of Mona’s minions and so he and the other Alphas had decided that every fifth wolf would continue to move towards Mona along with three of the Fae and ten elves. The rest would stay back and hold the perimeter. If the demons were released, then none of them would likely survive. Their only hope was that they could take out Mona before Cypher completed his task. If they did not, he would have to open it or suffer the consequences of the blood oath.
Costin moved forward, pulling away from the wolves that would stay back and defend the border of their pack. He made eye contact with each wolf that he could see, who moved forward with him. As he drew closer, he could feel the witch’s power pushing on him, urging him to turn and run. They picked up their pace as they fought the spell and came up short when the felt the heat of the fire and then saw the wall of flames that separated them from their prey. He paced restlessly, looking for a way through. The wolves around him let out low growls and barks, frustrated at being thwarted.
“It’s an illusion!” Costin turned to see Alston, the head of the Fae council running towards them. Dain and Gwen were right behind him. Dain ran right and Gwen went left to join in the circle of wolves that stood before the fire. The Fae stepped closer to the fire until their hands were touching it. Their lips moved, but Costin was unable to hear their words. The flames started to dissipate and just when it appeared that they would disappear altogether, the flames jumped back even higher. Then, as if a snake was moving the fire, it began to weave through the forest, wrapping around each wolf. The wolves howled and danced from paw to paw as the flames closed in on them.
“IT’S NOT REAL!” The collective voice of the Fae reached through the crackling of the flames. Costin’s wolf did not want to believe them because the flames looked too real. But, then he remembered when they had been running in the forest with their mates on their backs. Mona had tried to use the flames then as well. His mind made up, he lunged through the fire and emerged on the other side. Alston nodded to him and began moving forward again. Costin sent out a call and push of power to draw the wolves through and they soared from the fire, landing whole and angry on the inside of the flames. Rage boiled in their blood and surged them onward.
Fane watched as the trolls came rushing through the forest, some large enough that they knocked down small trees, as if they were toothpicks. His lips pulled back in a snarl as he decided the most effective way to take them down.
“Clip their heels, they won’t be able to stand,” he told Jacque.
“Got it,” she answered as she lowered herself into a crouch, ready to leap as soon as they were close enough.
Fane saw his father lunge forward and took that as his signal. He rushed forward, diving under the first troll he reached, and whipping around to tear at the troll’s heel, ripping out the tendon. The troll went down on one leg. Jacque, who had circled around behind the troll, now dove forward to rip out the tendon of the other heel. The troll hit the ground with a mighty boom. Fane ran swiftly and flew at his throat, ripping it open at the artery. Blood spurted, splashing onto Fane’s dark fur. His wolf howled at the first kill and the others answered. He turned to see Jacque battling with a smaller troll that had already put a gash across her flank. Jacque tried to jump aside, but the troll’s huge fist still caught her. She was flung backwards and smacked against a tree. Fane soared through the air, landing on the back of the troll. He dug his claws into the troll’s thick skin shredding at the flesh. Jacque jumped back to her feet and maneuvered around to the side of the troll who was focused on getting Fane of his back. She made for the heels just as Fane had told her and in two swift moves, she had torn the tendons. Fane jumped from the trolls back as it slammed to the ground. Jacque moved to take out the neck, but Fane pushed her aside and did it himself. He nudged her towards another group of wolves that were battling several trolls at one time and they joined in the fight.
Peri looked around the battle field as more trolls came. Wondering why the trolls weren’t filled with arrows, she looked around at the elves. Each elf was focus skyward, firing shaft after shaft into the air. Scattered among the clouds and rain were large swooping birds of prey. The elves were taking them down as fast as they could. The warlocks joined the wolves against the trolls. Everywhere men, monsters, and beasts hacked and slashed furiously at each other. Despite their teamwork, both wolves and warlocks were injured in the fighting.
“Rachel, you and Sally are going to have to go tend to the injured.” Peri yelled, handing Rachel some clothes that she had carried in anticipation of Rachel’s run to the battlefield in her wolf form. “There! She pointed to a wolf lying on its side. I’ve got your back.” She turned to a wide eyed Sally. “You head that direction; Jen will protect you. Remember; only heal what is necessary for them to get back on their feet. Reserve your strength. Don’t waste any time on those that aren’t savable”
Shaking, Sally took off, searching the ground for injured wolves. She wasn’t sure what she could do for any fallen warlocks, but she had decided that she would attempt to heal them as well if she could. Jen stayed alongside, her making sure no trolls got too close. Sally found the first one lying on his side, a nasty gash too deep to heal quickly on its own. She stepped forward and tried to radiate peace so that she would not startle the wolf.
“I’m going to touch you. If you lie still, this will go rather quickly,” she told the wolf.
He looked at her with glowing eyes, and then laid his head down. She took that as the okay to begin. She laid her hands on him and closed her eyes. She sent her spirit into his body, seeking out the wound and healing it from the inside out. When she pulled her hands back, the wound was completely healed. She stood up slightly wobbly and Jen pressed her large body against Sally to steady her. The wolf stood and crouched experimentally, then turned to her and bowed his head. She bowed hers in return, and then watched as he flung himself back into the fray.
Sally yelped when Jen suddenly pushed her forward and dove beside her. Sally slammed to her knees and winced as she felt her jeans rip. A crashing sound echoed in her ears as a large tree landed where she had just been standing. She turned and looked at her friend. “You rock,” she gasped.
Jen gave a small yip and a wolf smile, to which Sally shook her head at. “Not cool Jen.”
Looking out over the forest, they began moving toward more injured wolves.
Decebel was moving swiftly, bounding over bushes and around trees as he chased the pixies that the others hadn’t realized had joined in the mix. His wolf was relishing the hunt, enjoying the sport of chasing something so quick and cunning. He almost hated to end the chase by killing them. He rounded a large tree, just on the heels of a particularly fast pixie and slid to a stop when he saw his mate running through the middle of the battlefield following a very worn out looking Sally.
“What the hell are you doing?” He snarled at her.
“B, this isn’t the time to be an asshat over me being here. I’m protecting Sally while she heals injured wolves.”
“You’re in no shape to fight.”
“Sure I am. I’m in my wolf shape. I’m a fighting machine.” She tried to joke, to lighten the moment.
“You are pregnant.” Decebel’s anger and fear was climbing as he ran towards her, dodging around trolls and fallen trees.
“Am I? Damn, I almost forgot. It won’t matter what I am if you die, so at least let me help.”
“Well, it’s obvious I can’t stop you so I guess I have no choice.” The hurt in his voice made Jen feel like crap. She knew she had made him feel helpless to protect her and she hadn’t meant to.
“I’ll be okay babe,” she tried to reassure him.
He kept coming towards her and when he reached her, he nipped her muzzle and growled. She lowered her head, but he nuzzled her before she could drop to the ground in submission.
“Stay beside me,” he told her. She took a stance next to him in front of Sally and together they followed Sally from one wounded warrior to the next. Everything seemed to be going rather smoothly, Decebel having taken out several smaller trolls by himself and he and Jen together taking out a large one. Jen should have known things were going way too well.