The tears continued to fall as she finally let go of the grief she had been carrying ever since she had been in the dark forest. She cried for the things she had seen, for the pain she wasn’t able to prevent and for the loss that she could never restore. She cried for the sister who had turned her back on her and their people. She cried for fear of all the emotions that were swirling around her, comforting her and protecting her. All the while, as the tears continued to fall, Lucian held her.
∞
Lorelle slowly pushed the door to the old castle open, cringing at the loud, creaking hinges in the silent, deserted forest. With Reyaz, the warlock she had aligned herself with in order to destroy Perizada, out of the picture, and her betrayal known to, well, everyone, she’d had to make a hasty retreat and the dark forest, empty of all her enemies was the perfect place for her to lie low. She knew the council would be coming for her. They wouldn’t let her crimes go unpunished. After all, how would it look to the rest of the supernatural world if the ones who are supposed to be in charge can’t even police their own?
She took a step through the doorway, half expecting some sort of residual magic to strike her. But when nothing did, she took another step, and then another, until she was all the way into the foyer. She turned in a slow circle and whistled appreciatively at the grandness of the entryway. At one time, before Volcan had been attacked by the wolves and the fae, his castle had been magnificent. As she took in the now drab, grey stone walls, the torn window dressings and dusty floor, she had to admit it was a far cry from the majestic palace it once was. Still, it had potential.
“Potential for what?” She asked herself out loud as she walked over to the staircase and sat on the third step up. “I mean, what do I honestly plan to do here?”
Her sister was dead, that’s what she had wanted, right?
“Yes, but I hadn’t planned on getting found out by the council,” she answered herself. “I had planned on getting my sister out of the way so that I could become the powerful high fae that I should have been. Instead, I’m still living in her shadow.”
Lorelle felt a rush of cold air blow across her face and ruffled her hair. She stilled, barely breathing as the air continued to swirl around her. She wanted to think that it was nothing, just a breeze because she had left the door open, but she was no fool and she knew the touch of magic when she felt it.
“Show yourself,” she demanded.
“I would…if I could,” a deep voice answered her, only slightly louder than a whisper.
She felt the air brush the back of her neck and she abruptly stood, hoping to put some space between her and whatever it was that had joined her.
“What does that mean?” She asked the voice.
“I would show myself to you if I could,” it responded.
She rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “Fine, if you can’t show yourself, tell me who you are or who it is that commands you.” Lorelle fought the urge to shiver as she felt the temperature drop. She refused to show weakness, especially when she didn’t know if this voice belonged to friend or foe.
“There is no one who can command me,” the voice growled. “There are none great enough to wield power over me.”
She snorted. “If that’s so, then why am I only hearing your voice and not seeing your form? If you are so powerful, so great,” she bit off the word, “then why aren’t you standing here before me?” She held her breath waiting for a response. When several minutes passed without an answer she began to wonder if she had finally cracked and the voice was only in her head. Then, for a brief panic attack inducing minute, she considered that it could be Perizada’s spirit. She would not put it past her sister to haunt her for all eternity if she could find a way. As she pondered the terrible implications of this thought, the castle walls began to shake.
Lorelle backed away from the stairs as loose rocks tumbled down from the rattling walls. The ground rolled beneath her and she was sure something was going to sprout up out of the floor at any moment. She held her arms out to catch her balance and then looked up ominously at the huge chandelier that hung from the high ceiling. It swayed threateningly and Lorelle took a big step back, attempting to get out of its line of fire should it decide to fall.
“I am ancient. I have created power and sent it out into the world to spread my essence. I have battled numerous foes and still I survive. Do not think to insult me in my own home, Lorelle, formerly of the high fae, sister of Perizada.”
Lorelle felt her heart literally drop into her feet as his words bore into her mind, drawing up images of the facts he spewed. She felt her head begin to shake. No, she thought to herself, hoping with everything inside her that this wasn’t real. It was surely just a dream. She had fallen asleep on the steps and she was so tired and so unsure of what to do next. Her eyes squeezed closed tight as the voice finally spoke his name, and she felt any future that she might have had slip away.
“I am Volcan.”
∞
Peri stood, blessedly alone, in her room staring out of the window. Lucian had finally left after she had threatened to turn him into several unsavory rodents. But she knew he had only left because she promised to have breakfast with him. She let out a lengthy exhale as she thought about the events of the night. She had to admit that she felt better after her mini—okay so it might not have been so mini—melt down. It was as if a festering boil had been popped and now that all the infection was out, though it still hurt, it would heal. Knowing she would heal, that she could heal, gave her much hope, even in the face of the difficult task before her.
She finally turned away from the window. As she headed for the door, she caught her reflection in the mirror. She chuckled as she took in the dark jeans and trendy top. Jen, one of the American female mates of the Serbian pack alpha, had gotten a hold of her and told her in no uncertain terms that while she was in the human realm she was bloody damn well going to look human. Peri had let her have her say because though she would not admit it to Jen herself, she liked the crazy female. She supposed she looked alright for someone several centuries old. Her smile turned a tad wicked when she considered what Lucian would say when he saw her jeans. He wasn’t just from a different era. He was from several different eras ago and in his time, women never wore trousers. They were considered indecent because of the way they hugged the curves of the female form.
Knowing that her clothes were bound to aggravate Lucian put a bounce in her step that hadn’t been there before. She pulled the door open and headed towards the dining hall where she would have to make her announcement that tonight would be her last night in the Romanian pack mansion. She had yet to discuss it with the Great Luna, and she knew she would have to soon since it was the goddess who had put her over the Romanian wolves all those centuries ago.
Her thoughts wandered as she walked without thinking, her feet had grown so very familiar with the home. She felt a pang in her heart as she realized that is exactly what she considered it, her home. She shook her head as she stepped up to the doors of the dining room, trying to get her emotions under control. It wouldn’t do for her to walk in crying like a blubbering fool. “Wouldn’t that evoke confidence in them,” she snorted as she pulled the door open and walked in to join the others.
Without any preamble she announced, “I feel it is necessary that I take a leave of absence, Vasile.” Peri’s voice pierced the silence that had settled over the dining room upon her arrival. Vasile sat at the head of the table with Alina to his right and Sorin on his left. Her quick glance around revealed Decebel, the Serbian pack Alpha, was visiting again. Next to him sat Lucian and across from Lucian sat Fane, Vasile’s only son. There were others, all male she realized. Huh, she thought as she looked back at Lucian who was now standing, that must be why he’s looking at me like I’ve just walked into this room in my most revealing lingerie. She cocked an eyebrow at him, daring him to say something about her jeans. She didn’t have to wait long.
“What are you
wearing?” He asked through their bond.
“Though you are not from this century, or the one before it, I still trust that you are an intelligent male and can figure out what I have clad myself in,” Peri answered dryly.
Lucian’s scowl deepened at her. She simply shrugged her shoulders at him and said, “Just because we had a moment last night does not mean I’m going to make this easy on you.”
“I’ll remember your words when you are begging for my touch, mate,” his voice grew deep as his eyes narrowed at her.
Peri wanted to stomp her foot like a child and whine about how it wasn’t fair that she didn’t know all the facts behind the mate bond. Sure, she may have observed them over the centuries, but observing and taking part were two very different things. She felt at a distinct disadvantage with Lucian. If there was one thing that Peri didn’t do well, it was lose. No, she was not a graceful loser and so she knew she was going to have to start researching the true mate bond and what all it entailed.
“Will you join us, Peri?” Vasile spoke up, pulling her from her thoughts and drawing her attention from Lucian.
“If that is what I must do to seem agreeable, then fine I’ll sit, I’ll eat, and I might even listen, but then I’m going.” She walked down the side of the table Lucian sat on and took the seat he held out for her. As she started to reach for a roll she heard Lucian growl at her. She pulled her hand back and turned her head slowly to glare at him.
“What is your problem?” She whispered as she leaned towards him. She heard low chuckles and laughs disguised as coughs around her but she didn’t take her eyes off of Lucian.
“I will fix your plate,” he told her simply.
She considered arguing with him but he was already doing exactly what he said and really what was the point? Pick your battles, Peri, she told herself. As the huge male set her plate, overflowing with a ridiculous amount of food, down in front of her, she added there will be many.
“I’m assuming that you want to be relieved of your duties with my pack in order to hunt down your sister?” Vasile asked.
“That is correct, Alpha. She is my responsibility and her treachery must be dealt with,” Peri said coolly.
“Is the council not sending anyone after her?” Decebel spoke up.
“I’m sure they will,” Peri shrugged, “but it is by my hand that she should be punished. It is my right.”
“Are you sure you want to be the one to do it, Peri?” Vasile’s voice was filled with sympathy. “The taking of life is not easily undone. You will have to bear that cross for the rest of your very long existence.”
She snorted. “Are you questioning my ability to kill my sister, after she was involved in the murder of not only my life, but your wolves?” She shook her head in irritation. “You clearly have forgotten how cruel I can be when it is deemed necessary.”
“Any of us who have been on the receiving end of your wrath would never doubt your ability to deal out punishment, Peri,” Vasile pointed out. “However, dealing out punishment to our own flesh and blood is an entirely different matter.”
Peri dropped her fork and it hit the plate with a loud clank. The wolves in the room stilled as she slowly pushed her chair back and rose from her seat. “Do you presume me weak, Vasile, Alpha to the Romanian pack? Do you challenge my ability to do my job?” Her voice was cold, calculating and maybe a tad overdramatic. Peri, you have got to get your crap together, she growled to herself as she watched Vasile go very still.
“Leave us please,” he said not taking his eyes off of Peri.
Lucian stood but didn’t move to leave. His eyes were narrowed on his brother as he took Peri’s hand.
Peri nearly jumped at the contact. She had been expecting Lucian to leave with the others, but instead he took up a position in front of her, shielding her from the Alpha’s glare. She rolled her eyes at his overprotectiveness, but in her heart of hearts she was honored that he would think to try and protect her.
“Lucian, I know she is your mate, but you are not bonded yet. No blood rites have been performed and, therefore, you have no right to stay when I have ordered you to leave.” Vasile’s voice was calm, not demanding and not cruel. He was just stating the facts.
“Do you want me to stay?” Lucian asked her.
Here heart warmed by his thoughtfulness and seemed to swell in her chest. It had been so very long since someone had worried about her, had tried to protect her. Though it was not necessary, it was still a nice gesture. “If he asked you all to go, he must have a reason. He will not hurt me, Lucian.” She squeezed his and affectionately and then released it.
He turned to look at her. Though she was tall, he was taller still and she had to look up at him to meet his eyes. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered, “I will wait for you just outside.”
She knew he had said it out loud for his brother’s benefit and that made her chuckle under her breath. Her mate the maverick, back in the living only a couple months and already bucking the system.
When the door had closed behind Lucian, Peri let out a deep breath and sat back down. “Okay so I’ll admit that was a tad childish.”
“A tad?” Vasile asked with a raised brow.
She huffed. “Oh blow it out your ass, Alpha. I was killed, brought back to life, and discovered that I had a werewolf for a mate, and not just any werewolf but one that was supposed to be dead. Forgive me if I’m slightly testy.”
“I concede,” he said holding up his hands. “You have every right to be childish, testy, or any other emotion that strikes your fancy. You have been through a lot. There are some things that I wanted to talk with you about, and I hope that it might help decrease the number of childish episodes you might need to have.”
Peri gave him a dry look at his words but made a motion for him to continue.
“I know that you have been around the wolves and mated pairs for a very long time, but even still there might be things that you don’t know about being a true mate or being mated for that matter.”
Peri actually sat up straighter as she folded her hands in her lap. “And pray tell, what does this have to do it the fact that I just bit your head off because I thought you were questioning my power?” She asked him pointedly.
“It has to do with you acting, as you said, a tad childish. You feel out of your depth, Perizada. I’ve known you a very long time, my old friend, and if there is anything I know about you, it’s that you don’t like to be uninformed or misinformed. So I’m going to help you get your bearings. The rest is up to you.” He paused and folded his napkin as he seemed to gather his thoughts. He laid it down next to his near empty plate and then began to speak again. “You know that the males are possessive, and jealous to a fault. You know that they carry a darkness inside of them and without their true mate that darkness slowly takes over. What you may not know is that once a male finds his true mate, the need to be with her, to bind her to him and to take care of her, is overwhelming. It’s nearly all he thinks about. For my brother I believe this desire is going to be even…let’s see, what’s the word…,” he rubbed his chin as he thought, “intense.”
“Great,” Peri drew out under her breath.
Vasile smiled sympathetically. “He, as you know, comes from a very different time than the one we live in now. Even though women in the Canis lupis world were held in high esteem, they were never outspoken, nor did they dress in clothing so revealing. Our current culture is desensitized to these things, but that wasn’t always the case. Also, you have to remember that women were considered lower than men in the 1600s. That was never the case in our world. Our females have always been treasured—considered precious. Lucian is going to be much more modest in many ways, and he will seem so much more overbearing than the males who have changed with the times. I ask that you be patient with him.”
“You say that as if I’ve already agreed that I will be his mate,” Peri challenged.
Vasile gave her a coy look. “What would y
ou do if he were to look at another woman?”
“Gouge his eyes out with an ice pick,” she answered without thought or hesitation.
“And if another female were to touch him?”
“I’d beat her with the bloody stump of an arm that I had just ripped from her pathetic body. Holy crap, I’m phsycho!” She leaned forward and gripped the edge of the table. Her eyes were wide as she realized the intense anger she felt was simply because Vasile had planted the idea of another women being near Lucian. “Is this what true mates feel like all of the time? This need to kill anyone who might show interest in their mate? Because, if so, then seriously, Vasile, we need to get you all some counseling.” She asked sounding every bit as shocked as she looked.
Vasile chuckled as he watched the usually calm fae attempt to catch her breath. “It gets better once the Blood Rites has been completed,” he told her. Then he cleared his throat and with a slight blush added, “and once other things have been consummated.”
Peri shook her head as she looked at Vasile from the corner of her eye. “Are you seriously blushing? Bloody hell, man, we’re not teenagers. Hell, we’re not even twenty-somethings. Call it what it is, sex. S-E-X,” she spelled out, “Doing the deed, bumping uglies, hittin it, tappin that…,”
“I thought you said we weren’t teenagers?” Vasile interrupted her rant.
“Sorry, I watch way too many movies. And I’ve been around Jen. Okay, so being around Jen is probably the reason for the immature references to sex that seem to always imply some form of physical punishment.” Peri leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers under her chin. Her eyes met Vasile’s and they stared at one another silently for several minutes. He was waiting for her to admit it. If she were honest with herself, then she would just fess up and admit that there was no way in any hell that she would let another woman near Lucian, which meant she was going to have to do this whole mate thing. Honesty is so overrated, she thought as she let out a deep, resigned sigh.