by Hana Blue
Determination flashed in his eyes, and his entire demeanor switched to one of dominance and strength. The Dominic I knew coming through even while a beast. The insignificant moment of terror now completely faded away.
He brought me toe to toe with him, my head tilted back so our eyes never parted. He towered over me as we stood there for a moment, then he directed me again. My hand involuntary lifted and landed on his chest. My fingers tangling in the grey fur. My other hand swiftly making its way up to the side of his face.
I felt my heart pounding in my chest. The closeness to the beast as just a simple human was strange. All my life I had been one and been around them. But never like this. Never as a human, so calm and up close.
The hand on his chest slipped up to his shoulder. I felt him shiver a little. His eyes smiled at me as he wrapped his enormous arms around me. Encasing me in fur. In my mind, I giggled. Before I knew it, both my hands were on his face, cradling it as he looked back at me with pure black eyes.
It fascinated me. What he was doing. Where he had the power to make me dance like a puppet, he used it for something else. He was conducting my movements for his own personal gain, and it made me laugh. Could see it in his eyes he worried that I would fear him when he was this way, and now that he had a chance, he was using me to ease that fear.
“I love you.” I whispered on command. I’m not sure if what he was doing would be any help on the battlefield unless seduction was his key tactic, but it was actually exquisite as he did it.
My thumb started stroking the fur on the side of his face, and he made a mistake. He closed his eyes at feeling.
I felt all the control over my body hit me like an avalanche as the link broke. I continued to move my thumb, but of my own accord as he leaned into it. Showing him no sign that he had let the link slip.
An idea popped into my mind. As his eyes stayed closed, I watched my hands as they slowly took on the dark black fur and razor-sharp claws. The transformation creeping up my arms, and over my body, Dominic never even realizing. Finally, I stood there like a beast. I leaned my face forward and nuzzled my face against his neck and he opened his eyes.
He tensed up at the realization that he had made a mistake, but settled as I wrapped my arms around him.
“You should never take your eyes off of your captive, you know.” I linked to him, resting my head on his chest.
“Alright you two, it’s dinnertime,” Lilith called out from the back door.
Dominic and I turned, never breaking our embrace. Looking right at her, who was shaking her head playfully at us. She cupped her hands around her mouth.
“Get in here and eat before you freeze!” She giggled and disappeared out of sight. I looked at Dominic, his dark black eyes seeming much less soulless. Shining like onyx globes against his grey fur.
“You don’t have to control me for me to tell you that I love you, even as a beast.” I linked to him, calling him out on his little agenda and quickly morphed back to human.
The frosty air was a shock as it hit my bare skin, and I gasped. Then giggled. Taking a step forward again, I wrapped my arms around him, rubbing the side of my face against the fur of his chest. Which he welcomed.
“You’re warm,” I muttered softly. I kissed his chest softly. “Even as a beast, I love you. Now let us go eat.”
* * *
Gathering around the dinner table, I set down the large plate of rolls and took a seat next to Dominic. Under the table he placed his hand on my knee and squeezed it, flashing me a look from the corner of his eye, making me giggle.
After most everyone had finally come to sit, I noticed an empty chair at the end of the table. Daniels.
“Lilith, where’s Daniel?” I questioned.
A sad look crossed over her face, and she wet her lips nervously. Damien came to sit next to Lilith, a plate of food in hand. He set the plate down on the table with a sigh and placed his hand on Lilith’s back.
“He had left the pack,” Damien answered for her curtly. Rubbing slow circles on her back to soothe her. She seemed to soften as he did. She looked up to him and gave a weak smile. I knew Damien and Lilith were getting close or had been close, I wasn’t sure, but it was a strange thing to see the intimacy between them.
Honestly, it warmed my heart. Knowing the story of him and Dominic’s mother, I was happy for him to have another shot at happiness and love, and who better to compliment him than Lilith. She was the most gentle and wonderful woman I had ever known, and I knew if anyone could love Damien the way he needed it would be her.
Dominic leaned down to me, finishing his bite of food and whispered. “He found out about my dad and Lilith. He said he was tired of losing the women he loved to the likes of us.”
I looked at him. “You knew?”
He sat straight up again and nodded, taking another bite of his dinner. Seeming unaffected from his absence. Like it didn’t matter to him at all. Which shouldn’t have surprised me.
I exhaled. “I’m sorry, Lilith,” I muttered sorrowfully.
She shrugged in return, but her face told a whole other story. She looked like she was about to cry. I couldn’t imagine. Honestly, I could see where Daniel was coming from. I don’t know what I would do if I lost the one I loved, then had the father of the man who took my love, take my mother’s heart too. I’m sure he must have felt abandoned and turned against.
The most I could hope was that after some time he would settle and return. There was no telling if he would or not, but I could hope. Despite how it ended between us, he was always my best friend when here and I would miss him. Sure, I no longer loved him, and any thoughts of a future with him went away when Dominic came here for me, but that didn’t mean that I stopped caring about him.
“You know, I have a question.” Caireen piped up, clearing her throat. “Damien. Maybe you will know. If Dominic and my sister were mated, how come they couldn’t sense each other, even being so close, until recently. Doesn’t the bond form at adulthood?”
Caireen’s question took us all aback. Sending all the eyes at the table directly to her, who then started nervously smiling. The sudden attention suddenly making her awkward.
Damien chuckled. “In my defense, if I knew they were mates, I wouldn’t have done this.” Damien spoke.
“Do what?” I cut him off aggressively. He shook his head, laughing.
“I told you I have been protecting you since I saved you.” He shrugged. “I kept you cloaked. Within most areas, you could wander undetectable. Unfortunately, there were a few breaks where you could be sensed.”
“Wait.. what? I was the one blocking my sent.” I muttered out of confusion.Damien shrugged again with a silent laugh.
“No, you were just using glorified perfume, mostly. Unfortunately, you kept going back there, which left you out in the open, uncloaked. Being a product of witchcraft gives me a magical touch of my own. Giving me the ability to keep you virtually hidden away from Evangeline. I didn’t, however, expect you to keep leaving the cloaked area, nor did I think for a minute you’d end up being my son’s mate.”
I nodded slowly, absorbing the information, pursing my lips as I thought. “Magic can’t touch Alchemy. I left myself open visiting Aster.” I shook my head slowly as Damien laughed.
“Well, aren’t you happy you came out of hiding? Otherwise, Dominic wouldn’t know you exist.”
I rolled my eyes playfully. “That’s debatable.”
Dominic looked over to me from the corner of his eye, an almost offended look on his face.
“Is that why she was in so much pain?” Caireen asked Damien, drawing his attention to her.
“Exactly. Bonds are stronger than magic, and the minute they came close enough to sense each other when she was out in the open, the bond fought the cloak I had set. Resulting in a very painful battle.”
I grit my teeth, remembering the constant choking, drowning feeling that suffocated me daily. I looked at Dominic, who almost shuddered. His hand grabbed min
e under the table.
“So, what all are you capable of?” I asked curiously.
“I can, mostly, change the physical portions of reality that directly involve me. In laymen’s terms.” Damien responded calmly, taking a bite of his steak.
“It’s one perk of all the hell I’ve dealt with.” He muttered through his bite.
“So, it that why mom hasn’t come back to attack again? Are you cloaking us now?” Dominic spoke up, questioning his father, only to be answered with a sly smile.
“We needed a little time.”
Twenty Eight
Out of Hiding
AINE~
“Aine? Are you awake?” a soft voice hit my ears. Convinced I was dreaming, I snuggled back into the blankets and forced it from my mind. Not quite ready to wake up fully.
“Aine?” I heard my name again, this time, I was far more awake and recognized the voice.
Groggily I opened my eyes, only to find that Caireen was looking over my side of the bed. Poking at my shoulder to try to wake me quietly. Her eyes were bloodshot and looked to be watering. Confused, I squinted at her. Taking in the look of desperation on her face.
“What is it?” I responded roughly. Rubbing my eyes so I could see her clearly. Once the sleep was rubbed from eyes, I inspected her. She looked like she was in an impressive deal of pain. Her face was almost green with sickness. Her eyes threatening to roll back into her head. Startled by the sight of her, I jerked back.
Caireen doubled over in front of me and my brain finally let what she looked like, click.
“Caireen? Are you ok?” I shot up in bed, reaching for her hand. Finally, processing what exactly I was looking at. Realizing something was terribly wrong with her.
She shook her head ‘no’ quickly, swallowing hard. Looking behind me, I made sure that we hadn’t woke Dominic. Fortunately, he was still sound asleep next to me. His chest rising and falling slowly with his steady breathing. Small, almost snores escaping his nose.
“Come on,” I whispered to Caireen, pulling myself out of the bed. Ambling so I wouldn’t disturb Dominic.
Once out of the bed, I grabbed my pajama pants off the floor and shrugged them on. Grabbing Caireen’s hand, I led her out of the room behind me until we were out and down the hallway. Far away from any of the bedrooms so we wouldn’t wake anyone.
Once completely out of earshot, I grabbed Caireen’s hands. “What’s wrong. What’s going on?”
Caireen looked like she was about to retch all over. Her skin was a few shades lighter than usual, the sickness making her pale. Overall, she looked like her entire body was on fire and she was struggling to power through it.
“Everything hurts. I can’t breathe.” She gasped out. Her eyes glossing over.
All color in her face had now drained away.
Whenever either of us was ill, I always brought us to Aster, but that was a good four-hour drive, that is, if I were to drive as fast as my car would stand. We didn’t have anyone in the pack I was familiar enough with to take care of things. Sure, we had some amazing healers, but none like Aster.
And judging by how bad she looked, I would feel more comfortable with someone I knew for sure could help, taking care of her. Regardless of how far the trip was. Caireen was my only genuine family, and I was unwilling to put her in the hands of someone I didn’t completely trust.
Running my hand through the front of my hair, I weighed the pros and cons of what would happen if we left the circle to go to her. Damien said the only reason we weren’t able to be seen now, was because of him cloaking the area. Much like he had done over Caireen and I’s home for so long.
That cloak couldn’t touch Aster’s land, however. Which was the exact reason that Dominic could sense me back then? Going there was risky than, and it sure as hell was risky now. If I were to take her there, we would expose ourselves. We would be out in the open.
Sighing, I watched as Caireen looked to me expectantly. Her whole-body slumping over slightly. Her condition seeming to get worse by the minute as I mulled over my options. Desperately trying to decide if what I was about to do was the right thing, the smartest thing. Realistically, I knew it wasn’t smart, but I felt as though I had no choice.
“Damnit,” I grumbled, running my hand over my face slowly. Taking in the regret that I knew would probably come.
I had to take her there. I couldn’t just let her be unwell, especially if it was bad enough for her to come to get me. Despite being meek, Caireen was a tough girl and if she felt a need to come to get me, it had to be serious. So, I needed to take it seriously.
“Get dressed. We are leaving.” I muttered to her.
She gave a strained nod and drug herself back to her room, and I did the same. I went back to my room and got dressed as quickly and silently as I could. Making sure that I could get out of here without waking Dominic. There was no doubt in my mind if he knew where I was going he would do everything in his power to stop me.
It would just be easier to slip away without his knowledge.
Deciding that I should at least give him some warning, in case something would go wrong, I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled on it. Figuring him finding a note would be the least I could do since I was stowing away into the early morning. Approaching the bedside, I left the note for Dominic, one that told him where I had gone, and that I loved him. Then I kissed his temple softly before fleeing the room.
Once I made it to my car, Caireen was already slumped over it. Having made it down there quicker than I had. Caireen coughed and hacked, holding herself up on the hood of the car. A pool of blood and vomit forming at her feet. Tears filling her eyes. I needed to get her to Aster, and I needed to do it quickly.
“Get in the car.” I lovingly commanded to her, hopping into the driver’s side.
“Am I going to be ok?” Caireen sniffled, wiping her hand over her mouth. Ridding her face of the residual blood that had been left on the corners of her lips.
Looking over to her, I cringed, unsure of what to say. I honestly didn’t know. I didn’t know what was happening to her; I had no answers. All that I knew was that I would do everything in my power to get her to help. Even if that meant I was putting us in hell’s wake.
Sighing, looking at her lovingly, I wet my lip. Too nervous to tell her the truth. I muttered.
“I think so.”
I hope so.
* * *
DOMINIC~
Morning came, and I rolled to my side, laying my arm to the other side of the bed, expecting to feel the warmth of Aine next to me. Something that I had become very used to and enjoyed very much. But she wasn’t there. Confused, I opened my eyes, looking at the empty side of the bed. With a yawn, I rubbed my eyes.
Maybe she got up early, I thought. Deciding that maybe she couldn’t sleep and had already gone to get breakfast, or maybe to train. Aine had a tendency to have horrific nightmares at night and sometimes she would get up earlier, unable to handle them any longer.
Rolling out of bed, I decided that I should shower before I went down for coffee, so that’s what I did. However, the entirety of my shower felt off. Something inside of me felt hollow, incomplete. Quickly I dismissed the feeling and got out. Throwing on the first pair of clean clothes I could find, and brushing my hair back with my fingers, I readied myself for the day.
Once ready, I made my way to the kitchen, dying for a cup of coffee.
“Morning son,” Damien greeted me from the kitchen. Sipping on a cup of coffee.
Damien and Lilith were the only ones in the room, obviously enjoying a bit of seclusion from the pack as they enjoyed their morning coffee. With a yawn, I greeted them and grabbed a cup of my own before leaning back against the cabinets. My eyes squinting from the looming exhaustion that still filled me.
“Where’s Aine?” I asked casually, taking a sip. Thinking that maybe one of them had seen her already.
Damien shrugged. “Sleeping I figure.”
I cocked my eyebrow at h
im, irritated that he didn’t realize that if she was still sleeping, I would have known where she was. Hell, we shared a bed. If she was sleeping, she would have still been in that very bed when I got up, but she wasn’t. Hence why I was asking in the first place.
Rolling my eyes at him, I yawned again. “If she was still sleeping, would I be asking where she is?” I added sarcastically. Damien shrugged again. Seeming unconcerned with it all. Damien continued to drink his coffee nonchalantly and Lilith cocked her head to the side, looking deep in thought.
“I haven’t seen her either,” Lilith remarked, seeming a little concerned.
Nodding, I took my coffee in both hands and made my way back to my room. The hollow feeling in my chest still very much present. It was concerning me. The last time I felt that hollow feeling was when Aine had come here after marking her. Making me wonder if at some point she had taken off in the night.
She would have had to have gone quite a way to bring this feeling on again. Our bond was powerful enough for me to feel her within an enormous distance.
Shaking the thought from my head, I set my coffee down onto the nightstand in my room so I could make up the bad. Something Aine did every morning without fail. I personally couldn’t have cared less if it was ever made, but I figured she’d appreciate coming back to it being made, even if she wasn’t around to make it herself.
After finishing, I sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the enormous window to the courtyard. Our room giving a perfect view of the area that we trained every day. The courtyard was empty though, so obviously she hadn’t been out training early. I don’t know why that surprised me. With the feeling I was having, if she was just outside, I would have still felt her.
Yawning again, I reached for my coffee and noticed that it sat on a piece of paper. One that I didn’t remember being there last night. Lifting the now coffee-stained paper, I noticed it was a note. A note that was written in Aine’s handwriting.
Dominic,