《ELITE RED》


 1 Chapter 1.

    Once, long, long ago, there lived a girl who always wore a red cloak and lived on the edge of a great enchanted forest and often visited her granny who lived on the other side of the wood, the wood in which a great big and bad wolf resided....But this...this is not her story.


    This is the story of Redalia Hood, a seemingly normal woman hiding a dark secret...this, is my story!


    Present Day Sanctuary, West Virginia


    Welcome to Sanctuary, located in good old West By-God Virginia! Hey, don''t let any local hear you call her that though, only Mountaineers can call our home state by it''s...."Proper Name" as it''s referred to around here.


    My names Redalia Hood and I own and operate The Dark Horse or TDH for short. What is The Dark Horse you ask? Well, if I tell ya I''d have to kill ya..... notice I didn''t laugh, hence that was not a joke.....Oh I''m just having some fun with ya.


    TDH is my dive bar. Coincidentally, it doubles as a sort of headquarters for the group of assassins known as The Elite. For centuries we have been trained since birth to protect the human race from what lies in the Dark Forest. The Dark Forest is what surrounds the county of Sanctuary. We''re shielded on all sides by thick, dark, menacing woods and what lives inside the woods?


    Well, at last count about 100 different kinds of evil. The worst is the Wolf King. Yeah, I know, I know "Wolf King" sound''s nuts! Hey, I get it, I really do, I mean, come on, it''s 2016 not the dark ages and nobody believes in magic or goblins or even the boogeymen (yes boogeymen as in the plural....as in there are more than one).


    Well, I''m here to tell ya if you don''t believe...you should. The Wolf King is the worst of all evil beings. The legend say''s that once he was nothing more than a two-bit magician named Doran, who barely made enough coin to survive due to his lack of skill in the area of magic. (Ironic huh?)


    After year''s of being on the bottom of the food chain the sniveling worm came up with a plan to gain more magical power than he could ever dream of possessing. Inside the wood, there lived a race of wolves who were of massive size. (We''re talkin HUGE!)


    Their king was Quinn, his name in old Gaelic meant "Wise" which he very much was but he was also known to have a soft spot for children. (No not in the creepy way either, he was a great guy.....get your mind outta the gutter.)


    Using this knowledge to his advantage Doran lured King Quinn from the protection of the woods, claiming a child was seen at the edge of the forest and was now lost.


    The king immediately offered his services to aid in the hunt for the child, but as soon as he crossed the boarder he was stricken down in cold blood by the traitorous coward. He then used Draiochta Marbh or "Dead Magic"


    to extract the Wolf Essence from the dying king''s body, giving him the power of the moon. He could now change into a massive, nearly impossible to kill wolf whenever he wanted. Consumed by power he took the dead king''s Wolven army and wreaked havoc upon our land''s.


    With each year that passed Doran the magician faded away and was replaced by hate, anger, and the need for more power. The lands began to wither and the people began to slowly die off, it wasn''t until the champion came that hope once again returned to Sanctuary. Leading a small rebellion the champion set us free from the Wolf King''s tyranny.


    Though he was not killed, he was driven back into the woods and sealed within its boarder''s using light magic from what few good sorcerers were left living. Once the spell was set the champion locked it in place so it would never be broken. In order to accomplish such a feat he had to forfeit his own life, by using his life force as a staple to hold the spell to this earthly plane forever.


    Seeing his sacrifice the Moon Goddess Cerridwen (Ker-a-dwen) sent forth her Great White Stag and Wolf to usher the champion''s weary soul to her celestial forest where he would stay for all eternity and watch over her animals in peace. That champion''s name was Caderyn Hood, my ancestor. After his burial the town came together and forged a council of sorts. This was no ordinary council though, oh no, no, no this was a special council.


    These people decided the town needed watchers and protectors so using magic and blood from the fallen Wolven Army they created a serum. They then infused some of their own people with it, once they saw how well it worked and that there were no side effects they made their decision to release the serum into the drinking water. So only the certain few who already carry magic in their blood would be affected and they would become one of The Elite. The Elite is a group of highly trained and skilled assassins. Wanna know how to join our little club? Well, ya can''t, sorry, you have to be born in Sanctuary, oh and your bloodline has to be tested at birth. (See above paragraph for info on on how you get special blood.)


    Yes, you heard right tested.(No not like a pencil and paper, SAT tested), I mean they hold up a 1000-year-old Moonstone in front of you and if it glow''s this really beautiful iridescent blue then your in! Yay me,so once your "Chosen" you live with your parents like everything''s normal and your a regular kid until you''re about 5, that''s when you begin your training.


    By the time you''re a teen your thoroughly skilled in hand to hand combat, karate, Brazilian Jujitsu and the art of stealth. By the time you''re in your early twenty''s you should be a master in all previously stated skill set''s along with Taekwondo, Aikido, Judo, Muy Thai, Ninjutsu, and finally the ever popular Krav Maga. Now if you didn''t already know about 90% of these styles of fighting end in your opponent''s death.


    Yes, I''m dead serious (no pun intended) So anyhoo growing up as an assassin isn''t all that bad really. I mean sure we hunt and kill, but it''s for the greater good! We don''t run off all half cocked and go on a major killing spree unlike some people. (* Cough, C.D Flannery, Cough *)We simply go about our everyday lives until we''re summoned.


    When I say summoned I mean we feel the pull to our base compound which happens to be located in the heart of the city (convenient huh?). So when we feel the pull we sort of go into autopilot and head straight "home" there we receive our order''s. We have survived for hundred''s of years by adhering to a strict code.


    ELITE CODE OF CONDUCT


    1.)NEVER HARM AN INNOCENT


    2.)MOVE SWIFTLY AND SILENTLY


    3.CLOSE ALL CONTRACTS


    4.)NEVER GET CAUGHT


    5.)NEVER MISS


    THIS IS THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE


    ELITE, AS SET DOWN TO US FROM OUR


    ANCESTORS. THOSE FOUND BREAKING THE


    CODE SHALL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED TO


    THE FULL EXTENT OF THE "DEARG MAC


    TIRE BANRION" (The Red Wolf Queen). SHOULD


    THERE BE NO DEARG MAC TIRE BANRION


    AT THE TIME OF THE BREACH OF CODE THE


    HIGH IONADAI (Representative) SHALL


    RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PASS JUDGEMENT.


    SO SAYETH THE ELITE COUNCIL. SO IT SHALL


    BE DONE.


    Anyway so there ya go, now you know all about me and my weird yet intriguing "job". So here''s the skinny on my unsettling and strange night so far. I had just closed up the bar and was headed to my 73'' Charger (jealous much? I prefer my truck, if I''m being honest.) when I heard a weird sound coming from behind the dumpster.


    So, of course, my assassin instincts kick in immediately and I assume the crouched position and arm myself with my silver blade from its holster on my thigh. Funny thing, those thigh holster''s, I was actually on the fence about them for a while. I didn''t wanna look too Laura Croft, but they actually turned out to be a great buy!


    Pretty proud of myself, I seriously got a great deal! Dang It!! There I go getting sidetracked again, Anyway so back to the action. I''m inching closer to the dumpster and I hear it again, this sort of low, deep growl like noise.


    I''m thinking it''s probably a Shifter from the Badlands (old decrepit part of town)or something. Either way though it''s best to be prepared for anything. The closer I get to the dumpster the more I start catching whiffs of something on the wind.


    I know this smell, deep earthiness with a slight metallic undertone, then it hit me. This is blood, and not just any blood, Shifter blood. I could practically taste the "wild" in the air. I was directly in front of the dumpster by this point, it''s now or never.


    I grasped the side of the nasty (understatement of the year), slimy thing and tossed it aside, given my heightened strength it was practically like tossing a paperclip. (Oh did I mention I''m the reincarnated Dearg Mac Tire Banrion or in English, The Red Wolf Queen? Yea it has it''s perk''s, which we''ll talk about later.).


    Once the dumpster was outta the way I jumped back, ready to defend or attack if need be. To bad for me the Shifter I had tracked happened to be a freaking BEAR.


    "Seriously?! Oh, come on!! First, the bar has a bad night, then my tip jar gets robbed.....AGAIN, then I lose my phone....my NEW phone!!! Now I stumble on a freakin''BEAR SHIFTER!?!?!"


    (Aaaaaaand now you''re up to speed on what''s happened so far tonight. Back to live action folk''s!)


    Ok so huge bear in front of me what do I do? I go to my inner monologue, obviously, he''s a Shifter, he''s wounded, probably scared. Think, think, think, think, think Redalia!


    Unfortunately, there is no time to think, he''s attacking!


    "Get in the game girlfriend!" I snap back to reality!


    Just as I regain my composure the bear threw himself at me full force, thankfully I''m pretty darn fast, unfortunately not fast enough to get outta his way. I felt the full weight of that massive creature land on my rib''s like a summer hog flop''s down into the mud.


    He was pretty quick to be so gargantuan. He was up and attacking me again in the blink of an eye, but I was quicker. I sidestepped his thrashing claw''s and managed to pull my blade and slice through his outstretched arm.


    He wailed in pain and for a moment I almost felt sorry for him but the feeling quickly vanished when he came at me again. Jaw''s wide, teeth gnashing, he tried fervently to sink those chompers into my flesh.


    I whipped around and landed on his back. Holding my dagger between my teeth I grasped two handfuls of his fur and pulled with all my might.He reared up until he was standing on his hind leg''s. Suddenly he threw himself into a tucked position, trying to roll on-top of me.


    I lurched and landed a few feet away. Having knocked his stupid self senseless, I took full advantage of the moment and bolted for my car. Reaching for the tranquilizer gun I kept in the back I whipped it around only to find the spot the bear had been now empty.


    Now, I''m no idiot, I know creatures, even magical ones, don''t just up and disappear without leaving a single trace. I carefully began inspecting the parking lot. Checking for any signs of life or traces of blood when all of a sudden, !!BAM!!, talk about missing by the skin of your teeth!


    The bear went flying in front of me so fast it''s fur tickled my nose! Now at this point, I''m starting to think something weird is going on.(Ya THINK?!?!)


    Hmmm, Ok, so now there''s a low growl coming from behind me, I can feel a presence but...it''s not dangerous. Even though I hear the growl I feel like, I''m safe. Like I''m not the one in any actual danger, which is strange enough as it is, but it''s made even stranger by the fact that this feeling is followed by another one, calm.


    I feel...calm, and sort of like, I''m at peace. My arms relax along with my shoulder''s and soon my whole body feel''s like a warm sunny meadow. Calm and wonderful. Then something soft and muscular brushes under my hand. I like the way it tickles my thigh as it goes past me. Electricity flows through me into it and back into me from it, if that makes any kinda weird sense.


    I wanted to keep feeling this magnificent calm and when I suddenly woke from this crazy trance I immediately wanted it back. I blinked a few times then shook my head for good measure, what I saw before me shook me to my core! A Wolven was standing directly between me and the Shifter. Wolven were the guardians of the Black Forest at one point in our history.


    They were the Wolf King''s most loyal sentries. It was said that when the old king was killed not one of his sentries would bow to Doran, so he cast a particularly evil spell on them all and made them his slaves. It is also said Doran, being the sniveling worm he is, decided the men would never find peace and so they were cursed with everlasting life. Doomed to watch everyone they love die, but never be able to join them in death and find peace.


    Because of this people believed the Wolven slowly lost hope and one by one gave into Doran''s evil way''s and thus became his Dark Reapers. I''d never actually believed they were real, mostly because I''d never seen one. I mean seriously nobody has seen a Dark Reaper since the border was sealed.


    Now here stand''s one right in front of my very eyes! Speaking of thing''s right in front of me, he had his back towards me like he was protecting me. But Dark Reapers are cold, heartless creatures that will kill anything with a pulse. They are said to be massive sized wolves with coal black jagged fur that feel''s like ice spikes and blazing red eyes with thick nasty red saliva spewing from their broken, sharp fangs.


    What stood before me though was the exact opposite (except for the massive size thing, I mean this thing id HUGE!)


    his fur is brown and tan and beautiful, not to mention he''s as soft as goose down! No more time to ponder this craziness as at that moment the Bear Shifter mad a move for my throat...AGAIN. I''m getting reeeeeal tired of this guy! I summoned my strength and at the very last (and I do mean VERY LAST) second I jumped into the air, summer salted and landed on his back.


    I spun around threw, my legs around him, whipped out my dagger and held it to his throat.


    "I know you can understand me! Now nod yes if you''re coherent in there!"


    Nothing, just growls and snarls. Ok, let''s try this one more time. I twisted the blade and applied pressure until the edge was soaked in blood.


    "Need I repeat myself?"


    "Grrr.aaarrrggg...get off me, woman!"


    "About time! I''m not budging an inch until you explain why you''re trying to kill me!"


    "I''ll tell you nothing!"


    "Well, its look''s like I''m the one with the upper hand here my friend. I suggest you change that tone."


    "You''d have nothing if it weren''t for that damned wolf! In fact, you''d be in pieces on the pavement if he hadn''t ripped my arm to shred''s!"


    I chanced a swift glance at the wolf. He stood very calmly in a fighting stance, ready to pounce when need be. He watched me and the bear closely, as if making sure I was Ok. I quickly shook off that strange feeling creeping into my stomach and up my spine and focused on the bear.


    "I''ll ask only once more, why are you so determined to kill me? I was only trying to see where the blood was coming from. You could have ran off and I would never have given chase. Why did you choose to pursue me, Bear?!"


    He was very quiet for a long moment, so quiet that I''d have thought him dead if I wasn''t sitting on his erect back. He laughed suddenly. It was a deep maniacal laugh. It started slow and low then grew louder, his whole body shook. The wolf stiffened.


    "I am a lowly Bear Shifter who was shot by a hunter. See here on my backleg, that is the open wound from the bullet. I thought you were the hunter coming to finish me off. I admit I was a bit rash but I''m calmer now and if you would allow me to shift back into human form I''ll explain everything."


    Something inside me told me he was lying, it told me there was no hunter, no wound, just claws and teeth ready to kill me at the first chance they got. Still, though I felt like I had to give him the benefit of the doubt. THAT...that right there. That whole, benefit of the doubt crap, that''s what made me different from all my assassin brothers in the ELITE. They killed without mercy, without hesitation.


    It didn''t matter to them whether the target was set up or innocent. It says plainly in the ELITE Code of Conduct no innocent blood shall ever be spilled. Yet I feel like over the year''s plenty of it has been. I took a few step''s back from the bear.


    "Oh thank you Miss Hood. Thank you! Now come here I''ll show you the wound to prove to you I''m not here to murder you."


    I started to take a step forward but before my foot ever left the ground a deep, masculine voice filled my ear''s.


    "Did you tell him your name?"


    I looked around but there was nobody to be seen. (getting creep-ed out again!)


    Suddenly it hit me, the word''s I heard...they were right.


    I didn''t tell him my name. I looked up at the bear and slowly took a step back as I slid my hand down the length of my left thigh to grab the dagger secured there.(Two daggers are better than one I always say) The bear looked at me and turned his head slightly.


    "Where are you going? You asked for proof and all I''m doing is trying to show you."


    Dagger''s in hand I braced my right foot a bit behind me so I could push off of it.


    "I never told you my name..."


    You could see the moment it registered in his tiny brain, what he had done. His smile now turned to a twisted snarl. His eyes began to glow brown than red as his teeth elongated. He stood up on his hind leg''s and roared into the night.


    "For Doran, Wolf King I will kill the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and take my rightful place upon his council!"


    He roared again, an ear-splitting hideous noise. I bent my right knee and readied myself for impact, but it never came. The wolf suddenly came outta nowhere and latched onto the bear''s throat. He clung to the ragged, thrashing creature until he collapsed to the ground in a massive bloodied heap. I watched as the wolf pulled himself from beneath the bear and with one swift toss of his head he ripped the bear''s throat out.


    Blood covered the parking lot, I stepped towards the wolf then hesitated. Was he actually a Dark Reaper sent by Doran to kill me as well? If so why did he protect me earlier? Why do I feel so strange around him as well? These were just a few question''s I had for the wolf but they would have to wait.


    He turned his huge head towards me and locked his beautiful green eye''s with my own silver one''s, then he fell to the blacktop. I made it to him just in time to catch his head before he busted it open. He really was massive! Bigger than my charger that''s for sure. He was still breathing but just barely.


    Upon closer inspection, his beautifully muscular body was riddled with scars. As was his face, I absentmindedly ran my hand down the length of his huge neck and in return I was graced with a low purr like sound. (I''m pretty sure Dark Reapers don''t "Purr") In that moment I think I knew he was no Dark Reaper.


    "But now how am I going to get you help? I can''t put you in the charger, your way to big. Think Red, Think!"


    Suddenly, he shifted beneath my hand''s asa shimmering blue light covered his huge form, when it faded a naked, very attractive, man lay with his head on my lap....


    "Ooooook, I think I can work with this!"


    I slowly and very carefully placed his arm around my neck and lifted him up. (Super strength remember)


    We made it back to my charger, I slung open the passenger door and after one or two tries I finally got all of him inside. Before shutting the door I happened to glance down and wouldn''t you know it there sat my stupid phone!


    Wedged between the door and the seat! It must have gotten stuck there when I was late to work the other night. I tend to just sorta throw it in the passenger seat when I''m in a hurry.


    I snatched it up and shut the door as I powered the phone on I made my way to my door and pressed my speed dial button for Jaxon Sauder. The engine purred to life as Jaxon answered with a happy,


    "Hey Red what can I do ya for?"


    I threw the charger in gear and laid on the gas, leaving black tire mark''s as I sped down the road towards my home.


    "Jaxon, hey sorry about the late call but I need help."


    His voice took on a grave tone then.


    "What''s happened Red?"


    I could hear voices in the background go quiet. Jaxon was a top dog in our secret society. He was also my best friend since childhood. He was dubbed my protector after the attack that nearly killed me and my parent''s and since then he has never stopped watching out for me. If anyone could get the mess at The Dark Horse cleaned up it was him.


    "A Bear Shifter attacked me tonight..."


    "Are you hurt? How bad is it? Where are you now?"


    "I''m Ok, just a little banged up, On my way to the manor, There''s a huge mess in front of the bar, please Jaxon I need a clean up crew immediately, people are going to start driving by to head to work soon. Someone might see something they aren''t supposed too."


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    "Hold on a sec."


    I held my breath as he told the others what had happened.


    "Red we''ll clean up the bar don''t worry, then we''ll be right over Ok. You just get to the manor. Once you''re inside the gate you''ll be protected. I''ll be there soon."


    "Ok...uh Jax, there''s something else you should know."


    "What?"


    "There was something else there tonight. Besides the bear."


    "What do you mean something else?"


    "A wolf was there. A massive wolf, and I think...I think he spoke to me...in my head. I''m not crazy I swear."


    He was quiet for a long time, I checked to see if I had dropped the call, but I had full service. Finally, he spoke again. A steel like tone sharpened his voice.


    "Redalia get home and wait for me there. Lock the door''s let no one inside until I get there. I''ll bring Doc to check your wound''s. Stay inside you hear me?!"


    "Yea I got it. I''ll see you soon."


    I hung up, now I was definitely curious and a little weirded out. What a night! Geez, and it had barely gotten started. I pulled onto my long driveway a mere 10 minute''s later. Living so close to the bar had it''s perk''s I thought as I rolled down the gravels. As I neared the gate it began to open.


    I roared through and once inside, it closed itself immediately. (Magic can be super helpful sometimes) I slammed the charger in park and rushed to the other side. Wolfy was looking a bit pale and very, very bloody. (My new leather upholstery!! No time to mourn, life to save here.)


    Throwing his arm over my neck again I hoisted him up and out of the car. My footsteps were light and swift as I rushed through the front door. Making my way into the dining room I laid him out on the large dark cherry table and began to access the damage.


    His shoulder was torn, left torso torn to pieces, fractured or broken ribs on the same side, and his arm was shredded. I ran to the pantry and gathered as many towels as I could hold. Then off I went to the bathroom for hot water after I retrieved a large bowl from under the kitchen sink.Alcohol and peroxide were next along with bandages, tape, and a couple Ace wraps. I could kick myself for not keeping up and re-ordering on my supply of antibiotic''s and antiseptics. Oh well, nothing to be done now. I heated the already hot water up to a boil on the stove then took it to the table. Wolfy lay very still and appeared to be barely alive.


    I took his temp, 104.7 that''s not good. I ran to the freezer for a cold pack. On my way back a thought struck me, Why in the hell am I trying to save a Dark Reaper? In the same breath I answered aloud.


    "Because he''s not a Dark Reaper, you idiot he saved your life. Dark Reaper''s don''t save, they kill. Still....something''s....weird."


    I shook it off. I mean if it hadn''t been for him I might be dead right now. That bear had immense strength, even for a shifter. He should have gone down after I stabbed him then dug my blade into his throat. Dark magic was the only explanation as to how he was able to continue on with such ferocity.


    I placed the cold pack on Wolfy''s head in an attempt to cool his fever. I found myself tracing lines on his face and chest with my finger tip.


    "So many scar''s, so much pain inflicted. Could you really be a Wolven?Why are you here? I thought....well....I thought all Wolven had become Dark Reapers, so why did you save me? Oh great, now I''m talking to a naked, unconscious man on my dining room table....wait.....OH CRAP! You''re still naked! Hold on I think I have some of Jaxon''s old stuff here in the hallway closet."


    I dashed to the closet and found Jaxon''s old clothes. He, being my guardian, had of course stayed over on many nights and in fact had even lived with me up until a few year''s ago when I made him move out so he could have a normal life. He didn''t want to but after a while he agreed to move, right next door of all places.


    Although I can''t complain, since moving out he actually found a girlfriend. A nice one too, I knew her from my childhood! I''m so happy he''s happy! I pulled myself from my thought''s of my bestie and quickly made my way back into the dining room where I saw a very livid looking Jaxon surrounded by about 5 other members of the ELITE starring down at my Wolf, MY wolf...where''d that come from? Oh well, no time to ponder.


    "Hey!" I said as I walked to the other side of Wolfy.


    "Redalia living room. NOW!"


    The thunder in his voice matched that of the thunder that had just began outside. I knew it was gonna rain. What a craptastic night! I laid the pant''s I''d picked out down beside Wolf-Man. I couldn''t help myself and brushed his hand as I walked past his body. Something just kept pulling me towards him, when I walked away it was like a piece of me was missing.


    I followed Jaxon into the living room, fully prepared to get a thorough tongue lashing.


    "Redalia what the hell were you thinking?!"


    I opened my mouth but was cut off.


    "Rhetorical!"


    Jaxon snapped.


    "You could have been killed tonight, and what do you do? You bring the damned threat home with you! He''s a Dark Reaper Redalia! His soul purpose in life is to serve Doran and kill the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion!"


    "Jaxon if you''ll just let me explain!"


    "What could you possibly say Redalia? Please do enlighten me!"


    He was practically fuming, but sadly for him I have a temper to match that of a pissed off Queen!


    "Jaxon Taylor Sauder!"


    His head snapped up to look me square in the eye.


    Well that seems to have gotten his attention!


    "I am Redalia Ashling Hood, I am the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and you will NOT speak to me as if I were some child in need of reprimanding! You have been my life-long guardian and friend and I love you Jax, but please calm down and listen."


    As my voice grew softer so did his burning gaze. Finally, he rubbed his eye''s and pinched the bridge of his nose then looked down at me and smiled.


    "Red you sure are a firecracker and a half! The Goddess definitely chose the right woman to be our Dearg Mac Tire Banrion. Am I right boys?


    Laugh''s and murmured agreements went all around the room as Jaxon and I took a seat on my large and very comfy (if I do say so myself) sectional. Just then Doc came through the hallway.


    "Sorry I''m late everyone. Jaxon, how are you this evening?"


    "I''ve been better Doc." he exclaimed, not even trying to hide his disdain.


    "Red my girl how are you? Feeling alright? Jaxon said I was to hurry right over, but you look fine. Well except the cut''s and gashes, my god were you in a fight?"


    "Never mind me, there''s a man on my dining room table in need of your help."


    "Right! I''ll get to it, then, young lady I want to take a look at those cut''s."


    He winked as he took off to the dining room. I then turned back to Jaxon and the men and offered everyone a seat. Once they were seated I began the retelling of the night''s previous events. When I finally ended my tail a strange feeling of sickness washed over me. My stomach began to turn a bit. I figured it was because I hadn''t eaten so I brushed it off.


    Jaxon began to lecture me on the consequences of my action''s in bringing the wolf home with me but I couldn''t hear a word he was saying. My hearing started going in and out along with my vision. I snapped to my feet when the same male voice as before rang in my head again.


    "Red your hurt. Come to me I can heal you."


    "Wha..?"


    I wavered on my feet and felt faint suddenly. Jaxon shot to his feet to catch me.


    "Redalia you''ve been poisoned. Quickly come to me I can heal you, you''ll die if I don''t."


    "Who....How do you know...?"


    My knees gave way, the floor came up to greet me and all went black.


    "Redalia, Redalia do not give in. Come back! Come back to me! I''ve searched the very fabric of time for you, I won''t lose you now! Come back to me Mo Chroi (uh-KHREE)"


    I suddenly sat bolt upright. I was surrounded by my brethren from THE ELITE, each looking at me then looking away quickly. It was only after a very chilly draft did I realize my shirt had been torn to the point that I was showing a bit more of my chest then I wanted too. I quickly covered myself with the tattered fabric and immediately regretted the movement.


    Jaxon rushed to my side, taking my face in his palm''s he kissed my forehead.


    "Oh thank the Goddess you''re alive! Red....I thought I''d lost you!"


    Tears threatened to fall from his beautiful amber eyes. Jaxon was a very handsome man. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, year round tan skin, well defined muscles, thick wavy blonde hair, square jaw with a hint of stubble, and hand''s that were mad for holding a woman. Yep, my bestie was drop dead sexy! Alexandria was a lucky lady indeed!


    I laid my hand on his cheek and closed my eyes as I pressed my forehead against his.


    "Red, do you remember what happened?"


    "I remember cold, cold and dark, and a voice...the male voice I''d been hearing all night. He brought me back."


    "What are you talking about sweetheart? What voice?"


    "It was a man, a man brought me back. I think it was the wolf. OH MY GODDESS!! The wolf! Jax where is he?!"


    "Shhhh calm down darlin'' he''s still alive. When you fainted no one could wake you, you turned blue and cold. Suddenly, he was beside you. Naturally, I didn''t exactly approve but before I could say or do anything he took you from me and held you to his chest. Then he glowed, like legit, he glowed! It was some kinda bright blue light and then you glowed. Then your color came back and he fell backwards a bit and went back out of it.


    I had Doc look him over again and then the boys took him upstairs. Which is exactly where you''re going."


    "But, when he spoke to me in my head he said I was..."


    "No Red, no one is speaking to you in your head. You''ve had a long day and you need rest. Now come on I''m taking you to bed."


    Before I could protest he scooped me up and off we went. He stopped at the foot of the staircase and turned to one of the other men. His second in command would be my guess.


    "I''m stayin with Red tonight. Take shifts on the outer perimeter, close in throughout the night. She must be protected!"


    "Agreed!"


    They all chimed in unison, then bowed. Didn''t they care that it was pouring the rain outside? They''ll all be sick! I have to put a stop to this.


    "Jax I''m Ok., I can go to bed by myself."


    "I''m not risking you getting light headed again and falling down the stairs. Now hush I''ll carry you."


    After trying and then failing to wiggle free from his iron grip I finally sighed and gave in to his foolishness.


    "Fine."


    I said, with all the exasperation I could muster.


    "Hey, remember when you were young and I was a teen and you used to fake being asleep so I would have to carry you up the stairs to bed?" he said playfully.


    I couldn''t help but smile at the memory.


    "Yea, (I giggled) I loved it, I always felt safe with you Jax."


    "You are safe with me Red. Forever."


    "Jax..."


    "Hm?"


    "You need a normal life, you and I aren''t the same. You can have a love and a family. I want you to have these thing''s."


    We were at my door before he spoke again.


    "Red I took an oath to protect you. I''m your guardian and your friend. All I NEED is you and for you to be healthy and happy."


    He pulled back my thick jersey knit blanket (I love this thing!) and placed me under it.


    "I want you to have a normal life, Jax. You should want that too. This life of servitude is bullshit. You shouldn''t have to be tied to me for the rest of your life!"


    "Hush now Red I''ll not hear another word. Your tired and you''ve had a terrible night. Do you want me to lay down with you?"


    I opened my mouth to answer but stopped short.


    "Send him away Mo Chori."


    It was the voice again. He doesn''t want Jax here. Hmm, maybe this is my chance to get to talk to him.


    "No, I''ll be Ok, I''ll holler if I need you though. Will you be here? You know you can go home. I can call if I need you."


    "I''ll be here, downstairs in fact."


    "Send him home Mo Chori. We need to talk."


    "Jaxon, go home."


    "Red.."


    "NO!, Jax you need sleep too. Alexandria will hate me! Go home!"


    I gave him my best smile. Fighting the sickness in me I bit back the urge to faint again until he shook his head and kissed mine then left quietly. Once I heard his truck start up and roll out of the driveway I breathed a sigh of relief. Though it wasn''t an easy breath. Suddenly it became very hard to breathe.


    I began to panic then quickly composed myself and slowed my breathing, then I placed one leg off the edge of the bed and laid my foot flat on the ground to reset my balance and stop the room from spinning. ( This trick also works when you''re drunk * wink*)


    A gentle hand slowly caressed my face, Oddly I wasn''t shocked or scared. In fact, I was very, very calm. The hand made it''s way to my left shoulder and very carefully rolled me onto my right side, pulling my leg back up onto the bed as he did so.


    "Mo Stor (uh-stohr)you have been poisoned. The bear left a tainted claw embedded in your back beneath the shoulder blade. I can take it out but the pain...will be terrible."


    Keeping my eye''s closed I steeled my nerves. Where the hell was Doc when you needed him.


    "Get it out."


    He caressed my arm again. His touch was so feather light and yet it held so much feeling in it. I became over whelmed with the calming sensation. A moment of sanity returned only long enough for me to form a rational question before it wafted away again.


    "Why do I feel this way?"


    "The calming effect you''re experiencing is the bond we share. When we are together we balance each other. Creating a zen-like calm. I''m going to remove the claw now Mo Stor , brace yourself."


    I squeezed my eye''s shut as I felt him re-open the still fresh wound. White hot dagger''s pierced my shoulder as he pushed his hand through the now gaping wound. Tears threatened to fall, I almost lost consciousness once or twice as well but still I hung on to the light.


    To the sound of his voice. I could feel his emotions as if they were my own. It was killing him, putting me through this torture. (I''d gladly trade him places at this point!) When I felt as if I could take no more he pulled his hand free.


    "Got it Mo Chori, lie still I''ll seal the wound. Our bond can do many great things."


    I was feeling better already. The sickness had left and was replaced with joy and just a hint of that searing, morbid pain. But that damned darkness was rearing its ugly head again and this time, I gave in willingly.

 2 Chapter 2.

    "GASP....cough....What the....where am I? Ughhh, dammit my head."


    I sat bolt up right on what appeared to be a large and expensive looking dining table. I was also torn to shred''s. Well this is great! I go looking for the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion to fulfill our destiny and what happens? We end up fighting a friggin Bear Shifter! I''m as torn up as an old dish rag and she''s....hold on...whoa hold on a second here...something''s not right with her.


    I can feel it. She''s woozy, off balance and bit sick to her stomach. It feel''s like she''s been, poisoned some how. Damn, gotta heal faster. A few deep breathes and some concentration outta do it.


    "Just breathe ol boy, in, out, in, out. Focus on her."


    Hmmm,I can feel Redalia''s energy waning. She''s badly hurt and hiding it from whomever the other guy is.


    I snapped back to reality and quickly began scanning the room. It was a dinning room, and a nice one at that. Dark cherry wood table with matching upholstered chairs, deep shades of what appeared to be Azure Blue (Guy''s know colors too!) covered the wall''s and were met at the end by another dark stained color of wood for the floor. I quietly and quickly rolled off the table to my feet. Not an easy task when you look like Swiss Cheese.


    "Hmm, loud voices are never good. Damn arm isn''t closing fast enough though and Geez the testosterone is crazy in here. How many guy''s are in there I wonder, even better question, how many am I gonna have to go through to get to her?" I pondered my next move.


    Just then a man came barging into the dining room. He stopped cold when he saw me standing there, naked as the day I was born. Oh yea did I forget the bit about me being NAKED! Yea well I''m naked, why you may ask....I''m not entirely sure.


    "Average height, slim build, thin wired glasses that frame a face that has seen much pain, sorrow, and...if I smell correctly (and I always do.)..death." I said. "Are you by chance a doctor?" Guy had to be he reeked of a hospital.


    The astonishment that had quickly settled on his face left instantaneously as he gave me his mono-toned answer.


    "Yes."


    He held his head high and proud but at the same time he looked as if he carried the weight of the world upon his shoulder''s.


    His clothes were dark and his muscles twitched slightly every time I moved. His hair, which had once maybe been a deep chestnut was now full of gray streaks.


    Though he looked like a well aged adult human, his eye''s told a much different story. They were like looking into the eye''s of a war veteran. His body may physically hold no scar''s but his eye''s can''t hide the scar''s that reside inside him. I found myself feeling a high level of respect for him. In my pack he would have been highly respected as a Wise One.


    "Umm...would you mind..." he pointed towards the jean''s Redalia had apparently laid out for me. Very thoughtful of her.


    Inodded, grabbed the jeans from across the table and slid them on. A bit snug but they would do until I could get to my own clothing. I looked back at the man and tapped into my wolf powers so as to gauge the man better. He smelled of fear, but not the "I''m gonna kill you because I''m scared of you" fear.


    He also knows what I am. Honestly I didn''t like that one bit. I could tell he was an E.R doctor because of the bag he carried and the smell of sickness and the death that resonated off his clothing. There was another smell there as well, a deeper more earthy one...Scotch...and quite a bit of it. I drew back my powers and smiled inwardly, I too knew the comfort''s of a good stiff drink after dealing with death all day.The man finally found the courage to speak.


    "Ahem..well..the names Doc. I''m a friend of Red''s. She sent me in here to fix you up, but by the look''s of things..." he gestured towards my already sealing wounds. "Your healing just fine."


    I took a moment before speaking. I wanted to pick my word''s wisely so there was no chance of a misunderstanding. I''d figured out what I''d have to do and I''d need his help to do it. I didn''t want to frighten the man any more than he already was so I took my time and spoke clearly but softly. I had to hand it to the guy though, he had a mean poker face. Had I not used my wolf powers I wouldn''t know how scared Doc really was.


    "Yes I am, thank you for your concern...Doc, may I ask you something?"


    He was visibly taken back but recovered quickly. He sat his bag down on the table and turned back to face me.


    "Yes ,I suppose."


    "What I''m about to ask...I need you to keep an open mind. Can you do that?"


    Doc paused for a minute, as if weighing his option''s. After what felt like an eternity he squared his shoulder''s and answered.


    "Alright wolf I''ll try to keep an open mind. But know this, I may be old but I''m as quick with a scalpel now as I was back in my earlier year''s. I''m also VERY precise." He narrowed his eye''s at me for a moment. He has spunk I''ll give him that!


    He also acknowledged me as "Wolf", letting it be known to me he knew what I was. Brave old man, very brave.


    "Redalia has been poisoned. I sense the poison flowing through her as we speak. You will not be able to extract it using modern tool''s. I must do it."


    "What?! I''m a doctor sir, and Red''s long time friend. If she''s ill I''ll be the one seeing to her. You don''t even know her and I won''t let her be harmed by the likes of you!" I''d obviously struck a nerve. I countered his argument with a calm steel in my voice.


    "She can not be healed by modern medicine. Something happened during the fight, the bear must have left a poisoned object inside her body. The only logical explanation is a claw."


    "A claw? Are you serious?! How could you possibly know that?"


    "He was in bear form, he had no other weapon it has to be a claw. It must be embedded inside her, I feel a radiating pain around the shoulder blade area. I believe that''s where I''ll find the claw. I can feel her weakening more and more with every second that goes by."


    A sudden rush of sickness made me close my eye''s and reach out to link my mind with Redalia''s. After explaining thing''s (sorta vaguely) to her and leaving her in a bit of a stunned position I turned my attention back to the doctor. I could still feel her confusion from hearing my voice in her head. An invasion of privacy maybe but my voice seems to be what''s keeping her awake and conscious right now.


    "I can heal her. I can make her better. We share a bond, she is the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion is she not?" I was starting to lose patience at this point.


    Doc stumbled back a step then steadied himself on the edge of the table. He looked me straight in the eye as he composed himself.


    "How do you know what she is?"


    "Because I am the Ceannaire an Wolven."


    Now Doc was very visibly shocked, he didn''t even try to hide his expression. He gasped as he slowly sunk to one knee and bowed to me, in return I lifted him from his knee and took him by both shoulder''s. Well that just made all this easier for me.


    "Do you understand now, why I must be the one to heal her?"


    "Yes, oh yes my Lord I do. I can''t believe....it''s really you! The Leader of the Wolven! Your the soul heir to the throne of Orin! Where.....where have you been my Lord? We''ve waited so long! Redalia, has waited so long!" tears threatened to spill from his eye''s.


    "Doc, do you understand what I''m saying?"


    "Oh, yes I understand. I''m sorry...forgive me...highness I was, well, over taken by this monumental surprise. We had thought all the Wolven had turned to Dark Reapers. We thought you were dead! Does anyone else know your here? Oh...Oh no if HE find''s out your alive....he''ll come after Redalia, you can''t let him take her he''ll kill her!"


    "No and they mustn''t know either. We must keep this private until such a time as I deem it to be known. As for Doran, I''ll deal with him when the time''s right, but I swear to you no harm will come to Redalia while I breathe. Understand?"


    "Yes sir. What about Jaxon? He won''t want to leave Red. He''s her guardian you know."


    "Guardian?" I repeated in slight disgust.


    ''Redalia need''s no one but myself to protect her."


    "Yes, of course my lord. But, the time when Red was born was a terrible time. Many who served the darkness sought her out and tried to kill her. She lost her mother and father to the devil''s. So THE ELITE granted her a guardian. They were bound by magic and only the returning of the True King can break that bond and claim her as a wife."


    "Well I''m here now, there won''t be much need of him. Though.....he has served diligently?"


    "Yes my lord extremely!"


    "He could be useful then. Thank you Doc but....."


    I snapped my head towards the living room and sought Redalia out in my mind. She was loosing the battle with the poison. I would have to intervene, but if they see me hurt her they''ll try to kill me before I can get the poisonous claw out.


    I have no choice I have to share my life force. It''s the only way. I dashed into the living room where I saw Red crumpled on the floor, blue had replaced her once tan skin. With lightning fast speed I took her from the man holding her and cradled her to my chest.


    " Redalia, Redalia do not give in. Come back! Come back to me! I''ve searched the very fabric of time for you, I won''t lose you now! Come back to me Mo Chroi"


    Suddenly a bright, blinding light spread from my heart and traveled the length of my body then covered Redalia as well. My energy was slipping away from me but I had to save her. I couldn''t let her die. She''s too important. I gave her all I could before I, myself collapsed to the floor and lost consciousness. When I woke again I was in another room. This was a bedroom though. Thunder clapped outside as lightning flashed across the sky. I closed my eye''s and focused on Redalia. She was across the hall trying to convince the man, who I''m guessing isJaxon, to go home.


    Good, I need him to leave so I can heal her before she collapses again. I could already feel her getting sick and faint. I urged her to make him leave via our telepathic connection. Once I knew he was gone, Irose to myfeet and walked briskly to Redalia''s room. The sight I beheld chilled my soul, Ifound her strewn across her bed, sweat poured from her head, she was also shivering now. I laid my hand lightly upon her cheek and the other I slid down her arm to help her roll over to one side.


    Once she was over I could see the opening to the wound. It was a horrid, gnarly mess of blood, torn flesh, tendon''s and dirt. She was so brave and strong. She held onto her consciousness the whole time I was digging around in her back to get the claw out. Once I had rid her of the dark object I pulled her to my chest and let our bond begin healing us both once more.


    "I know your tired and weak now Redalia, go on into the darkness. Sleep, and rest. I''ll be here to keep watch. I swear I''ll not let anything happen to you. Your safe with me Mo Chori"


    Before I even finished my sentence I felt her slipping into a dream, a moment later and she was out. Once I saw the wound on her back was closed I gently laid her down and went in search of a washcloth and some soap and water.That''s when I noticed her room''s furnishings.


    "Huh, the rest of the house seems to be decorated more to impress. But this room...it''s plainer, more...homey." I said aloud then I turned back to look at her sleeping form draped across the bed. A smile spread across my face as a warmth pooled in the pit of my stomach. I turned back around and exhaled a calming breath.


    "I like this room best, I think. Ok lets find us a bathroom."


    The bathroom was simple enough to find considering it was in the same room as ourselves. Once inside Irummaged through the cabinet beneath the sink and found some Tone body wash that smelled pretty amazing, I must say, and some extra washcloths. When I got the water to a nice temperature I soaked the cloth in the golden gel like liquid and headed back to Redalia. Careful not to wake her I cleaned as much as I could. I then removed her shirt (what was left of it) and her jean''s and replaced them with a silk night gown I found laying across a nearby chair. I was also a good boy, I tried very hard not to look at her bare chest as I changed her.


    Satisfied with my work I went back to the bathroom and began scrubbing my arms and chest. So much blood, everywhere I looked all I saw there was blood. The jean''s Redalia had laid out for me were now ruined and stained crimson.


    The more I thought back on the night''s events the angrier I became. I started scrubbing harder, as if trying to scrub the memories away. Someone had sent that Shifter after MY mate, after MY Chroi! I was so engulfed in my thought''s I almost didn''t hear Redalia. I turned with lightning speed only to find her standing directly behind me. She placed her hand on top of the one I was holding the washcloth with. I immediately stopped scrubbing and with her free hand she took it from me.


    I looked down to see that while I was distracted I had scrubbed the skin off my arm. It was now red and pink and burning slightly. I gave Redalia an apologetic glance before holding out my hand to her, hoping she would give me back the cloth so I could get the blood off my other arm. But she had other ideas.


    "You almost scrubbed your arm off ya know."


    "Ehh it woulda grown back." I winked at her. In return she smiled a wry smile.


    "So you''ve saved my life what?....twice now?"


    "Aaaaactually..." I said as I turned around, crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the sink.


    "I think the grand total stands at....three times now."


    "Oh really?" she said as she leaned to one side, against the door frame and crossed her arms under her chest. Mocking my pose. I didn''t care, it gave me a lovely view of her already voluptuous breasts.


    "Yes, really Mo Chori." I stated, trying to stamp down my desire to pull her to me and kiss her till she was blue in the face!


    "You''ve called me that all night....what does it mean?" She cocked an eyebrow at me.


    "It''s old Gaelic." I told her.


    "Gaelic?"


    "Gaelic used to be the language of the Irish my dear. It means My Heart."


    A flash of surprise crossed her face but she recovered quickly. Taking a step back she turned on her heals and headed for the bedroom door. Once she was gone I thought to myself, "This girl is just full of sass. The Goddess couldn''t have picked a better mate." A moment later she reappeared at the door.


    "Hey what size you wear?"


    "Huh? Oh in pant''s? A 38/34 why?"


    "Go ahead and take the first shower. I''ll have some pant''s for you when you get out. Oh and in the room across from mine you''ll find some of Jaxon''s old shirts, just help yourself. I''m gonna make us some grub. Then..." she looked straight at me with a glare that would have melted stone. "We need to have a little talk. No fighting, no running, no games, just straight you and me talk time....ya dig?"


    "Uh, sure I dig." I smiled at her and instantly her cheek''s became pink. I''m liking this effect I have on her.


    "Good. Ok I''ll be downstairs. Oh hey what''s your name?" she said as she left again, hollering back from the hall.


    "Conall, my names Conall McGreggor." I yelled after her.


    The shower felt amazing on my sore skin. Regeneration was seriously a bitch sometimes, but hey, ya really can''t complain about re-growing skin, organs, or anything else for that matter. After my exhilarating shower I toweled off and stepped back into Redalia''s bedroom. On the now clean and made bed there laid a pair of clean jean''s with a note.


    "Shirt''s are musty from being in the dresser so long, Laid one out on the chair by the window for ya. Shoulda aired out by now. Close my window after you change and make sure you LOCK IT! I''m in the kitchen."


    I laid the note back down and sure enough by the cracked window there was a shirt. A nice, soft, jersey knit, dark blue t-shirt. It fit pretty well, save for the slight tightness in the shoulders and sleeve area. Thankfully though it wasn''t too bad. I slipped into the dark wash jean''s that, very surprisingly fit me to a "T". These couldn''t have been Jaxon''s. I was taller than him and bigger in the waist. ( But only slightly * wink *_)


    I hurriedly closed the window and locked it tight then made my way out the room, down the hall, and the stairs, past the living room and dining room and FINALLY into the kitchen. What an amazing kitchen it was! Not to large but far from small. Aside from all the latest appliances, big and small, there was a beautiful island with wood finish and all the counters and surfaces were dark marble.


    I whistled my appreciation when I walked in. Redalia looked around and half smiled, half frowned. Then she turned her attention back to me as she gestured me to come sit down.


    "Tea, Cappuccino, coffee, water, pop, milk....what''s yourdrink of choice? If your craving a choice of poison I have that too. I got some Jim in here and some Jack, a little Kentucky Bourbon from a friends distillery. Then if your really feelin feisty I have this."


    She rose from her seat and went to a near by cabinet, shuffled a few plates and produced a very large mason jar full of a clear liquid. She smiled as she sat back down. This was no sweet smile though, this particular smile was the type of smile you gave the devil right before you slit his throat in front of his own demons.


    "This my dear Mr. McGreggor is West Virginia Moonshine. Try it if you think you can handle it."


    This girl was so ballsy! She was the absolute epitome of the word. I looked her up and down as well as the jar then gave her a wry smile as I took it from her, un-screwed the cap and removed the seal.


    "Mo Ghra, I''m an Irish man...WE know the drink...trust me. We know it very, VERY well. Now that''s not to say all Irishmen and women are drunks ''cause we''re not. But most of us do know a thing or two about good spirits."


    "By all means, you go right ahead. Take a little swig." That twisted smile never left her lip''s.


    By this point I knew I had to try it, she would never trust me if I didn''t. I could smell the magic, though faint, it was definitely there. A truth serum more than likely, she''d used it to line my glass as well.Well it look''s like everything was about to come out. So I may as well show her I really am trustworthy and drink the damned liquor. Besides this could work to my advantage. She''d have to believe whatever I said because I won''t be able to lie after drinking the serum.


    Ifilled my cup and brought it to my lips. In one foul swoop I gulped it down. The instant burning let me know that had been a horrible mistake. The evil liquid threatened to come back up but I forced it down again. What in the name of the Goddess was this concoction?


    I inhaled deeply and set the cup back down on the table. Red''s smile wavered as concern suddenly filled her beautiful violet eyes. I gazed at her features in wonder. Her hair so shiny and bouncy laid across her shoulders in tight ringlet curls. It was obvious she had naturally very curly hair. They looked like a tidal wave of dark chocolate. Her mouth was perfectly shaped for my liking. A thinner upper lip with a plump lower one. High cheek bones gave away her heritage though, she had Irish in her somewhere down the line. I really, really liked that.


    A small but distinguished nose sat above those perfect lips and even further up, those eye''s, so bright and big.


    Like violet explosion''s. I''d never seen violet eye''s before. They shone like bright orchid''s. I found myself going down the length of her thin neck and over her high, large breasts, further south was her waist. Bless her, she wasn''t a stick in any sense of the word nor was she fat though.


    I could tell she was very well defined and muscular but not overwhelmingly so. I looked away quickly, afraid I had offended her.


    Redalia cleared her throat, as if trying to dispel any awkwardness between us. I immediately brought my eyes up to meet hers.


    "So how''d you like it?"


    "Pretty good I must say. You West Virginian''s have a way with your liquor." I smiled. I could feel the compulsion from the truth serum taking affect. Thing''s were about to get interesting.


    "Well good. Ok, so I didn''t have a whole lot of time to cook before you got out of the shower so I hope re-heated homemade beef stew is ok. I make it heavy on the beef." she winked then got up and on her way to the oven grabbed a couple of oven mitt''s from the counter. She then brought out a large dutch oven pot that honestly looked like it had seen better days.


    "How odd...all these top of the line appliances and here she cooks with an old ugly pot. Hmm...somethings off here." I thought.


    "I''d love to sample some of your stew. I''m a big stew fan."


    "Well that''s great! I love stew, especially on cold nights." She smiled as she lost herself in her thoughts. I liked seeing her remember good times.


    "Ok here we go. I''ll eat with you if you don''t mind the company." she said as she sat the bowls down in front of us. She then cracked open a Cola bottle and set it beside the bowl.


    "I''d love that." I smiled as I picked up my spoon and laughed inwardly.


    "What''s so funny? Pray tell Mr. McGreggor?"


    "Please call me Conall, no Mister....just Conall. And I find it amusing your drinking a cola. I thought all mountain people drank that Dew stuff or whatever it''s called."


    "Huh.....Oh yea I used too. But it''s seriously bad on the kidney''s, or so I''ve been told. Any way mind if I ask a few question''s while we eat?" She heaped a hearty spoonful in her mouth.


    "Sure, fire away." I said in return as I mimicked her action''s. To my delight the stew was amazing. Simply exquisite honestly. The beef was so perfectly seasoned and the vegetables were so tender. You could practically taste the freshness. And the broth was so thick and creamy. Every mouthful was like a little blessing on my tongue.


    "Ok, let''s start with why you were at the bar, in the middle of the night, after closing."


    I composed myself and finally swallowed. Immediately I missed the stew and longed for another bite but knew the time to tell my story was finally here.


    "I was there for you. Not to hurt you, but to talk to you. We have business, you and I."


    "Oooook, what kind of business? Is it bad? Do I owe someone money?" she seemed genuinely concerned that she may owe someone money, I''ll need to look into that and pay any debt she owes later.


    "Not bad at all, in fact quite the opposite. Have you ever heard of the Ceannaire an Wolven?"


    "Oh yea, we all know the story of the lost Prince." She said as she engulfed another hearty spoonful.


    "Really? Well let''s see if your version matches mine." I exclaimed as I took another mouth watering bite. I was very pleased that she knew of me and honestly I was seriously curious to see what version she had been told.


    "Ok....* swallow *....Well the Ceannaire an Wolven translates to Leader of the Wolven, the story say''s that the Ceannaire en Wolven was also the only son of Orin and soul heir to the throne. Since his mother (bless her and may she rest peacefully) had died in childbirth he was the only one left to take over when Orin passed into the afterlife. Before the Great War came ,Orin was struck down by Doran who then took his life force and with it the power of the wolf. He then cast an evil spell over all the Wolven Guard and made them bow to him, because they originally wouldn''t. He also supposedly gave them eternal life so they would have to watch their loved ones and children die in the famine and desolation that was to come during the following years leading into The Great War It''s said the Great Prince stood against Doran and lead an army of rebels to the castle to face him. They weren''t strong enough though and many died. Doran captured the rest and in his last act of valor the Prince helped his men escape and when Doran found out he had his Dark Reapers hunt them all down and kill them. Including the Prince." she looked up from her stew but I just couldn''t meet her eye''s. The memories of that day flooded my brain and it took everything in me to hold back the tear''s that now wanted so desperately to fall.


    "The story is true, except the Prince didn''t die....he only wished he did." I said the last part under my breath hoping she wouldn''t hear but knowing in the back of my mind she probably did.


    "Conall?..." concern for me filled her voice.


    "Do you know the prophecy that is attached to the Prince''s destiny?" I said without looking up from my stew.


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    "You mean the one about the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion? Of course I know that one. It''s my story." she looked at me pointedly.


    "So, you know it''s said the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and the Prince will bring an end to the death and destruction by working together to take down Doran. You know only by the bond they share and the love they share will they be strong enough to destroy the disgusting, vile, mongrel that dares sit upon MY.....upon the throne." I said matter of factly.


    "Yes I know..."


    There was a long silence. Redalia sat back in her chair as she crossed her arms and watched me. I however took the free moment to devour the rest of my stew and distract myself from painful memories. Once finished I too sat back and waited for her to make her move. I could see she was thinking her question through.


    "She''s smart, I like that. She''ll make for a wonderful Queen someday, should she choose me." I thought.


    "Are you the Prince?" she asked.


    I knew it was coming yet I was still a little shocked that she just outright asked me. No sugar coating for this lass. Uh huh.


    "Yes I am. Though I have no way of proving it save for the truth serum I''ve been drinking all night."


    A knowing smile spread across her lips and lit up her face like the fourth of July. My stomach tightened and warmth spread through me at the sight of her smile.(Though it could also have been from the fire that was surely raging in my stomach from the Moonshine) Regardless, it was true I was definitely starting to fall for this woman.


    "I figured you''d smell it in the cup, Wolfy." she said as she threw me a wink.


    "Did ya catch it in the stew though?" she said beaming a wicked smile at me.


    "Actually I didn''t. I was completely blind sided by how amazing the stew tasted I didn''t even think to check it out first. Then again I was also starving soooo....." I goaded her.


    "Hey! My stew is amazing! Whether your starving or your stuffed it tastes glorious either way your highness." she shot back at me.


    Though I knew she was joking I flinched at the highness part. She meant it in fun but still, I couldn''t stand for anyone to call me by my title. I had, after all failed my father. As far as I was concerned I didn''t deserve the title, crown, kingdom, but mostly I knew I didn''t deserve her.


    "Hey you ok?" she asked.


    "Yea I''m fine just tired I think. So anyway, the reason I came out to the bar was to basically tell you, all that. I have to be honest, I thought you''d laugh in my face and I had no idea how to tell you.I hope you''ll keep an open mind about everything though. I mean the legend also says we were born to be together, that we complete each other. We are the actual, real- life version of soul mates. That''s why we can speak to each other in our mind''s. We''re telepathically linked, and our bond can heal us both as long as we are together. I know it''s a lot to take in..."


    "Ok, I''m down."


    "...But you''ll see, after a while and.....wait what?"


    "Yea, I''m down. You did save me after all and I grew up with the legends practically hardwired in my system. I believe they''re true, I always have. Besides, what kind of person would I be if I didn''t at least try to make thing''s work. A traitor to my teaching''s that''s what kind of person. I''ll admit it''s gonna be a little awkward at first, and Jaxon''s gonna flip his shit. I''ll probably get a pretty pissed phone call about you staying here but you know what I''m a grown ass adult and he can just...."


    "Staying here?" I asked in sheer surprise.


    "....Well I figured you should stay here, since we''re soul mates and all that.....aaaaaand if your here Jaxon won''t be able to kill you before I get to know you better."she said as she smiled sweetly.


    "Darlin he couldn''t do that anyway. Not even on his best day." I shot back at her followed by my best cocky grin and a wink.


    "Ok calm down Fido, I mean no one can kill any one here. The manor is protected by ancient magic. No one can kill anyone within the gate. The gate also recognizes my blood and Jaxon''s. So it will automatically open for me and Jaxon but everyone else has to be let in. The no death rule doesn''t apply to us though. Meaning we can kill inside the gate but we can''t be killed. It was a precaution, in case.....you never actually came." she inhaled deeply then let it out slow as she leaned forward onto the table.


    "Redalia?"


    "Red....just Red."


    "Red, Mo Chori you need to rest. I''ll take you upstairs."


    "I can walk. What''s with everyone wanting to carry me everywhere. It''s not like I''m some princess who can''t think for herself or anything." so she get''s grumpy when she''s tired? Still cute as a lamb.


    I could tell she was in pain, It must have taken a lot out of her to use magic to make the truth serum. She wasn''t fully healed yet anyway. She''d be weak for another couple of hours.


    "How about I walk with you then? Would you grant me the honor of that?"


    "Ok, that I can do." she smiled as she rose from her seat and took my arm.


    On the way up we chatted about favorite book''s and movies when at the door I stopped just outside.


    "Mo Chori I hope you can rest. I''ll be right here if you need me. No matter what it may be, come wake me up."


    "Actually.....Conall could you, well I mean, will you come and lay on the bed with me? Not like, have sex or anything. Just sorta lay there? I feel nice when your near."


    "Of course Mo Ghra (uh- Gr-ahh), I''d be happy too."

 3 Chapter 3.

    Best night of sleep EVER, and oh my Goddess this man is soooooo warm. Like uber warm! He''s like a friggin space heater! Ok, Ok, Ok think un-sexy thoughts. Gotta get up carefully, hopefully he won''t wake up before I can at least get a little shower in and some makeup. Wait, what the hell?!


    It''s not like we''re getting married tomorrow or anything, hell I don''t know if we''ll even get married. Maybe he want''s to take thing''s slow and date for a while or something...WHY THE HELL AM I EVEN THINKING ABOUT THIS?!?!?! Ughhh, ok I need a shower anyway and some fresh clothes and possibly just a dab of "EuDu Reality Check" for real!.


    Ok so, just gotta wiggle a bit, maybe slide a lil here and there aaaaaaaaand boom! Feet on floor! (Along with my butt but oh well least I made it.) V-I-C-T-O-R-Y yeah!


    "You know you coulda just asked me to move Searc."


    "Your awake?!" Yea there ya go girl, high pitched squeal, that''s the way to woo him. "Wait did you just call me a shark?"


    "Ha Ha Ha no dear it''s pronounced sher-k but spelled S-E-A-R-C it means love in Gaelic."


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    "Ya know I''m kinda diggin this whole, you calling me by Irish names and stuff. It''s really pretty and I''ve always wanted to learn a bit of Irish. My family''s descended from Irish Royalty ya know."


    "Ya have ehh? I''d be happy to teach you."


    "Really? Umm, I''m not all that great at.....other languages."


    "Gaelic won''t be to hard for you ma Searc, your blood is Irish, your native tongue is Irish...see where I''m going with this?"


    "Ahhh yea, but seriously, I''m really bad at it. Once I had to go on a mission for THE ELITE, I was to stand trial in Arabia for killing one of their assassin''s who had come here illegally and killed one of our own out of jealousy over a woman or some crap like that. Anyway so I was over there in what I like to refer to as "Hell''s Sand Box" awaiting my turn to plead my case, well needless to say even after the three week''s of Arabic study you''d think I could at least put together a sentence.....nope. Almost got myself be-headed for insulting their Sheikh. Apparently I said "''ummik hu abn awaa" which meant "Your mother is a jackal."I should have said "samukum ''ana huna fi ''an yahakim." which would have been "Your highness I am here to be tried." Needless to say I''m not allowed back in Saudi Arabia anymore."


    ".....Wow....and you had no idea you were insulting his mother?"


    "Oh Goddess no! If I''d have known I would have shut my big trap!"


    Well least this guy has a great laugh, as I soon found out because he belted out the deepest, most heart tenderizing laugh I''d ever heard. Damn, Mmmmm so handsome...HEY snap outta it girl!


    "So you made a few mistakes..."


    I shot him a raised eyebrow and a look that said "Really? A few?"


    "Ok so you made ALOT of mistakes, that doesn''t mean you should stop trying. If you want to learn Gaelic I''ll teach you. It''ll be a great way for us to get to know each other. If you want to I mean."


    "Oh yea sure! Sound''s great, but remember, you have been warned!"


    I chuckled lightly as I strode off to the bathroom for my shower. I could feel his eyes on my back the whole time. That same tingling feeling from before slowly started creeping back up my spine, making the little hairs on my neck and arm''s stand up. Goose-flesh appeared immediately after. Once inside the sanctity of my bathroom I shut the door and laid back against it, exhaling as I did so.


    "Goddess give me strength to fight the irrational feeling''s that seem to be popping up every time I''m around this guy." I whispered to myself.


    Oh well no time for dilly dally. Off with the clothes on with the shower and in I go! Oh that''s nice, like a warm waterfall. I shampooed, conditioned,exfoliated,and scrubbed myself pink with my Tone body wash. I LOVE this stuff! I actually, really dreaded getting out but knew at some point I really needed too. I also wanted to save some hot water for Conall.


    Just then a picture of the hunk-a-licios man all naked and standing under the water, soap dripping off his broad, strong chest, sliding down his perfect abs all the way to his...SNAP OUT OF IT! Oh my Goddess what in the world?! Ok, now seriously I need to get laid or something! This was getting ridiculous.


    I jumped out of the shower toweled off and in my flustered and aggravated state threw the door open and just waltzed out into my bedroom like I would any other day after my shower. I usually kept my tee-shirts hanging in my closet which was directly next to the bathroom but I had no time at all to focus on what color of the rainbow to wear today because in a moment''s flash I realized I was stark naked and standing right in front of Conall!


    I could feel the color rushing to my face and heating my cheek''s yet I refused to turn away and run to the bathroom and lock the door for the rest of eternity. I squared my shoulder''s, looked him right in the eye and said...


    "Shower''s free."


    Then grabbed a maroon long sleeved, swoop neck, dress from my closet and threw it on as fast as I could. No bra, no panties just the dress. I wanted coverage and I wanted it now! As soon as I felt my face cooling off and the color leaving my cheek''s I turned back around to face Conall. To my surprise he wasn''t there.


    He''d somehow managed to go right by me without me even seeing him and he was now in the shower. Though relieved a part of me was a little angry that he hadn''t said....anything. I mean he literally said, nothing. I rummaged through my pantie drawer then my bra drawer until I found my favorite lacy black and purple set, pulled the dress up around my neck, and slipped them on then pulled the dress back down as I replaced my arm''s into the sleeves, then I stood with my hand''s on my hip''s looking into my mirror.


    I wasn''t horrible looking, in fact I thought I was a beautiful plus sized girl. Well I don''t really know if a size 16 is actually plus sized or not. I mean I''m pretty toned and athletic. I have basically very little fat on me, well, except for my caboose. But other than that I''m really just, kinda hippy and muscular. And in my defense you sorta have to be strong to be an assassin. I mean I pick people up and throw them for a living. Or repel down on a thin little line and snatch them up and break their neck''s. What I see when I look in the mirror is a strong confident woman.


    Violet eyes with silver spikes, long curly deep chocolate hair, high cheek bones, nice lip''s, strong yet not overly toned arm''s and a flat, strong stomach that just happens to have a set of actual hip''s beneath it. I like to eat! Is that a crime? NO! I eat moderately and in controlled proportion''s.(...most of the time.) The more I think about it the angrier I get. He SHOULD have said SOMETHING!


    Anything really, he could have blushed or said "Wow" or something ya know? Hell, he coulda whistled....SOMETHING! Well I wasn''t about to take this lying down. Oh no, no, no not me. I walked my hippy hind end right into that bathroom and flung the shower curtain back. Conall was like an Irish God! Water ran in stream''s down his chest and back, soap still clung to his perfectly chiseled butt cheek. He looked down on me with what can only be described as hungry eye''s.


    Pretty sure I was lookin back with the same hunger raging behind my own. I shook myself inwardly and gave myself a mental bitch slap. Then I stood back and put my hand''s on my hip''s. I was ready for a fight.


    "Can I help you?" he asked in mock surprise.


    "Yea, yea you sure can. Now I know I''m no super model or anything, and the fact I walked out naked as a Jay bird was a total accident, but you could have at least said SOMETHING to the affect of a complement. I''m not vain, nor am I fishing for complement''s but I walk out of a hot shower, steam rising off me, and stand stark naked in front of you and you don''t even give me so much as a "Nice!!". That''s just a shot to the pride there Fido."


    Once my rant was over I had every intention of leaving him standing there, all soaped up and smelling good, and....STOP IT!


    Anyway he stared me down and pretty much nailed me to the floor. But I stood my ground and squared up to him toe to toe once he stepped out of the shower. My nose barely came to the center of his chin. He looked down on me and smiled as he wrapped himself in a towel.


    "Mo Chori I didn''t say anything because I saw you were clearly embarrassed, though I don''t know why. In my mind you have nothing to be embarrassed about. I have searched my whole life for you. To me you are perfect."


    I scoffed as I turned on my heel and walked back to my bedroom. He caught up to me halfway to my bed and turned me around gently. He took his hand''s and cupped my face. They were still slightly damp but oh so warm. I felt the warming sensation start pooling in my belly and my anger melted away.


    "Red you are the most beautiful woman I''ve ever seen in all my life. I''m going to love you and I hope you''ll love me too one day. Nothing about you needs changing. Any one who say''s different can answer to me."


    He sounded so sincere, I was like putty in his hand''s. He pulled me close and hugged me tight. I have never in all my life felt so....at peace. In that moment I knew he was my real deal soul mate. He genuinely cared about me and wanted me to be happy and safe. I didn''t want to believe it but how could I deny it, the prophecy was true. I was his and he was mine. In my excitement and peaceful bliss I didn''t hear my doorbell. Then again Jaxon NEVER uses the doorbell.....Jaxon never knock''s either come to think of it.


    By the time I realized we were no longer alone in my room Conall had placed himself between Jax and I. Though he was still hugging me close he was now blocking most of me, using himself as a shield. The jealousy coming off of Jax and Conall both was so thick I could have bottled it up and sold it as bath gel. There seemed to be something else there though, not just jealousy...something deeper. It felt more like, hate. I had to get these two to see eye to eye.


    I released Conall, though I seriously didn''t want too and moved to stand in between them. I looked at each of them then settled on Jaxon as my first target. Jaxon''s always been a bit of a hot head when it came to men and me and my love life...or lack there of. So his attitude didn''t surprise me a bit. What it did do, however, was tick me off...royally!


    "Jax, calm down. Your smothering me with all the jealousy your puttin off in your aura."


    "What''s he doin standin here holdin you while he''s practically naked Redalia? Did he force himself on you?!"


    "How dare you! I would never force myself on anyone! Especially not..."


    Oh no don''t say it he''ll go nut''s!!


    "...my MATE!"


    Ohhhh and he said it. A quick glance at Jaxon and I knew the proverbial shit was about to hit the fan. Luckily for me I was born a witch and the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion (Talk about a two for one am I right!) I''ve been trained since birth to use my Goddess given talent of elemental magic. I geared up for a showdown. The spell on the Manor wouldn''t allow harm to be done to anyone inside the gate''s only thing is, that particular rule didn''t apply to me and Jaxon. I figured I''d better call up my power''s and be prepared.


    "WHAT?! What did you just call her...DOG!"


    I literally jumped when Conall actually full blown growled! It was a deep, non-human sound. Fear is not well known to me, yet at that moment I knew exactly what it was and I have to say, I didn''t like the feeling. I stepped back quickly, just then Conall snapped his head towards me and his fierce gaze softened. He let all the tension in his body go and relaxed a bit. He closed his eye''s and lowered his head for a moment before looking back at me. Sorrow shone like a waxed diamond in those deep emerald and gold orb''s.


    "I never meant to scare you Mo Chori. I''ll get dressed and meet you down stair''s." he said softly.


    I touched his forearm as he passed me and offered him my sweetest smile. He was being the bigger man, he wasn''t going to stoop to the level of high school jock on roid''s just lookin to fight and I really appreciated that. I turned back to give Jaxon a piece of my mind but he wasn''t there, instead he was mid jump. Dagger in hand, face twisted in a horribly wicked grin. I''d never seen him look like this before, it was like he wasn''t himself.


    I threw myself in front of Conall''s exposed back, fully expecting a dagger to the chest. In my final moment''s all I could think was "He''ll have to run, no harm can come to Jaxon here." All I wanted was for Conall to be safe. I understood then, what he really meant when he was talking about our bond. This must be it. A love rooted so deep no evil could penetrate it or destroy it. I barely knew this guy and yet I''m standing here moment''s from death just trying to make sure he lives.


    Suddenly I was thrown aside, in the next instant I saw dagger meet and rip flesh as Jaxon drove it into Conall''s chest. Conall had turned with lightning speed and at the last moment he''d thrown me aside, taking the dagger into himself as his reward for saving me. I screamed as pain ripped through my body. My chest burned and ached as if someone had thrown me in a vat of acid. Seething pain mixed with what could only be described as sheer rage tore a path through my body.


    I pulled in a ragged breath and called up my magic. I was an Elemental Witch. I could manipulate all the element''s to do my bidding and today I was going to use them all! I slowly opened my glowing hand and in my palm a ball of fire rested. As I willed it to grow it happily obliged. I then took aim at an exposed chest and hurled it with all my force towards Jaxon. It hit it''s mark, dead center. He screamed in pain and fell to the floor. For a moment my heart began to break and my chest burn but I quickly shrugged the feeling away.


    I closed the distance between Jaxon and myself in a heartbeat. He was on his feet now and ready to go for round two. I slid my hands against each other a few times as we circled each other and a blade constructed of fiery essence appeared between them.


    I drew my flaming sword up and prepared to attack. Wait, what was I doing? Jaxon was my guardian! More than that he was my best friend. Why in the name of the Goddess was I drawing against him. I stood up and lowered my sword. It dissipated as I walked towards Jax.


    "Jax what the hell are we doing?"


    Jaxon spun around to face me. His eye''s glowed a bright orange shade. His lips were pulled back to expose his teeth, barred together and grinding as he looked on. The way he stared at me made my skin crawl, it was like he hated my very existence. My heart was breaking, what had I done to him to make him hate me?


    I caught a glimpse of Conall lying in a pool of his own blood on my bedroom floor. He had saved me, risked his own life for me, I was not about to let that go. I concentrated on the sword again and in the next instant it was in my hand, burning bright as ever. Then I cleared my head, bent my knee''s, spread my feet and prepared to fight my best friend.


    "Why Jax? Why did you do it? He''s done nothing to you, nothing to me...and you''ve nearly killed him." I could see Conall''s wound was nearly closed, he needed to get that knife out though. It being silver had no effect (That''s a myth people) it being lodged in his chest though, yea that was a bit of a problem.


    "Your blood will open the path, it will free all, and when he dies..." he nodded towards Conall''s now very motionless body. If it weren''t for me being able to see his aura I''d have believed him dead. "...your bond dies with him. So will the prophecy."


    "The Prophecy? Jaxon your not making sense! Seriously, have you lost your damn mind?!"


    "I AM NOT JAXON YOU IDIOTIC TRAMP!! This pathetic sack of waste was merely my ticket in this dump. All I needed once I was in, was to get you alone or in a vulnerable state so I could attack! Unfortunately for me you seem to have taken a liking to this, Dog. I thought I was going to have to abort my mission but then I felt something when we saw you in the Dog''s arm''s. This body became angry and enraged, Honestly I had no idea how strong he truly was until he got mad, and now...he''s mine!"


    "What the...What the hell are you? Get out of him!"


    "Now why would I do a thing like that? As long as I''m inside this body and inside this house I''m basically untouchable. You can''t even force me to leave this vessel, unless you plan on killing your friend."


    "What are you talking about?! What are you dammit!? Besides deaf!"


    "I can answer that." It was Conall. He had finally healed himself. Though he still looked a bit pale, he came to stand beside me.


    "He''s what''s known as a Sc¨¢th an Bh¨¢is or in your language, a Shadow of Death though I believe most people call them Shade''s. He enter''s the bodies of creatures or human''s and uses them as hosts. He exploits the darkness that lives in everyone, and then takes control of them. The owner of the body is put into a sort of stasis or coma like state while he is in control. The downside to this is, he''s right. If we kill him we will inevitably be killing Jaxon."


    "Oh, well isn''t this just peachy?! So what do we do now?"


    "How about you die?"


    The Shade, creature, thing...let out a heart stopping screach as he charged towards us. I didn''t know what to do other than just try to avoid serious injury. I pushed off of Conall, throwing myself and him in sepreate direction''s just as the Shadow went flying between us. I looked to Conall and sent him a message through our link..


    "What do we do now? We can''t kill him! And I me¨¢n that literally and figuratively! He''s my best friend!"


    "Well, if we cant kill him..."


    He ducked as the Shade cut through the air where his throat had just been. Conall came up with a hard right hook to the stomach, the Shade went flying backward''s. Poor Jax will be feeling that one for day''s. If he lives that long.


    "Let''s try to at least knock him out. Can''t you use your magic and conjure up a sleeping spell or something?"


    The creature was back up and locked ¨®n to Conall. He threw punch after punch, dagger still in hand. Conall ducked then dodged then parried with his own multitude of blows. The men were nearly equally matched. I could tell however that Conall was only using about a quarter of his true strength. He was diliberatly holding back, so he didn''t seriously hurt Jaxon''s body by accident. The spell ¨®n the house would protect us from death not harm.


    "Conall I''m an elemantal, I can''t conjure up a sleeping spell....however....hey when I say "GO" jump as far away from him as you can ok?"


    "Uh ok?"


    "Just...trust m¨¦."


    He spared a glance in my direction as the Shade picked himself up from the floor. I took the opportunity to focus my energy into calling down the lightning I needed to complete my plan. My arm''s began to tingle then my hand''s and finally my finger tip''s and nails. Suddenly my hand''s began to emit a soft crackilng sound as I watched the waves of electricity course over and through them. Like waves in the ocean.


    I felt the power of the lightning, and it was amazing! Once I was sure I had enough to knock him out without frying his brain I readied myself and took position. Conall had him cornered by my bathroom wall, I could only hope he would jump in time. I took a deep breath focused myself and called out to Conall.


    "GO!!"


    Before I''d finished the word he was in the air. I released the lightning. It was as if I were watching in slow motion. I saw Conall flying backward''s with the grace of a dancer, as The lightning bolt made it''s way toward''s Jaxon''s body. It''s golden essence crackling and stabbing it''s way through the space between us. Just as quickly as time had slowed it sped back up and I watched as Jaxon''s body was electrocuted.


    For a moment I thought I''d given him to much of a shock but then I saw his chest rise raggedly and then fall. Conall quickly ran to him and checked. He signaled the universal sign for "He''s ok." (A thumbs up) I quickly gathered myself and ran to my dresser drawer where I usually kept the nick nacks I found under my bed and in the other room''s while I did spring cleaning. I found what I was looking for and ran back to Conall.


    We picked Jaxon''s limp body up and carried him to my chair by the window and proceeded to duct tape the crap outta him. By the time we were done we''d gone through about 3 roll''s of the stuff. Good thing I didn''t need any duct work done because I was officially out of tape.

 4 Chapter 4

    "Well, now that the fight from hell is over maybe I can get a few thing''s figured out and take a breath. What in the name of the Goddess was a Shadow doing inside Jaxon. How did it even know I was here and Redalia and I were together. None of this is making any sense." I thought as I sat down ¨®n the end of Redalia''s bed. The coolness of the sheets that had before, soothed m¨¦, had now lost their effect.


    "Mo Chroi..." She was sitting in the floor, leg''s crossed, hand laid delicatly across Jaxon''s and tear''s threatening to fall from the pool''s of violet and silver that were her eye''s. She raised her free hand to her cover her mouth. For a moment she let it rest there, but only for a moment. She soon shook her beautiful head making her curls bounce around her face.


    "I should have known it wasn''t really him. I''ve known him my whole life, he''s only ever gotten jealous a hand full of times and he certainly never flew off like he did. I just...I should have known."


    "Red, Mo Chori there was n¨® way of telling. This isn''t your fault. Come here, please."


    She wiped her face, trying hard to hide the tear that had escaped her lashes. I held her hand as she crossed in front of m¨¦ to sit next to m¨¦ ¨®n the bed. She wouldn''t meet my eye''s so I pulled her face up by her chin.


    "Mo Ghra, look at m¨¦. You are not to blame. I should have scented the evil presence. What''s done is done, Jaxon is still in there we just have to get him back out. I''ll move him into the other room, you call THE ELITE and explain everything. See if they can help exercize the Shadow. I''ll get dressed and clean up this mess ok."


    She shook her head in agreement. I could tell she hated feeling so vulniable and weak. She was ashamed of herself for crying in front of m¨¦. So I wiped her cheek''s for her and smiled. She placed a cool, smooth hand ¨®n my cheek and smiled back at m¨¦. Then she surprised m¨¦ by leaning in and kissing m¨¦. Momentary shock washed over m¨¦ but was quickly pushed away. I pulled her to m¨¦ gently and cradled her as I deepened the kiss. She tasted just like peppermint. I couldn''t get enough, I ran one hand through her hair


    and the other down the length of her back. She leaned into me as she re-positioned herself to sit on my lap straddling me. My excitement and joy grew with each passing second, as did my erection.


    I could feel it pushing against the towel that somehow still clung to my hip''s. She wrapped her arm''s around my neck as she probed my mouth with her tongue. I ran my hand''s all over her body, relishing the fact that she was mine. She would always be mine, even if she decided she didn''t want me. No man would be able to ever fill the void she would have, because she andI were simply meant to be.


    I searched for year''s, trying to find her and now that I had, I would never let her go, not unless she truly didn''t want me. Her lip''s were so soft as they crushed against my own. A small moan escaped her lip''s which in turn only made my erection even harder. I grabbed her perfectly sized hip''s and flipped her onto her back on the bed as I came up between her thighs and continued our passionate kiss. She let her hand''s rove all over me and I happily returned the favor. She grabbed the towel and threw it aside then glanced down at my now throbbing and fully erect shaft.


    An approving smile lit her face as she laid back and wiggled her dress off. Her beautiful breast''s rolled like waves against her as I slid my hand beneath her to un-latch her bra. With a flick of three capable finger''s and a slight jerk of the hand she was free of the constricting lingerie. I tossed it over the side of the bed then leaned back to admire her Goddess given curves and beauty. She quickly grabbed my neck and pulled me down onto her.


    Our lip''s met again with the same fiery passion they held before. She slid a hand between us and down my stomach, sending goose flesh up my arms and spine. Then she wrapped her finger''s around me and began to stroke. I moaned into her neck as I bit her slightly. She arched her back in response and gasped a little. I was on the very brink of self control. I couldn''t hold the beast back much longer. He wanted free. He wanted to ravish his mate who lay before him so hot and wet and ready. I slid a hand up her leg and removed her lace panties in one quick jerk.


    She let out a small giggle as I did so. I smiled as I ran my tongue down her neck and chest then settled on her perfect nipple. I traced it''s outline then nibbled slightly, she moaned and closed her eye''s as she bit her lip and threw her arms above her head. I bit harder and she moaned louder. I continued to lick, then when I felt she''d had enough teasing I took her nipple into my mouth and suckled. She arched and moaned against me.


    I placed my free hand between her thigh''s and moved it north until I found the promised land....JACKPOT she was wet and ready for me. I rubbed her fold''s gently then slipped one finger beyond them. She gasped a bit, it only encouraged me though. I then used my thumb to roll her mound until she jerked and gasped, then I slipped another finger inside. She was so tight and warm I longed to be inside her, but not yet. She had to be ready for that, ready for ME.


    She continued to breath heavily and sigh as I continued my suckling and probing, then I began to thrust my finger''s in and out. She moaned again as I released her nipple and leaned up to look at her. I was so hungry for her, my need to love her was overwhelming.


    "Mo Chroi, look at me." I said softly. Her eye''s fluttered open as she met my gaze.


    "Mo Chroi, I want you too know I would never hurt you. I wish only to protect and love you. I''ll cherish you until the end of day''s. You are mine Mo Stor, do you understand?


    "Yes." she whispered breathlessly.


    "Mo Stor do you want me to make love to you? Do you want me inside you tonight. All you have to do is tell me and I''ll oblige."


    "Conall...Oh Conall..."


    "Yes Mo Chroi....say it...say it I beg you. Tell me you will try to love me. It''s all I ask."


    "Oh Conall...ye...Oh my...Conall look!"


    "Huh?"


    Her eye''s were wide and she was looking past me at something. I turned my head to see the Shade had woken up and was smiling maliciously at us. I had completely forgotten to move him. In my rush to console Red and then my compulsion to make love to her I had forgotten he was even here...creepy honestly. I threw the sheet over Redalia''s naked chest as I pushed myself up to my feet.


    My erection slowly dying away. (Hello blue balls) Refusing to even entertain the idea of leaving Redalia alone in the room with this creature I gathered her bra and dress and handed them to her then asked her to retrieve me some clothes. She jumped at the chance to be away from the Shade. She wasn''t gone long before she returned with boxer''s, pant''s and another jersey knit shirt. I thanked her then dressed and urged her to make the call to THE ELITE. After she left and I made sure she was out of ear shot I sat back down on the end of the bed and faced off with the Shade.


    "How did you know where I was?"


    He just kept smiling.


    " I''ll ask you once more Shade. How did you know where I was?"


    Nothing.


    "Alright have it your way. I''ll let them exercise you."


    His smile faded.


    "Tonight."


    He began to recoil slightly.


    "And since you can''t really do any serious harm without a host body to inhabit I think I''ll go out and find an old, beaten down, raggedy, chewed up chihuahua that''s on it''s last leg. Then I''ll seal you inside that dog, after I seal this room, in blood magic so you can''t escape and have no choice but to inhabit the dying dog."


    "Fine! I''ll talk. I''m as good as dead anyway unless I bring you back to the King."


    Before I could stop myself I was on him ready to break his neck.


    "NEVER call him that in my presence! He is a murderer and a thief!"


    The Shade was visibly shaken. I growled deeply then sat back on the bed to wait for his explanation. He cleared his throat before speaking.


    "I wasn''t sent here for you originally. I was sent for the girl. Finding you was a happy.....or....unhappy coincidence. Doran want''s the girl, maybe he thinks he can lure you out of hiding by offering her up as bait. Hell I don''t know, I''m a soldier not one of his inner circle. I do know that he thinks with you and the girl dead he could open the boarder."


    "That''s crazy! If he opens the boarder it''ll be a declaration of war! He doesn''t stand a chance of winning, aside from THE ELITE, which has thousand''s of members, there are hundreds maybe even thousands of bounty hunters that would willingly side with us. Doran would be a complete idiot to believe he could win."


    "Not true, he COULD win. If..."


    "If? If what?"


    "If the Ceannaire an Wolven and the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion were both dead. Publicly executed. It would break the spirit of all who oppose my lord. Ha Ha Ha he would be invincible!"


    "How would killing us break the spirits of those who would stand against him?"


    "Ha Ha Ha your all going to diiiiiiieeeee, die, die, die, die, your all going to burn!"


    "Answer me!"


    "Die, die, die, die, your all going to die!"


    I sprang to my feet and hoisted the creature on to my shoulder, chair and all, I then proceeded to lock him in the bedroom down the hall from Red''s. Once he was secure I went to find Red. She was in the kitchen again stirring something on the stove, yet again using an old beat up pot. I came up behind her and wrapped my arm''s around her waist while I rested my head on her shoulder.


    "What''s with the new age kitchen and prehistoric pot''s?"


    She chuckled and slid a glance my way.


    "The kitchen was Jaxon''s doing. The pot''s were my parent''s. I love em, so I''ll keep using em. Gotta problem with that Mo Chroi?


    "No, no not....hey you did it! See I told you, Gaelic is in your blood. The language will come easy to you!"


    "It''s just one word. I have a long way to go. Did you take care of.....it?"


    "Yes, he''s secured in another room up stairs."


    "Good, the council will be here as soon as the sun goes down. That oughtta be about seven. We have 3 hours to figure out what we''re gonna say. I''ll have to explain you, you''ll have to explain Jaxon. Either way they may not be to keen on the idea of you staying here. But no matter what.....I don''t want you to leave. Can...can you promise...you wont leave? Please?"


    "Mo Stor, If you want me to stay, the Goddess herself could not pry me from you."


    "Good."


    "So what are we eating for dinner?"


    "Oh this is just a little something I''m making special for the council. Conall no matter what you can''t drink this. Understand. Promise me."


    "I promise Mo Stor. What is it?"


    "It''s a special potion, it''ll cause the drinker to admit his or her''s true intention''s. I''ve been trying to figure out how that Shade knew where we were. My identity is kept secret, aside from Jaxon, Doc, and you, guess who the only other people to know about it are?"


    "The council?" realization was sinking in, the very people who had taken an oath to protect her may now be working to serve her up on a silver platter.


    "Yes. Tonight we find out if we have a traitor among us."


    A deep growl echoed from the very pit of my soul. The mere thought of someone betraying Redalia was enough to push me over the edge.


    "I hope this work''s. I''ve only seen my grandma do it, I''ve never attempted it myself."


    I stood to my full height as I turned Redalia around to face me. I placed my hand gently beneath her chin and tilted her face up.


    "Do not fear the old men my sweet, no harm will come to you, for tonight you will be accompanied by the TRUE, Wolf King."


    I kissed her forehead and immediately felt her tension lessen a bit. She wasn''t exactly scared...more like, worried. I could sense she held a deep question in her heart about this "Council", it seemed as though she didn''t trust them. Who could blame her really? Certainly not I. We stood holding each other, relishing in the warmth of our body heat and calming waves of our aura''s being brought together.


    She stepped back after a few minutes and smiled as she left to go upstairs and get ready for the meeting. I too had to get ready, I scouted the area from the surrounding wood''s. Taking note of ever scent, every hole in the ground near the gates, every sound, nothing was going to be over looked now.


    This was to important, I heard Redalia descending the stairs and went back inside just as the buzzer on the wall beside the door blared it''s hideous chime. (Note to self....change that Goddess awful buzzer) I turned to glance over my shoulder at the long driveway. I could see the blare of their headlight''s assaulting the darkness that had now taken the place of the bright, warm sunlight. I heard Redalia press a button and watched as the gates began to open. A rock formed in the pit of my stomach, but this was no time to show weakness. I had to look every bit the part of my born title, I am after all, the True Wolf King.


    Sensing my apprehension, Redalia slipped her hand over my shoulder and down onto my chest, I felt her brace against me as she lifted herself up and whispered in my ear.


    "Fear not the old men my sweet, no harm shall come to you, for tonight you will be accompanied by the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion."


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    I smiled to myself as she gave a slight giggle. Then I turned and took in her full beauty. She looked amazing. Her kinky-curly chocolate hair was set perfectly, her eye''s were lined and shadowed in deep burgundy and maroon,while her long lashes were amplified by her mascara, her lips were a deep burgundy as well, and her cheek''s had just a touch of blush.


    She wore a beautiful black flowing gown with a slit in the side that steeped from her foot to her thigh, when she walked I could just see the very bottom of her hidden daggers..."That a girl!"


    I thought.


    "Hey I laid out some clothes for you to put on, hurry on up stairs and change. I laid them on the bed, oh and I put a comb on the sink and a hair tie if you want to use it. Now go, hurry before they get up the driveway."


    I nodded, then quickly made my way up the stairs and into her room where I saw a very nice white buttoned shirt, evening jacket, and suit pant''s laying on the bed. Next to the suit I spied a pair of black socks and some black leather shoes on the floor. She really went all out. I''ll have to remember to go shopping for my own clothing after this is over. I hastily changed clothes and once I was satisfied I went to the bathroom, combed back my hair, tied it half up in the hair tie and stepped out into the bedroom again just as I heard Redalia greeting the "Guests" downstairs.


    "Well, here we go. Deep breath, Ok out of the frying pan....and into the proverbial fire, or in this case...literal fire."

 5 Chapter 5

    All the council member''s stood in my dining room eagerly waiting to see him, the fabled True Wolf King, the Prince who had been rumored to either be the Leader of the Reaper''s or killed by them. I quickly brought out my "special" wine and took great care to make sure everyone took a glass and had at least sipped it once or twice before I offered anyone a seat at the table.


    Suddenly the air shifted as I took my seat at the head of the table. I looked up to see Conall had entered the room. His mere presence was like a wave of dominance and wisdom far beyond his years washing over the room, and every being in that room felt it. I saw a few members gulp and go wide eyed as he passed them. I started to give him my seat but instead he laid his hand gently upon mine and softly whispered


    "I may be the True Wolf King but this is your house and you, after all, are Dearg Mac Tire Banrion, so you are quite literally the Queen."


    He took the seat next to mine and we both sat, which in turn gave way to everyone else taking a seat. I was unsure of what to do now. Everyone was looking at me expectantly but I had never called a meeting before I didn''t know what the hell to do. Thankfully Conall broke the (extremely) awkward silence.


    "Well as you all must now know, I am the Ceannaire an Wolven, making me the True Wolf King. I have come to Sanctuary in search of Dearg Mac Tire Banrion, as I''m sure you all know translates in your native tongue to...."


    "The Red Wolf Queen, yes, yes we all know what it means and we have all heard the stories of you and your fall from the throne..."


    "Cane! Hold your tongue!"


    I thought this would be as good a time as any to telepathically explain the council member''s so Conall could have a little insight. I took a deep breath and reached out, when I found his mind I started explaining.


    "Beliad Cane, he''s a scrawny, slimy human being. Had his family not been one of the Original families to settle in Sanctuary, I''m pretty sure he would never have even been looked at for a council position. Sadly, it is as the old saying goes, you can''t pick your family, because I''m sure if you could the Cane''s would never have picked this poor excuse for a man."


    I chanced a quick glance at Conall, he sat high in his chair, as if it were his own personal throne. He looked every bit the calm, cool, collected ruler he would one day be. A quick movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention and I focused back in on the conversation.


    "You are out of order Cane, we do not speak in such a tone when addressing a royal!"


    "That''s Leona Burket, she''sSecond in Command on the council, trumped only by the leader Dumask Vandeer."


    "We do not know for a fact that he is of royal blood Leona, and I''ll thank you to watch your tone when speaking to the head of the Cane Family!"


    "Oi get off it laddie, yer fam''ly taint no better tha any one elses''s er!"


    " Hamesh McGreer, he''s every bit the stereotypical Scotsman. He loves his drink, his women, and the excitement of battle. But don''t be fooled by his gruff appearance he is just as much a diplomat as he is a skilled warrior."


    "I''ll have you know MY family was next in line to rue this council! Until the Vandeer''s laid claim and my idiot father backed down from power! I should be the one calling the shot''s here. And I say this..."


    He pointed a thin, pale hand with sharp pointed nails at Conall.


    "...is NO royal! Prince Conall McGreggor died in that accursed wood along side his whole family! YOU sir, are an impostor."


    The room was deathly still, Conall never moved. He simply stared at Dumask with a toneless expression.


    "And further more SHE..."


    Now his attention was on me.


    "...Is no more than an orphaned child of demented fool''s who tangled with the wrong sorts of people and got themselves killed. For year''s we have watched over her, protected her, and for what?! So she could become this, this,...Red Wolf Queen! Wake up! There is no Dearg Mac Tire Banrion! There is no True Wolf King. King Quinn is dead and with him his bloodline and right to the throne. Why should we care what happens to anyone beyond Sanctuary? Why should we care for and protect this...creature who parades around acting as if shes something special when she so OBVIOUSLY isn''t!"


    "Beliad Cane! SHUT YOUR MOUTH! You little sniveling toad I should gut you from nose to asshole for what you just said! Have you no shame? No respect for the deceased? What have either of them ever done against you to make you speak about their families so terribly?!"


    "That''s Trilla Hawk, she''s....she''s umm...she''s a good person, and a skilled warrior. She''s fast and very strong. She''s a good ally to have."


    "Mo Chori, are you alright?"


    "Yea I''ll be fine, they''re just word''s spoken by a bitter, sadistic, idiot."


    Again the room sat still, the air was so thick now you could slice it with a knife. Beliad''s word''s had cut very deeply. I fought back tears as all eyes slowly found mine. I straightened my back and held my head high.


    "Enough." the voice was deep and authoritative. I knew immediately it was Dumask.


    "Dumask Vandeer, he''s the leader. He''s old, powerful and a strong believer in the old way''s."


    " Cane, you have disgraced yourself. Sit down or be removed from this meeting."


    With a huff and a sneer Beliad sat down, never taking his eye''s away from me. He hated me I could see it in his aura. He''d always hated me, but I never knew why. Dumask cleared his throat then looked Conall in the eye''s.


    "It takes a very big man to sit through all of that. My hat goes off to you. As distraught as it makes me to admit it, Cane has a bit of a point. How do we know you truly are the Ceannaire an Wolven?"


    Conall was silent as stone as we all waited for his response. Suddenly he looked to Hamesh.


    "You, Hamesh correct?"


    "Aye"


    "You have a Moon Cloch in the handle of your dagger."


    "Aye, I see what yer getting at laddie."


    He quickly removed the dagger from his belt and held it out to Conall by the blade.


    "You can not seriously be handing him a weapon right now!"


    "Shut it Cane of I''ll shut it for you!" Leona snapped.


    "What are you doing exactly?" I asked, a little timid.


    "Mo Chori, Moon Cloch means Moonstone. Only a royal can make the Moonstone glow. If I hold this and it glows they will know I am who I say I am."


    "Oh, ok then." seems simple enough anyway.


    He stretched his hand out across the table and gently took the blade from Hamesh, taking great care not to accidentally slice him in the process. Once he had it he removed the stone from it''s fitting and held it out for all to see. After a moment of tension the stone began to glow the most beautiful iridescent blue I have ever seen. Gasps echoed around us as the stone kept getting brighter. Finally just as I thought my cornea''s were going to burn up he replaced the stone in it''s fitting and gave the dagger back to a stunned Hamesh.


    The room was silent, everyone seemed to be waiting for something. All eye''s were on Dumask but his were locked with Conall''s. They stayed like that for what felt like a very long time before, finally the old man blinked and took a deep breath.


    "He is who he say''s he is. I never thought, in my lifetime I would actually get to meet a Royal Wolf. This is truly a glorious time. We have much to talk about."


    "Maybe a bit more wine? To help loosen the tension?" I suggested.


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    Each took his or her wine glass and held it out to be filled. As I passed around the table pouring drink after drink I sent a mental reminder not to drink the wine to Conall. After everyone''s glasses were full I replaced the bottle in the kitchen and took my place back at the table. Everyone had already drank enough while waiting for Conall earlier, for the potion to work, but just to be sure I proposed a toast.


    "I say we toast to our new ally, Once Conall takes his rightful place as King of the Wolven we will no longer have to live in fear of the Forest! We will once again have peace!"


    A round of cheers went up all around the table, and then they drank. I watched with anticipation and excitement. Conall looked as cool as an ice cube as he pretended to drink then sat the glass back on the table. He eyed Dumask then each other member of the council. His next word''s must be timed perfectly and delivered methodically and with grace. Now was the time to act. He straightened his back and to my surprise he didn''t speak to Dumask but instead he spoke directly to Beliad. (Imagine my surprise.)


    "Beliad? Why did you send the shade to attack Jaxon Sauder, Guardian of the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion?!"


    His voice was sharp and clear, it wasn''t accusing or demanding just inquisitive. Beliad looked at his glass while his left hand fiddled with the rim, tracing circles around it. He answered the question promptly, without even realizing it. His voice lulled by the truth serum.


    "It was the only way inside those damned gates of course."


    Gasp''s rose from everyone in the room, save for Conall who kept his fierce gaze on Beliad who by now had just realized he''d admitted to attempted murder. Hamesh and Trilla jumped to each side of Beliad as he tried in vain to escape. They latched onto both his arms and pinned him to his chair.


    Leona quick as lightning drew her blade and placed it at the base of his neck, she may be a woman of few word''s but she''s skilled with a blade. Conall stood and leaned over the table placing his hands upon it. It was definitely a dominant pose. Must be the wolf in em.


    "Beliad Cane, why did you try to kill Redalia Hood through the use of a Shade? Dark magic is forbidden in these lands along with serving and or following the banished murderer, Doran!"


    "I''ll tell you nothing! Filthy R¨ª Br¨¦agach!"


    Conall stiffened, every muscle in his body was fighting him, he wanted to attack. To rip out Beliad''s throat and feast on his blackened heart, but he remained where he was. Poised and controlled as always.


    "Calling me names will not distract me. You''ve drank enough Truth serum tonight to tell me whatever I want. I''ll not ask again. Tell me what I wish to know and do it quickly my patience wears thin."


    Beliad writhed in his seat, Hamesh and Trilla held fast. Both their faces twisted in disgust as they stared down at their fellow council member, the same member who had sworn to protect me and my identity with his life. He screamed and threw himself against the chair backing, I looked to Dumask but he just sat in his chair looking on at Beliad. A cooling sense of calm radiated off him, a quick look at his aura told mehe was very calm and patient. He was waiting for Beliad to divulge his plan. He seemed certain of something but of what I didn''t know.


    I pulled back my second sight so I could focus on the here and now. Beliad still thrashed and cursed in a language I couldn''t understand. Finally he spoke English again. Tears stained his cheeks as he hung his head and began to spill his wormy gut''s.


    "My Lord Duran has instructed me to kill the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion. So that the prophecy may never be fulfilled. I used Dark Magic to call the Shade and instructed him to use the guardian to gain entrance to the grounds. Redalia Hood must not be allowed to live, if she and the R¨ª Br¨¦agach were to ever come together it could mean the end of my Lords reign. "


    "What do you mean?...Come together?"


    My voice was strong and dominant. I meant business, I wanted to know what the hell was going on. Beliad laughed, an evil sort of make your skin crawl kinda laugh. You know like the ones you hear in horror movies right before the slutty girl gets axed? He looked up slowly and locked eyes with me.


    Suddenly, the world rushed past me. It was like I was being pulled down a tunnel by a very fast moving train. Colors rushed by, voices became just a jumble of noise. I was descending now, falling like Alice down the rabbit hole. I looked to either side of me trying in vain to locate a branch or rock to grab hold of, instead I was met with a vision.


    It played out in front of my eye''s like the picture on a T.V screen. It was Beliad, he was on his knee''s, his hand''s were clasped together as if he were praying but, no not praying...begging. A dark figure emerged from the shadow''s, his head cloaked in blackness that slipped around him like a clinging sheet. Beliad was crying and begging the figure not to kill him. The shadow smacked him to the ground only to lift him again into the air. He spoke in a harsh raspy tone I could just barely make out.


    "You will find a way into Hood Manor, you will find the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and you will plunge this dagger into her heart. You must then cut the heart out and bring it back to me with this dagger still resting inside it."


    "Yes, Yes anything master, but what of the Ceannaire an Wolven and master why do I have to leave that dagger inside the heart?"


    The shadowed figure threw Beliad to the ground again where he cowered like a beaten dog.


    "FOOL! This is no ordinary blade! Made from Ebony Stone, this is the only of it''s kind! It will stop the heart without killing it. Once you have the heart bring it to me here. Take special care Cane! I need that heart, still living! NOW GO!"


    "Yes, Yes my Lord. I shan''t fail you!! But.....the Ceannaire an Wolven? There has been whispers he is alive and seeking his mate. "


    "If he is alive I don''t care how you kill the beast, just find a way and do it! Use the Shades if you have too. Just KILL HIM!"


    I blinked and the image faded away before my very eyes. I shook my head, anger welled up inside me. Why did he need my heart so bad? Why didn''t he need Conall''s as well? We are supposed to be two halves of a whole, ying and yang, light and dark. I can''t stand not knowing anything about myself anymore! I felt my veins begin to warm, I knew the power within me was getting geared up for a show.


    I closed my eye''s and focused. I must be inside Beliad''s mind. It was his memory I saw, but I saw it as a bystander. I have to get out of here.


    "Mo Chori....."


    "Huh?"


    "Mo Chori...."


    "Conall?! Conall is that you? Help! I''m trapped in here, I''m falling and can''t stop I don''t know what the hell to do! It''s getting old pretty fast! I mean seriously my hair is practically straight as a pin by now, and I swear I''ll NEVER get these tangles out!"


    A deep chuckle filled my head.


    "Mo Chori focus on me, focus on the dining room table, come back to me my love, come baaaaack...."


    His voice started fading away, I quickly closed my eyes and tried my best to focus on the table and everyone else in the room. Suddenly from behind my closed lids a bright light shone, I took a deep breath then exhaled as I fell into Conall''s outstretched arm''s.

 6 Chapter 6

    "Mo Chori! Are you alright?!"


    "Yea, Yeah I''m good....ish. Hey how''s my hair?! Do I dare look?"


    I smiled in spite of myself.


    "Your hair is fine love, you never left our world."


    "What the what just happened to you girl?! You were all....zombie-fied, floating in the air, eye''s all glowing blue and stuff. It was totally creepy, like poltergeist creepy!" Trilla blurted out.


    "Redalia." Dumask''s deep voice snapped my attention to his kind face.


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    "What did you see my dear?"


    "See?"


    "In your vision."


    "How did you know...?"


    "I know many thing''s, except what you saw, please, tell us."


    "It was Doran and Beliad, he told Beliad to take a special dagger made from Ebony Stone and plunge it into my heart. He said it would sort of stop it but not kill it. Then he told him to cut it from my chest and take it to him. He also said...."I looked to Conall, tears threatening to fall.... "If Conall was truly alive, to kill him. He even told him to use a Shade if he had too. So I''m guessing Doran doesn''t know for sure you''re alive yet."


    "I see. In the spirit of honesty and since we are all still under the influence of the serum I feel the need to tell you I''ve been watching Beliad for a while now. I believed he had been coercing with Doran for some time. I never thought he would go to such lengths as to corrupt Jaxon though. Tell me is he...?"


    "Dead? No he''s restrained upstairs. That was something I needed the Councils help with, extracting the Shade."


    The speed at which shock and sorrow filled the moderately sized room would have broken any and all records known to man. A heaviness now sat like a lump in everyone''s throat''s, bad news was about to be delivered. Trilla and Hamesh looked from each other to Dumask, they fidgeted and shuffled in their spot''s.Dumask took in a long breath then released it,as if to say "What I''m about to do will take it''s toll on us all. But it must be said." He looked from his hand''s to Redalia as he spoke.


    "As you may know the extraction of a Shade is not an easy task, not much is known of their kind,what we do know is the vessel one inhabits must....die. Redalia, as long as Jaxon is alive the shade will use his body as it''s own. Shades are of Darkness, they feed off of the darkness that lives inside us. There''s not one person alive who doesn''t have a bit of the dark inside them. I''m so sorry my girl but, there''s nothing we can do short of killing him."


    I could practically hear her heart taking a nose dive out of her chest and crashing to the floor. She looked absolutely devastated, It broke my own heart to see her this way. I hadn''t known Jaxon, but he was tasked with protecting my mate and thus far he had done an amazing job. There had to be another way to extract the Shade without actually.....hold on a second, that''s it!


    "What if we kill the lad without actually killing him?"


    "What? Conall, you''re not making sense. How would we kill him but not kill him?"


    "Simple Mo Ghr¨¢, we use the Ebony Dagger. It will stop his heart without actually killing him. Then all we need to do is lay a trap to catch the Shade."


    "You.....are...a genius!"


    Redalia leapt into my arm''s and kissed me hard. It felt so good when she was happy, like my soul warmed inside me. Our moment of bliss was cut short however, by the rugged Scotsman.


    "Brilliant idea laddie, but how are we ta catch the Shade? They canoot be caught like a firefly in a jer." his tone wasn''t harsh, more like genuinely inquisitive. Dumask answered before I could.


    "If I recall correctly, Treya was our most effective asset against the Shade Invasion over the southern boarder farmlands, was she not? If anyone would know how to catch a free roaming Shade...it would be her."


    "Treya? No one ''as spoke ta ''er in years though. She resides in tha Bottoms now."


    "True but I believe if she''ll talk to anyone..."


    He slowly turned towards Trilla, who''s eye''s were lowered and who''s face was drawing upwards slightly. As if she had just caught a whiff of a bad odor. She tried to hide it but the look of disgust was plain upon her otherwise beautiful face.


    "...She''ll talk to her own blood. Trilla.....I wouldn''t ask if it were not absolutely necessary, you know that."


    "I know...still, it doesn''t make this any easier. I''ll call her and see if she''ll talk to me. Excuse me a moment." She and Hamesh threw Beliad into the chair he had occupied earlier and bound him tightly to it before Trilla turned to leave.


    Dumask nodded solemnly as Trilla bowed slightly then left the room.


    "I''d better go as well, in case she need''s...errr...a hand..."


    Hamesh bowed and hurried after Trilla, like a lost puppy looking for it''s home.


    It was just the four of us now. Dumask, Beliad, Redalia and myself, I sat back down and ushered for Redalia and Dumask to do the same. Beliad was unconscious in his chair, at least I hoped he was. I don''t believe I could handle any more of his mouth this evening.


    I brought my hand to my forehead and rubbed slowly, applying pressure at my temple. So much had been discovered tonight. Originally Redalia had shown worry that Dumask was the traitor but now we find it was Beliad, and Redalia''s vision...Goddess only knows what that was truly all about.


    We are two that make one. Her heart will never be completed without my own there with it....All these thing''s rushing through my head are enough to drive a man insane! My inner turmoil was interrupted my Dumask''s voice.


    "I don''t mean to interrupt what seems like a very deep thought, but I wonder if we may speak about the vision young Redalia had?"


    "A welcomed interruption, I assure you. Yes, of course we can talk about it. That is, if Redalia is up to it of course."


    She was looking down, staring at her hand''s below the table. I had a feeling she was here but her mind was not, I touched into her mind to edge her back to the conversation and reality. She need not be alone in her own head at the moment.


    "Mo Chroi, come back to us. You have strayed far and aren''t focused. Your mind is a whirlwind, please try my love. Focus and talk to us...talk to me."


    "I...I...I don''t know why...I''m trying to figure out why he need''s only my heart. I just can''t...I don''t..."


    I spoke out loud in hope''s it wold snap her out of the chaotic storm thundering in her brain.


    "That''s exactly what we''re going to figure out, I promise. Now, let''s just focus and please, calm yourself. I don''t like seeing you so upset and your mind so unclear. Let''s figure this out together."


    "I agree Redalia, we can figure all this out. Let''s just start with the obvious question. Why does he only want your heart? Any idea''s?"


    We sat in silence a moment. Until an idea suddenly popped into my head, albeit a very ludicrous idea.


    "Well, what if Doran is trying to...no, never-mind, that can''t be right. Redalia, Mo Chroi do you have any theories?"


    "No, but what were you going to say?"


    "Nothing, it''s an old story my father used to tell me when I was a child, it''s sort of like a legend among our people. But even Doran isn''t stupid enough to believe in it."


    "Well maybe he is, come on tell us. What''s the legend?"


    I sighed, knowing she would never give up nagging until I relented. Once again I found myself smiling at my mate''s tenacity.


    "Alright, but I''m telling you there''s no way this little story has anything to do with what Doran has planned, it''s just that, a story Redalia."


    She scooted her chair closer to mine, threw both elbows up onto the table and rested her chin against her fists, Goddess help me she was adorable and sexy all at the same time. I was going to have trouble keeping my hand''s off her for long period''s of time.Her eyebrows arched for a moment, then I realized she was in my head. Her silky tone slid into my mind like melted chocolate over a strawberry.


    "So I''m sexy and adorable huh? Hmm..."


    "Yes, Mo ghra you are, now let''s try to focus hmm?"


    Her chuckle was like music to my ear''s. So light and beautiful, as if angel''s sang withing it''s rhythmic tune. I pulled myself from my dream like state and cleared my throat.


    " This is the legend of the Healing Stone. It is said that long ago, before my people were brought into this world the Great God Cernunnos was walking the shores of Ireland with his Wolf companion, Mac Tire. He came upon a rock formation and he and Mac Tire sat to rest. Gazing out onto the sea Mac Tire suddenly saw a woman drowning in the great ocean. He leapt into the sea and saved the woman''s life. Having witnessed his bravery and compassion for the life of such a fragile creature as a human the great God healed the woman who had been badly beaten and gashed by the hard sea and it''s rocks that lived close to the surface. After that day Mac Tire would return to the beach and meet the woman, they would spend all the day''s together. One day though, the woman did not come. Mac Tire searched and searched but could not find the woman he had come to care for and love. In desperation he pleaded with Cernunnos to ask the God of the Underworld, Arawn if the woman''s soul was trapped within his domain. Cernunnos, unable to see his sacred animal in such terrible shape, did as he was asked and surly the woman''s soul now resided in the darkness of the Underworld. Mac Tire was heartbroken, but all was not lost. Cernunnos struck a bargain with the God of Darkness and Death. The woman''s soul could return to earth for exactly five years, but at the end of the five years and at the midnight hour the woman''s soul would return from whence it came. Mac Tire and the woman lived happily on earth together. Having heard of the lengths to which he had gone to, to save his beloved the God Taliesin granted Mac Tire his ability to shape-shift. Now Mac Tire could become human and sire a child. Unfortunately, not all the God''s and Goddesses were as understanding of the love Mac Tire and his mate shared. The Goddess Morrigan became jealous of their love and so she poisoned the woman. But because the woman had already died and was living on bargained time she did not die. That didn''t stop Morrigan from trying to separate them though. After month''s of trying she finally had the perfect plan. Morrigan poisoned the woman once more but when she and Mac Tire laughed at her failure, Morrigan too laughed, but she laughed at their ignorance. For she, the woman was now barren. Her womb would never produce a child. Mac Tire and his mate were filled with sorrow. Having seen and heard everything Cernunnos went to Mac Tire late in the night. He told him of a special stone that, if his mate wore it around her neck, it would heal her womb. Mac Tire set out that very night for what Cernunnos had called, The Cloch Cneasaithe, or as you would call it, The Healing Stone. Mac Tire searched and searched and braved many obstacles, the whole journey took him years to complete, when he finally retrieved the Cloch Cneasaithe he went back to his mate and soon she became swollen with child. Unfortunately though, the time for his mate to descend back to the Underworld was nearing. When it was time to birth the child she knew she would not live to see the morn, she delivered a healthy baby and then called Mac Tire to her side. He gently took her in his arms,though she was scared she knew her fate and she smiled at her lover as she slowly closed her eyes for the last time. Mac Tire, distraught with grief howled into the night . He called upon the God Taliesin and gave back to him the ability of shape-shifting and in his blind fury and sorrow he begged Cernunnos to find a home for his child with the humans. For she looked exactly like her mother. Now there are two endings to this tale. The one everyone knows is that Cernunnos took the Healing Stone and using old and ancient magic placed it inside the child''s heart. But the true ending is only known to the royal families. Cernunnos split the stone in half, it is said he waited very patiently throughout the decades for a female child of the humans and a male child of the wolves to be born, so that he may bestow upon each of them their rightful half of the stone. For in his eye''s no one person, man or beast, should carry the full weight and responsibility of the Healing Stone."


    I looked around the room slowly, everyone''s attention was fixated on my story. I found Redalia''s eye''s and placed my hand upon her warm cheek. Satin against sandstone.


    " I had a dream once when I was a young lad, I was in a lush, beautiful forest and Cernunnos came to me as a stag in that wood. He offered me a beautiful blue stone. Inside the stone....I saw you."


    Redalia, who had been listening so intently thus far blinked rapidly while tilting her head slightly. I quickly continued.


    "I sort of saw you , but I didn''t know it was you. The person I saw was blurry but I saw your eye''s and heard your laugh. I knew immediately we would be together one day. Cernunnos then took the stone and placed it inside my heart. The legend says that over the years whoever possesses the pieces of the stone shall be reborn again and again, the stone will stay with them, it''s power growing with each life they live. Some believe it''s the source of The Dearg Mac Tire Banrion and the Ceannaire an Wolven''s powers and the reason we are so drawn to each other....at least that''s what the legend say''s, I mean, and anyway it was only a dream brought on by father''s countless retelling of that old story."


    No one spoke, they all just stared at me. It was the absolute most awkward moment I''ve ever dealt with.....in my life. I felt the need to explain a little more. But stopped myself, I had to give them time to process without over complicating it. Instead I''d tell them what I was thinking.


    "I think Doran is after the Healing Stone, and I think that he thinks Redalia has the whole stone inside her heart. With the Ancient Healing Stone he would be..."


    "Immortal."Damask''s grim tone drove home what we were all coming to now realize.


    "I never knew tha story had a separate endin laddie. But you''re righ'' ifin Doran wanted ta become immortal all he woul'' have ta do is take tha stone fer imself."


    I wasn''t quite sure when Hamesh and Trilla had rejoined us but it seemed they had caught some of the story. Enough to piece it all together anyway. I was thankful I''d not have to repeat it.


    "Still yet Hamesh, even you and your people know the legend is just that, a legend. It''s not real. It can''t be....right?"


    "Then why do we glow?"


    "What?"


    Redalia''s voice was barely above a whisper. I could detect shock mixed well with a sense of revelation. She felt as if she had finally found the missing piece to a torturous jigsaw puzzle that had plagued her. I could practically feel a bit of the weight lift from her mind as she took her time and methodically chose her next few words carefully.


    "You heard me. Why do we glow? When we are together and I''m hurt or you try to heal me. Why do we glow? How is it we can heal rapidly when we are together but slowly while we are apart?!"


    She was hyper now, her eye''s wide with fancy and wonder. Could it really be true? Do we really and honestly have an ancient stone living inside us? How would....could....this be possible? It cant be! Can it? It was a DREAM! Wasn''t it? I mean all this time, I thought the legend''s and stories were just that, yet here we are. The two of us, heal faster when we are together, glow when we do the whole healing bit together, we feel each other even when we are in separate room''s, we can speak to each other through telepathy without actually having telepathy.


    I feel lost and alone when she''s not by my side, I have a need....a drive to protect her, I have this deep rooted sense that I....love her. Like real love. The kind that makes me want to give my life for her''s in an instant. But I barely know her! She barely knows me! How is it we both seem to be exhibiting these....symptoms? (For lack of a better word.) So much to figure out, so much to sift through, and so many questions still remain.


    Does Doran really believe the stone was never broken and lies within Redalia? What is his next move? Where will he strike? What are his weak points? Is there anything Dumask and the council can do to help us? So many question''s, yet I look over and see my beautiful Red, she''s smiling and laughing at something Hamesh said. Her smile, so perfect, her eye''s all lit up and sparkling like violet firework''s.


    I could stare at her and lose myself and the disaster we call our world. Sadly the facade can only last for a short time. We have to prepare, we need to make plan''s or at least ONE good....err....half way decent plan. No matter what, I''d not let anything hurt her. But now isn''t the time to think of that, now we had a different, yet still pressing matter to tend too.


    I pushed myself to my feet, grabbed the still unconscious Beliad, and shuffled through his robes till I found my prize.


    "So, what do you say we go free Jaxon of his demon''s?"

 7 Chapter 7

    The Ebony Dagger was truly a sight to behold. It was immaculate to say the least. A long ten inch blade that looked as if it were forged by some ancient being, sat perched on a handle that was as black as the darkest of night''s. It was wrapped in black leather that had obviously seen many battles. Though you could tell the dagger was no stranger to bloodshed it still managed to look breath taking.


    We admired it for only a moment though, Dumask quickly made easy work of removing all of Beliad''s memories of the night. He then used a heavy sleeping charm when he started to awaken and out like a light he was again. The plan was to save Jaxon then after everything was over we would assemble at the dining table just like we had been before, we would go through a fake meeting and adjourn late into the night leaving many question''s and planting many false ideas in Beliad''s head, we would also plant a fake Ebony Dagger in his holster.


    With any luck everything will work out and no-one will end up dead in a ditch somewhere...I hope. We fastened Beliad back into his chair so he couldn''t escape, though Dumask was fairly certain the sleeping charm wouldn''t wear off any time soon we still didn''t want to take any chances. Just as we were finishing up with his ropes we heard the buzz of my intercom, someone was at the gate.


    "That''ll be Treya then. I''ll go ''en let''er in." Hamesh said as he turned to leave. Trilla went with him. Funny, I wonder how long he''s been secretly in love with her.


    "From the looks of thing''s I''d say he''s loved her for a long, long time."


    "I''m not sure I''ll ever get used to your mental intrusions." I joked.


    "Oh they''re intrusions now? I seem to recall a certain someone, only moment''s earlier tonight, "intruding" into my thought''s."


    "Well maybe you shouldn''t think said thought''s so...loudly."


    He smiled and rolled his eye''s at my lack of banter etiquette. He was so handsome and charming. I almost forgot there was a deranged psychopath hunting me down and putting bounties on my head all over the Black Forest.My smile faded as I looked up to see Hamesh, Trilla and Treya enter the room.


    "Treya." I said as I nodded myacknowledgment.


    "Redalia, Dumask." she replied.


    "It''s been a long time Treya, thank you for doing this." Dumask explained what we were about to do and Treya, as I had guessed she would, agreed to help.


    "When that thing comes out of him it''ll be on a sort of auto pilot. They aren''t used to being forced out of their host''s body. It''ll go to whatever living thing is closest to it that has a dark spot on it''s soul. So everyone will need to be inside the protection circle when it comes out to play. Got it?"


    We nodded in unison. Conall and I lead everyone except Leona up stairs, she was to watch over Beliad until we had finished the deed. No matter how hard I try I don''t think I''ll ever be able to forget the feeling of absolute terror that came over me as we began our ascent up to the room Conall had locked Jaxon in. My heart beat so wild and fast I felt as if I''d have a heart attack before we ever made it to the room. Conall squeezed my hand reassuringly.


    Sadly though, it didn''t help much. I mean seriously, the last couple nights had been so friggin weird! I get attacked by a Bear Shifter, find out the legends are true and I''m the soul-mate to the true Wolf Prince, learn I have half of an ancient Healing Stone inside my heart that apparently is the reason Doran want''s me dead so badly, and oh let''s not forget the whole wanting to jump Conall''s bones almost every ten minutes thanks to this crazy animal magnetism, attraction thing we have going on.


    OH and lest we forget! My best friend and guardian has a friggin SHADE inhabiting his body!


    "Mo Ghra, We''ll get the Shade out and he''ll be fine after some healing."


    "Conall!"


    "It''s hard not to listen in when your practically screaming at yourself in your own mind Mo Chroi. You should really go easy on yourself. You didn''t ask to be the Red Wolf Queen. It was thrust upon you before you were ever even born. It is our destiny to save our people, together."


    I looked over and smiled slightly. He knew how to calm me, but now we were standing in front of the door to Jaxon. I stared at the door knob, willing my hand to raise and twist it. But it wouldn''t, no matter how hard I tried I just couldn''t bring myself to open the door. I closed my eye''s, took a deep breath then opened them again.


    "You are the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion! You have fought countless evil''s before, and over come great odds to survive and be here today. Now straighten your back, grab that knob and start acting like the highly trained and skilled assassin you are!" I whispered to myself through gritted teeth.


    I grabbed the knob and twisted. As the door opened and our sight was cast upon Jaxon, I gasped and nearly fell backwards. Jaxon''s body was covered in cut''s. Some were deep gashes that gave way to flowing rivers of red whilst others were more like harsh cat scratches that were just bad enough to make him bleed a little.


    I ran inside the room and tried to stop the bleeding from the worst of the gashes. Conall was right behind me followed by Dumask then everyone else. Dumask recited and incantation and Jaxon''s wounds began to heal. Suddenly he lifted his head and looked me straight in the eye.


    "Red? Red help me! Please help me. He said he was going to kill me when he came back. Please untie me! We have to go!"


    "What? Who said they would kill you?"


    "The Shade, he''s gone to report back to Doran. He said he''d be back before the night was out though, come on we have to hurry!"


    "Mo Chori, I don''t trust this."


    "What do you know?! You don''t even know her! We''ve been together most of our lives! Remember when I saved you down by the river when you fell in? You were 10 remember? I jumped in and saved your life, I caught pneumonia because of that! I''m telling you Red it''s me! It''s your Jax!"


    "Redalia, Shade''s have the power to see into the host''s memories." Dumask reminded me.


    "Treya, you know Shade''s the best. Can they leave their host''s by choice?" He asked.


    "It is rare, very rare, BUT it is possible."


    "There you see..." Jaxon spat.


    "HOWEVER..." she continued. "...we have a sure fire way of telling if the Shade still inhabits him."


    A dark smile slowly crept across her face as she moved to stand directly in front of my guardian. He eyed her suspiciously as she retrieved a dagger from it''s holster on he back. She brought it around to face him, twirling it with ease before bringing it to a halt directly in front of him. She then turned it so that he could see the side of the long, Elven shaped blade. His eyes widened for only a second but I caught it. He was scared all of a sudden. He took to the defensive.


    "You mean to kill me just to prove I still have a Shade inside me?! What kinda shit is that?!"


    "I''m not going to kill you. This blade was made by the great Elven Smith of the Black Forrest before his death. Upon it''s sides you will notice it is inscribed with the ancient Elven runes that not only extract.....but also eradicate. All I must do is simply touch Jaxon''s skin over his heart and the Shade will be pulled from his body like the leech it is. Granted we will not be able to question it afterwards, what with it being annihilated and all but I say it''s a small price to pay. Ultimately the decision rests with you, Mo bhanr¨ªon."


    It made no sense, I was lead to believe there was no other way to draw out a shade then to kill the host. I stood, all eye''s on me. I couldn''t help but feel like something wasn''t right. Then it hit me! DUH, she''s lying! She''s trying to get him to talk! Had I payed attention I would have noticed those aren''t the REAL runes for extraction and eradication! I chanced a second glance at her blade, she shifted her hand ever so slightly so as to give me a better look. I had learned ancient Elven when I was only a child, I loved to read in the big library at THE ELITE H.Q.


    No one else saw it but I knew in that moment she knew I had caught on to the play. I gave a nod, barely noticeable by any except Conall. Of course he noticed. (EXTREMELY perceptive, that one.) Before I had a chance to reach out to him I began to feel his voice warmly slipping into my head. It always felt so nice and comforting when he was inside my noggin.


    "Care to let me in on the game? I know for a fact those runes do not mean what she claims they mean."


    "Hey, how do you know ancient Forest Elven?"


    "Ahh Mo Chori how quickly you forget, I''m a prince. I know much about the world and it''s languages."


    I made a mental note to pick his brain later about a few phrases in the ancient tongue I was curious about.


    "She is making him believe if she touches him with that blade he''ll die a horrible death. What I''m worried about is, what if he tries to test her? What if he''s just all like, Go ahead bitches. What then?"


    "What do you propose we do then my dear?"


    Ohhh I love when the shivers run up my spine every time he call''s me pet names. RED FOCUS!! I mentally slap myself, he apparently noticed that last little comment because I heard the faint gruff of a chuckle in my head.


    "Ok, I have a plan just roll with me and whatever you do don''t mention the Ebony Dagger."


    "Whatever you say Mo Ghra."


    "No." I said in a low voice.


    Theimmense look of relief on Jaxon''s face was enough to tell me the Shade was still inside him. I lowered my eye''s and began my best "sniffling" and "sobbing" routine. Then I straightened my back and moved to stand beside Treya. I placed one hand on her blade an gently helped her lower it as I placed my free hand upon her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze as I looked her in the eye.


    "We can''t take the chance the Shade will escape after being pulled free of Jaxon. He wouldn''t be able to live with himself if we all died because of him. I''ll take care of this."


    I winked, the turned around to face Jaxon. I called upon the ancient powers inside me.


    "Dumask, the circle please. Everyone get inside it once he has it done."


    A moment later Dumask has the circle drawn and the incantation spoken. Conall comes to stand beside me, he takes my hand as he stares at Jaxon and suddenly I feel a surge of power unlike any I''ve ever felt before. I knew in that instance it was the ancient power of the Wolven. It was deeply rooted in Earth Magic.


    My arms and hands began to crackle with blue electricity, I glanced over to Conall and to my surprise he too is crackling with power. Thin, blue, lightning bolts are coursing all over his skin as he stares straight ahead, never averting his eye''s from Jaxon''s now terror stricken face. I look deep into Jaxon''s eyes but all I see is black. Suddenly the warm silk returns to my brain.


    "Now what my love?"


    "Now...we scare the hell outta him! Think you can amp it up?"


    "Oh, Mo Ghra...this is not even a fraction of my power. Hold tight love, this is going to get bright and loud."


    Before I knew it his grip on my hand tightened and the power that hit me all at once took my breath away. I quickly composed myself and let the waves wash over me. It felt so amazing, so rejuvenating and freeing to have all that power just pulsing through me!


    For a moment I almost forgot what we were doing, but a quick look at my surrounding''s reminded me and in an instant I was back into my role of distraught bff. I looked down on Jaxon with as much sorrow in my gaze as I could muster.


    "The real Jaxon wouldn''t want to go on living with a Shade inside him. Conall, we have to end him."


    "Yes, I agree. Though I didn''t know him well I believe he cared for you and would want you to do what you feel is best. Shall I do it for you?"


    "No, I''ll do it. Since Jaxon can no longer feel, the pain we inflict will only phase the Shade. Thankfully they can not leave the host body unless the host dies. I knew he was lying earlier, he thought I was an idiot but it look''s like the joke is on you Shade."


    Jaxon''s face twisted up in disgust and fear.


    "Be ready with the Ebony Blade, when it leaves his body plunge it into Jaxon''s heart. It''ll lock him outta his body. Treya will catch him as he tries to escape."


    "Got it!"


    "You idiot''s! I''m no more ted to this pathetic meat bag as the wind is tied to the tree''s. I move between humans and beasts as though I''m changing clothes! You will all die after Doran find''s out about you two!" he spat at Conall and myself.


    With that Jaxon''s body convulsed towards the ceiling, his back arched, his eye''s rolled, the Shade was emerging. I recited the protection incantation as Conall lunged forward with the Ebony Dagger. As soon as the Shade had pulled free of Jaxon, Conall plunged the dagger into his heart. I quickly grabbed Conall and jerked him inside the barrier Dumask had created.


    The Shade gave out a horrific shriek as he realized he had been duped. He tried to enter Jaxon but failed, then he turned on us and charged the barrier but it held fast. Seeing he had no other option he opted to flee but Treya quickly threw her bag to the floor and released the contents onto the floor behind a large luggage crate. The Shade was growing frantic now, desperate to escape. He spied movement in the corner and smiled wickedly.


    "You''re all going to die once I get back to my master!"


    Then he dove towards the corner of the room. Treya was ready, the rat she had released from her bag had been bound by a rope of twine. She jerked it back towards her and grabbed the flailing creature. Quickly she covered it''s face in a cloth and snapped it''s neck while Dumask recited a binding spell. Once we were al sure it was safe, Dumask lowered the barrier. I ran to Jaxon''s body and quickly pulled the dagger from his chest, as I waited for him to breathe I heard Dumask and Treya behind me.


    "You must keep the face covered. He is bound inside the body but should the face become uncovered he will escape. You must cut each limb from the rats body and burn each piece separately. All except the head. It must be blessed in a spring running off the mountain then plunged in oil and burned. Can you handle that?"


    "Trilla and Hamesh can do it. She knows the blessings and he can help. Hamesh, Trilla, do as Treya has instructed. Do not falter or we may release the evil back into the world and he would surly find his way back to his master. Now, once Redalia has Jaxon squared away I want him taken home. Then we have to follow the plan as before. Do not forget the snake that sits below our very feet. We must put on a good show for him."


    Just then Jaxon inhaled sharply. He blinked several times then looked up at me. His smile was weak.


    "Well hey Red. Whats shaken, aside from my intestines."


    "Oh you big idiot. Are you ok? You had a pretty damn rough night."


    "Yeah, yeah I know all about it."


    I looked at Conall in shock. Everyone became very silent and still. We looked on at Jaxon. He stared back at up quizzically.


    "What?"


    "How do you know what happened? We were lead to believe you were dormant inside your own mind."


    "Oh, yeah I was, at least for a little while. I came too earlier while you had me locked in here alone. I saw a black shadow looking thing pacing the floor in front of me. I kept my head low and stayed quiet until I could figure a way outta this mess, then I heard him talking to himself. He was scared, he didn''t know what Doran would do to him if he failed in his mission. He wanted to leave but kept complaining about not being able to actually leave my body for very long. Eventually he''d have had to of gone back inside me. Apparently..." Treya cut him off.


    "Shade''s can go outside the host body but they can''t actually leave it for too long. I''d heard tales....but never thought they were more than that." she rubbed the back of her neck.


    "Jaxon, are you alright? Really?" I asked.


    "Yeah Red, I''m Ok. I really need a shower and something to eat though, and if you could untie me that''d be just swell." he laughed.


    "Oh, yeah! Sooo about that.....it''s not exactly rope that we bound you with."


    ".....What?"


    "Yeah, it''s just that...well, tape is what I had on hand."


    "Tape?! As in Duct Tape? Oh damn it Red!"


    "I''m sorry! But normal people don''t have rope just lying around all willy nilly."


    "WHAT about us is normal Redalia?! Ugh....ok just rip it off...like a band-aide."


    "Ok, Ok sheesh. You don''t have to be such a grump."


    "Really? Really Red?"....riiiiiip..."OOOOWWWWWW WHAT THE...."


    "Only about 1000 more to go!" I smiled at him.


    I quickly set to work with Conall, un-taping Jaxon from the chair. After getting him up and walking he decided he could drive home by himself. He swore he''d have Alexandria text me to let me know he was Ok. I let him leave only after he looked me in the eyes and swore, again, to have her text me, then he kissed my head, shook Conall''s hand whilst uttering something I''m guessing only Conall could hear based on his facial expression, then he left.


    We quickly set about cleaning up and replacing ourselves at the dining room table as if nothing had happened. Dumask snapped Beliad awake with a quick flick of his wrist and we proceeded about our plan for the rest of the evening. Doing just as we had agreed upon, we laid the seed''s of deception in Beliad''s mind as well as a false Ebony Dagger in his sheath.


    Treya had forged the fake dagger using some old magic from her Earth Elf Powers. After a very long evening we finally bid goodnight to everyone and ended the meeting. When we were in the clear and everyone was gone Conall and I made quick work of the dishes via the dishwasher and practically bolted upstairs to see who could get the first hot shower before bed.


    He beat me up the stairs but I maneuvered the hallway better and ended up inside the threshold of my bedroom only a fraction of a second before him. I sauntered off to the bathroom, pride swelling my ego with every step. I could hear him muttering something about me being a dirty cheat under his breath and abruptly did an about face! His head swung towards me then a smile inched it''s way across his beautiful features.


    He knew I''d heard him. I slanted my eyes at him then turned and walked inside the bathroom, turned on the water in the shower and waltzed back to the door where I leaned against the door frame. Conall''s smile never faltered as he began to remove his jacket, shirt and then his pant''s and socks. His peck''s were taut and bulging as he moved. He then stretched upwards and laid himself back on my king size bed.


    He laced his fingers behind his head and raised an eyebrow at me. I glared at him, then decided two could play at thatgame. I turned slowly and crossed my arms in front of me as I very slowly slid the dress up my body. Once I was free of its constraints I tossed it on top of the chair closest to my bathroom door. I watched his reflection in the mirror as his eye''s roved all over me. I relished in the fact he was so drawn to me.


    After removing everything down to my birthday suit I sauntered over to the shower and slowly stepped under the waterfall of heat. Every muscle in my body ached for Conall to touch it, after a moment I thought I''d have to switch to a cold shower just to calm myself down but thought better of it. I quickly washed my hair and scrubbed my body until I was covered from head to toe in a pink sheer.


    I turned off the water, grabbed my towel from the rack and stepped out onto my lush bath mat. Once I was fairly dry and had my towel dried hair pinned up on my head I wrapped myself in the fluffy, black, cotton robe that hung on the back of my door and exited the bathroom. Moonlight shown through the window as I made my way to the bed. Conall immediately jumped up and headed for the bathroom.


    "Any body wash that doesn''t smell like a woman?"


    "Nope, sorry Jaxon didn''t leave any after his last visit."


    "Well, why don''t you try making me some?"


    I looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. Well that''s a strange request. He chuckled at my attempt to look offended.


    "Think of a scent you''d like me to smell like. Concentrate on it, see the bottle clearly in your mind. Got it?"


    I thought of a scent I really, really liked, mmm Kilo by Axe or wait...maybe that one with the polo guy on the front of the box. Oh it smelled soooo good. I''d stumbled upon this particular scent while shopping for Jaxon''s Christmas present at the mall last year. I focused in on the scent I wanted then flicked my fingers at the bathroom wall. I felt the bottle materialize instantly.


    "Now there is." I said ecstatically!


    I could get used to this new power!


    "How''d I do that?"


    "It''s because we fused our powers together, you now have some of mine and I have some of yours. We share them as one. I can see your Aura now. It''s a magnificent shade of violet trimmed in gold and neon blue."


    I smiled at him as he turned and went back inside the bathroom to shower. I liked being able to flick my finger''s and have whatever I wanted just appear. I heard the shower burst to life and a second later I heard Conall''s deep Irish voice reciting what I could only figure was an ancient Celtic tune. I took the opportunity to blow dry my unruly hair.


    I used to think having kinky curly hair was a curse but as I grew older and learned how to manage it, it became a blessing in disguise. Men seemed to be very attracted to curly haired vixens with Violet eyes and they would pay big bucks to sit and talk to me all night at my bar. I became overwhelmed with the memories of some of the stories those men had told me.


    Such sadness lay inside most of them. Broken hearts or broken homes, all over the very poison I so willingly provided to them. But in all honesty, that was my job. It takes money to survive in this world. Though it was my job to sell them the alcohol and liquor, I sometimes couldn''t help but send out a calming aura to a few particularly sad patron''s. My thought''s were interrupted when a strong hand wrapped itself around my face and turned me towards the opposite side of my bed.


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    "Mind if I interrupt?"


    I smiled. "You, can always interrupt."


    "You look sad Mo Ghra, are you alright? I know today was very challenging. If you wish it, I''d be happy to simply hold you while we slept."


    I could tell he meant what he said, but I was wound tighter than a fiddle string and was in desperate need of some release. I smiled coyly at him as I turned and gathered myself on all fours before plopping down with my legs tucked under me. I proceeded to slide the robe off my shoulders slowly. I let it free fall only to gather in a pool around my waist. I lowered my eyes so he couldn''t read my intimidation and frankly, my nervousness.


    I felt the gentleness of his hand caress my cheek before it pulled my face up to look directly into his almost glowing, emerald eyes.


    "Redalia, never be nervous when you are with me. Your love is the only reason my heart beats, your beauty is unsurpassed by any, to me. Your laugh, your smile, your heart....You are the only woman I will ever love, the only one I will ever be with from this day forward. We are two....." I finished his sentence without even thinking about what I was doing.


    "...that make one." I said as I lifted my gaze to meet his.


    "I love you, Redalia. One day, I know you will be able to truly love me in return."


    I stared into his eyes, searching for any sign of false intentions, any glimmer of a lie, but none were to be found. This man who sits before me genuinely loved me. His aura shone brightly to me now. It was an array of intertwined colors. Pinks and greens danced and swam with blues and golds and purples. He was truly in love, not lust but possibly REAL love and it was all for me.


    I had known from the moment I saw him in the parking lot of my bar, The Dark Horse, he was the man I was meant to be with. Covered in blood, half unconscious, but still there was something that kept drawing me to him. From the moment my hand had touched his fur as he brushed passed me in his wolf form to the moment he saved my life by nearly ending his own to remove a poisoned claw from my back, I knew we were meant to be.


    I fought it this whole time, only half letting myself believe the stories and prophecies, trying to brush off the need that burned inside me whenever he was around, yet here we are. Sitting on my bed nearly naked and all he can do is care about my needs and whether or not I know how he feels about me. I know how he feel''s now it''s time I told him how I feel.


    "Conall from the first moment you brushed my hand at the bar I felt....something. At first I was unsure, but as we spent more time together the feeling began to grow and blossom. I know what it is. I''ve known all along. But.....I''m scared, Conall, and I don''t scare easy. I can hold my own in any situation, except situations of the heart. I want to tell you something."


    He nodded and gave a small encouraging smile as he sat up and turned his body to mirror mine.


    "Conall, I....that is I....uhh..well...." Why is this so hard to admit?!


    "Redalia, you don''t have to..."


    "I think I love you."


    It was as if a great weight had lifted off of my shoulder''s. I felt light as a feather as I smiled up at Conall''s beaming face. He grabbed me and pulled me into a bear hug as he flopped backwards onto his back the rolled on top of me. We both laid there just laughing and smiling. Suddenly I felt the slight dampness of a tear slide down beside my eye and into my hairline above my ear. Conall gently wiped it away and chuckled.


    Then he lowered his head and kissed me. The kiss started off slow and sweet but the longer his lips lingered the more I wanted them. Like a starved dog at Thanksgiving dinner. I began running my hands along his taut, muscled body. He deepened the kiss then. I tangled my fingers in his thick, chocolate hair and pulled him into me. One hand braced beneath us while his other slid beneath what remained of the robe around my waist. His expert fingers found their target.


    I began to moan slightly as he rubbed the mound just beneath the flesh between my thighs. As he quickened his pace I began to arch my back and gyrate with him. I could feel his erection against my leg, I released his mouth to suck in a deep breath of air. He took the freedom from my lips in stride as he quickly latched on to my pink, tight little nipple. I moaned again and threw my head back as he licked and sucked then licked and nipped at the sensitive peak.


    Just when I thought I could take no more he threw my robe to the ground , along with his. He pulled back the thick comforter and placed us both beneath it. Then he settled himself on top of me, his eyes bore holes deep into my soul as he readied himself for penetration. I opened my legs to him and welcomed all of him inside me.


    He slowly began thrusting, trying to ease himself inside. He moaned and stopped once or twice but then picked right back up where he left off. Not even missing a beat. I was stretched to my limit but I didn''t care. I wanted all of him. I slid my hands down his body until I reached his tight ass, I gripped each cheek firmly and helped him thrust even harder.


    He moaned in my hair and kissed my neck as he started pumping faster and harder. He grabbed handful''s of my hair and pulled my head backwards, exposing my neck to him. He grunted and moaned again and again, it only heightened my experience. He was so big and hard I could barely stand it, I thought I''d lose my mind for sure before the end of our love making. I never wanted it to end. Then I heard him whisper in my ear.


    "Redalia...*grunt*...I can''t hold out for much longer...."


    "Bite me...."


    "Mo Ghra, are you sure? You know what that means."


    "Oh Conall....Do it! Bite me please. Make me yours and only yours."


    "Forever, A stor...."


    I felt the bite but what I thought was going to be painful, was actually painless. In fact it was quite....pleasurable! I closed my eyes as I leapt off the edge of my constraints and allowed myself to let go. I clawed at my lovers back as I moaned in a breathless voice that I was climaxing.


    I begged Conall to thrust harder and deeper then faster and harder again. A sudden jolt of pure ecstasy flooded my body as I found my release and climaxed. Conall followed suit and did the same. We lay, tangled and dirty once more. Only this time he had bitten me. I was now his and his alone, I was now marked by the Wolf Prince. Breathing heavy and completely at ease and exhausted I ran a lazy hand through Conall''s mane. He moved slightly beneath my fingers, then pulled himself up on to his shoulder and smiled at me. I smiled back, then leaned in and let him kiss me.


    "You are now and forever will be, Mo sh¨ªorghr¨¢."


    "Mmm, what''s that one mean?" I asked half asleep.


    "It means My Eternal Love. We belong to each other now."

 8 Chapter 8

    She lay there in the nook of my arm, so quiet and peaceful. I watched her chest rise and fall slowly as she inhaled and exhaled my scent. The moonlight washed over her like a satin sheet across her body. She had fallen asleep not long after we had made love and sealed our bond.


    Her curly mess of Chocolate locks framed her beautiful elvish like face, while long lashes hid her vibrantly shining violet eyes from my view but I knew they were there, resting for the time being. I ached to touch her, but I knew better. For to wake this sleeping Goddess would be a crime against all art. That is what she looked like to me, a beautiful masterpiece. Inside and out.


    She jerked suddenly, just a slight twitch of her arm and hand but enough to peak my interest. I watched as her face slowly took on the look of discomfort then quickly shifted to horror. She jerked again, this time twisting away from me. She raised her arms as if to shield herself from an oncoming invisible attack.


    I rolled to one side and propped myself up on my elbow as I reached out to try and wake her. She flailed again and this time a gut wrenching scream exploded from her chest. I bolted upright and grabbed her arm''s so she did not do more damage to herself.


    She now had an open wound on her neck and one on her face from trying to fight off the dream attacker. I gave her a shake and called her name sternly, nothing. I shook her a bit more aggressively and again called her name, still nothing. She seized in my arms then slumped into a pile on my lap.


    I hurriedly ran to the bathroom and retrieved a cold wash rag and placed it on her head then the back of her neck in an attempt to wake her. I gently called her name and reached out to her mind. Once I was inside I could see she was horribly distraught, she was lost in her own head, unable to discern what was dream and what was real. I touched into her frantic thoughts.


    Sending calming rushes to her I slowly guided her back to reality. She was almost awake when I started retreating from her thoughts. A quick flash in the corner of my vision gave me pause, I looked closer but saw nothing. Upon a more thorough investigation I found what I thought I had saw, it was a fleeting memory. It darted from view many times in the short stint of my visit.


    I made a mental note to ask Redalia about this strange goings on. I pulled free of her mind just in time to see her eye lids flutter open. She looked around, shocked and confused. Then her gaze rested on me.


    "What the hell happened? I feel like I just went 10 rounds in the cage with "The Notorious" himself!


    "It looked as if you were having a nightmare, but when I tried to wake you, you wouldn''t budge. Then you clawed your face and neck. It doesn''t look t bad though. We should be able to get you healed in no time. Can I ask....what were you dreaming of?"


    I thought for a long moment before answering honestly.


    "I remember feeling overwhelmingly scared and then it was like pure terror. No holds bar...real life terror. Then there was something trying to kill me and ¡­....nothing. Everything is a blur."


    We sat in silence a moment then she got up to go clean herself up in the bathroom. I took the opportunity to fix the sheet she had ripped off the bed during her fit. It was then that I saw a glint through the window as if light were being reflected off of a very shiny surface. I stood and made my way over to unlock it and look around when Redalia came back from straightening herself out.


    She rubbed the back of her neck then stood in front of me and placed her head on my chest, taking in a few deep breaths. She looked up at me, worry clouding her otherwise brilliantly shimmering eyes, I wanted to stare into those eye''s forever. But I couldn''t shake the curiosity eating away at me.


    I looked back at the window as I placed a protective arm around Redalia''s waist. She noticed my unease immediately and began following my eye line out the window. She saw it before I did and gave a slight gasp then cursed herself under her breath.


    My gaze quickly darted to where she was staring. A tall masculine figure stood just beyond the fence that bordered Red''s land. A deep growl began in my chest and quickly bubbled to the surface, I tightened my grip on Red and moved her behind me. Every hair on my neck stood at attention.


    The figure looked upat us in the window and beneath the lip of his worn leather Bush hat I saw a twisted smile form. He looked like he had just stepped out of an Indiana Jones movie to be honest. He kept his hat low so the only view of his face I got was of his cheek and jaw. But it was enough to see a white scar that ran down his left cheek.


    It was my guess, from the tragectory of the scar and the thickness that it covered his left eye as well. There was only one man I knew that had a scar like that, I prayed I was wrong in my assumption. Just then we heard a buzz coming from the nightstand. It was Red''s phone, she had a new text. She walked briskly around the bed and grabbed the phone and disconnected the charger. I heard her unlock the screen, type a few keys then gasp.


    I looked back at her then back out the window. The figure was gone. I cursed myself for looking away then locked the window tightly. Then I sat at the end of the bed and rubbed my neck and head. I was so tired but I knew I needed to go after the man.


    I stood back up and walked towards Redalia who looked as if she were about to hit the floor. All color had drained from her face. I gently took the phone from her, she looked away quickly.


    I knew she hated showing so much emotion. I rubbed her shoulder''s and kissed her forehead. Then I ushered her back into the bed and laid with her, stroking her hair until she was nearly asleep. She gave a slight yawn then asked...


    "Conall, who do you think he was?"


    I thought for a moment. If I tell her now, she may want to go after him. She is after all a member of THE ELITE. It would be her first instinct to track him down and question him. Maybe I could put off telling her until I know for sure it''s him.


    "You cant hide thing''s from me ya know."


    Her voice was laced with exhaustion and sleep depravity, but still she had a point. She''d know I was lying if I tried to hide from her what I was thinking.


    "You can tell me in the morning, I''m too tired to deal with it now anyway. Besides we need to get some sleep before work."


    "Work?" I said with a smile.


    "Yea work. I OWN a bar remember. I can''t just close up shop because some jackass is trying to steal my heart. Hell, if I stayed home every time that happened I''d never go to work."


    She cocked her head slightly and opened one beautiful eye just enough to peek out at me and smile lazily. I returned her smile and raised my eyebrow at her tenacity.


    "So there are many men who want to steal your heart huh?"


    "Oh yeah, I''m a hot commodity around these part''s."


    I chuckled at her ability to turn any situation into a joke. Then I slid closer as she snuggled into my chest. A few deep breaths and twitching hand''s later and I knew she was once again fast asleep. I hoped this time she would find only peace and joy in her dreams.


    It was then I remembered the phone, I had put it on my nightstand after I''d taken it from Redalia. The text she''d received had drained her of color and seemed to have put her in a state of disarray. I gently adjusted Redalia so she rolled onto her side away from me then I sat up and snatched the phone off the nightstand.


    I quickly unlocked the screen and opened her messaging app. What I saw chilled me all the way to my core. I turned the phone back off and replaced it on my nightstand. Anger welled up inside me. I laid back down, threw my arm over my eyes and begged my brain to just let me turn myself off and get some sleep.


    But every time I closed my eye''s all I could see were the word''s of the text, burning a hole in my mind.


    "Beautiful dress tonight my lovely little witch. Though if I were you I''d reconsider the company I keep. Beware the thief in the shining knights armor, for he is not at all what he is perceived to be. Until we finally meet, Just remember I''ll be watching.


    V."


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    I knew then my worst fear had been realized. Doran had sent the most feared creature in all the Black Forest after my mate. Stories of Veno Petrov had been circling throughout all the Wolven clans all across the globe. He was not only a skilled and deadly fighter, he was said to be horrifically savage.


    In one case, a young couple had borrowed money from the mob boss who employed Petrov. When they couldn''t pay back their debt the boss sent Petrov to their home. Once there, he butchered the husband in front of his wife. It was said he took great pleasure in hearing her screams as he ravaged her then left her for dead.


    I couldn''t allow myself to think about all this now though, Red was right. I''d have to tell her the truth but not now. Now she should be allowed to sleep, to dream whatever she likes, whatever eases her mind and comforts her. For after tomorrow, after I tell her about Veno Petrov, she may not sleep comfortably for a long time.


    I rolled in close to Red and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close to my chest. I breathed in her scent, she smelled of Sweet Apples. Like Macintosh fresh off the tree, I relished in it. I closed my eyes and once again attempted to fall asleep.


    This time though I felt a presence in my subconscious. It warmed me and eased me into sleep, it was my Red, come to help me get some rest.She held my hand fast as she pulled me into her dream. The sun shone bright, the sand was warm and the water cool. Before I knew it we were relaxing on a beach. I looked over at my mate, thankful to her and appreciative of her caring nature. She smiled back in her sly, coy like way. This girl will be the death of me.


    When I woke the next morning Red was no where to be seen. I quickly scanned the house for her via our telepathic bond. Nothing. This wasn''t good. I shot out of the bed then suddenly remembered I had no clothing here. Looking around the room for a moment I saw a note on my nightstand.


    "Hey,


    Had to go into work a bit earlier than usual. Something about a coon in the kitchen. Clothes are in the other room in the dresser. We''ll go shopping this afternoon and get you some new stuff of your own if you like. Come on down to the bar when you''re ready. I expect you can find your way easy enough.


    R."


    Well that solves the clothing issue I suppose. I pushed myself up and left to get cleaned up, change and get down to the bar.After a nice hot shower and some fresh clothes I grabbeda quick bite to eat on my way down to The Dark Horse.I made a mental note to stop off at the local car dealership to purchase a new vehicle before the day was out.


    It wasn''t a particularly long walk, nor was itbothersome in any way. I just thought a car or truck would be faster since I couldn''t run in my wolf form here. I''d learned a long time ago, people in this day and age do not believe in the Wolven like they used too. If I ran in the open I would be seen as prey to they or worse...a predator who would kill their families.


    No, human form was best in this kind of delicate situation. Before long I was standing in front of what looked to be the classic dive bar. The Dark Horse was a simple establishment yet it held the aura of self confidence that Redalia emitted. It must be why people flock to her. Humans tend to gravitate towards the people who embody what they all want in life or how they want to be.


    The outside was done in a moderate old cabin style wood siding while river rock surrounded the door. Infused inside the double doors there sat two beautiful pieces of stained glass, twin horses, black as night with fierce glowing blue eyes faced each other, standing on hind legs as if ready to charge into battle.


    I knew immediately the doors had been spelled with an Alluring Charm, it''s meant to draw people in. That was a good idea on Redalia''s part. The more people come in the more money she makes even if people only want to sit in a nice calm place to have a drink or to sit and just pass the time, she still makes a profit. Smart lass. I smiled to myself and pushed through the doors. Redalia greeted me from the bar by waving me over, a smile plastered upon her gorgeous face.


    Though I felt the eyes of every woman in the place land on me the moment I walked in, I only had eyes for my Red. I made my way to the bar where I sat down directly in front of her. She wiped the bar down before looking at me.


    "Well hey there sleepy head."


    "Hey yourself, lass."


    "Get yourself all rested up did ya?"


    "You could say that. I about had a heart attack when I woke and you were gone. Red, you know you have to be careful."


    "I know, but I had a call from Jax this morning. He said Alexandria had come in and opened the bar for me and it looked like a coon had been in the kitchen. All the food had been thrown everywhere, bags ripped open, silverware thrown all over the place. It was a damn mess and a half. We ended up throwing a ton of produce out and scrubbing everything down with bleach and Tornado this morning."


    "A raccoon did all that? It doesn''t exactly sound like a little old coon to me Mo Ghra."


    "Yeah me neither, but I couldn''t tell them that. Anyway I got it took care of. So, I wanted to talk to you about me hiring you."


    "Ok, what do you want me to do?"


    "Well, have you ever worked the line before?"


    "The line? Oh! You mean have I ever been a chef?"


    "Yeah, in a sense of the word. Since it''s a bar I don''t really employ a chef, just a really good cook. But he need''s a bus boy."


    "Oh...well if that''s where I''m needed that''s where I can go. Though if we''re talking in the way of experience, I used to tend bar in Charleston for a time. When I was searching for you. I also bounced for that same establishment."


    "Oh! Well that works out perfect! I''ve been tending bar here forever. I can''t seem to find anyone who can handle the Friday night rush. No one makes it passed their first Friday. You''re welcome to try though if you want."


    I flashed her my brightest smile. Then winked as I leaned in to close the gap between us and kissed her.


    "Challenge accepted."


    She smiled back at me. Goddess I loved her smile! Suddenly her attention was called to the other end of the bar. She nodded in the customers direction then flashed him a toothy grin before expertly pouring him another glass of Killians Brew.


    He thanked her then went back to his previous conversation with his guest. Redalia came back to me but had no time to speak. She was demanded back and forth all afternoon. Not once did I see her get to sit down. She poured countless drinks, all the while thrilling everyone in the building with her "Alcoholic Acrobats" as she called them.


    She twisted and threw bottle after bottle into the air then caught them behind her back, in front of her chest, under her leg, then she twirled them in her palms with the ease of someone who had done this their entire lives. She smiled all the while, I could see by the color of her aura, she was truly happy. She had fun with these people, and what made her happy, made me happy.


    Our happiness was short lived though. Just as she threw a bottle of Old No.7 in the air, the doors slammed open. Drawing everyone''s attention to the men standing in it''s frame. Remembering the bottle suddenly Redalia used her quick reflexes to catch it just in time before it hit the bar and shattered.


    She placed the bottle beneath the bar and wiped her hands off on her rag hanging from her packet. Then she placed her hands on the bar''s edge and leaned against it as she smiled at the men in her doorway.


    "Well, come on in and find a seat boy''s there''s room for all."


    I could feel her pushing a calming spell throughout the bar. It was draining her energy fast. She leaned on the bar a bit more. The men moved slow as they entered. Slowly people started going back to their drinks and food. I knew it was because of Red''s spell.


    The men chose the tables in the darkest corner of the bar, next to the pool tables. Three of the men started pulling out the pool cues from the wall and chalking them up. Then one of the three found therack and started lining the balls up inside it. I scanned the area but found nothing from them. I knew immediately what they were.I turned back to Red and reached out.


    "Mo Ghra, the men in the corner. They aren''t men at all."


    "What are they then? They''ve never been in here before. I don''t think they''re from Sanctuary."


    "They aren''t.They''re Dark Reapers...."


    "What?! No, they can''t be. Check again."


    "A stor, they have no aura. Every living or dead thing that has a soul has an aura. These creatures have no souls. They used to though. Back when they were Wolven."


    "Conall....what do we do?"


    "Nothing. We wait for them to make the first move. Until we find out what that move is, I think it best we act like bar keep and customer."


    "Agreed. Alexandria has that section. I think I''ll give her a hand."


    "Redalia NO!"


    To late, she was already on her way over to the table, smile on her face, pen and paper in her hand. I swear this woman was going to be the death of me!

 9 Chapter 9

    I was practically drowning in all the jealousy flowing off the women in the bar this evening. Ever since Conall dropped in he''s been the focus point of all the conversation''s between the women folk of Sanctuary. I smiled to myself, though, a little pride did in fact swell my chest a bit and even though Janet Bouldaire kept going to the ladies room just to pass by him and shove her fake air bags in the air as she did so, he still only had eyes for me.


    My happiness was short lived as the doors to the bar swung open and in waltzed four very large, very broody looking men. After I gave them an initial welcome they sated themsleves in the far, dimly lit corner near the pool tables. I''d been sending out calming vibes via a calm charm but it was taking it''s toll on me now. After a quick convo with Conall via our telepathy (Hey it''s the only thing I can think of to call it, cut me some slack here. I''m new to all this Wolf stuff.) I marched over to the table to get their orders and maybe a little insight.


    There were three racking up to play pool as I approached. All of them stopped to watch me walk by and stop directly in front of the one sitting down. He was tall, even sitting, I could tell that. He had tanned skin and a big Bush hat pulled low over his face. (Think Crocodile Dundee but a bit more worn in and floppy)


    "Hey there, welcome to The Dark Horse sugar, can I et ya''ll some drinks to start with?"


    The man was silent for a long moment. Just as I was about to ask again he looked up. There is no descriptive word in the English language great enough to explain how beautiful his eyes were. They looked as if they were molten lava. Tumbling and receding into itself over and over, I was so captivated by his gaze I nearly forgot where I was. I quickly snapped myself free from his cryptic stare and cleared my throat. I looked down at my pen and pad and composed myself.


    I strengthened my backbone and once again looked up at the man, ready to stare him down. He was no longer looking at me, but passed me. My first thought was of Conall. If he was right and these men were in fact Dark Reapers like we''d discussed during our telepathic exchange, then they may recognize him.


    The need to protect him from harm and recognition jump started my mouth. I quickly named off the specials and started swaying from one foot to the next. Blocking his view of the bar. Once I''d finished I''d stood waiting for him to give me an answer. By this time the other men, just as tall and ust as tan skinned stepped closer to us as if sensing something was about to go down.


    I kept my nonchalant expression plastered to my face as I patiently waited to get their orders. I sent a quick message to Conall during this time.


    "Conall, get in the kitchen. Now!"


    I felt the shift in the room as soon as he''d left the area, I could only hope the Dark Reaper didn''t feel it as well. Even through all this, I found myself wishing he''d look at me again. I wanted to see the lava flowing and twisting in his eye''s.


    He, along with his cohorts wore the same Bush hat''s, long over coats and bandanna''s around their faces. It was pretty hard to make out any facial features beneath them so I made a mental note to watch carefully if they ordered drinks. But my note was in vain because no sooner had I thought it, the boss man removed his.


    In one quick motion he removed the bandanna, his men followed suit. He smiled up at me and finally he spoke. It was a deep, smooth voice, if it were a drug I''d say it was cocaine laced with ecstasy. It just seeped into your very pores and leeched itself in your very essence. I wanted, needed him to speak more.


    "I''ll take a beer. What''s the best you have to offer beautiful?"


    "Well Killians Brew is our best seller. Though I do carry some nice aged whiskey and scotch for those who want a little refinement in their daily diet or for those who want to escape their shitty lives to pretend to have a better one for a few hours.I don''t judge I just supply the demand."


    He smiled, a wide toothy grin. Goddess his face was amazing! No imperfections, even the scar over his left eye was beautiful! I wanted to touch it, to lightly run my finger down it until I reached the end and was forced to touch his scruffy cheek. I''d like to touch his cheek...and his jaw...and his neck....Whoa! Snap outta it girl! I mentally slapped myself, hard, and honed in on his words.


    "Aged whiskey huh? How about some....bourbon? Kentucky Bourbon is my favorite. I''m especially fond of an old brand by the name of P.V.W, but I doubt you''d have it."


    "Actually I have a bottle in the back. 20 years old to be exact. Cost me close to $4000.00 but I feel it''s worth it. It''s in my private collection."


    "Ah, beautiful and an excellent taste for liquors. I take it since the private collection is your, you must be the owner of this lovely bar?"


    "Yes, I am. I''d be happy to pour you a drink from my P.V.W if you''d like. Free of charge. It''s nice to meet a fellow P.V.W fan, as you can guess there aren''t many folk around here who''ve even heard of the brand let alone tried it. Will your boys be havin'' anything?"


    "They''ll have the beer. I''ll take the bourbon. IF, you sit and chat with me some more."


    I''ve got him now!


    "It''s a deal. I never could turn down a chat with a handsome man such as yourself."


    "Whoa girl, layin it on thick don''t ya think?! Rein it in woman!" I said to myself.


    I turned and briskly walked back into my office at the back of the bar. Conall was waiting for me when I dtepped inside. He shut and locked the door then turned to me expectantly.


    "Well, who are they"


    "Um, I don''t know. He hasn''t given me a name yet."


    "Yet? Red you can''t go back out there. They''re Dark Reapers, they''ll kill you."


    "In broad daylight? They haven''t even said anything about me being the Dearg Ma Tire Banrion. As a matter of fact they seemed very interested in YOU more than me."


    "Me? But why me?"


    "I don''t know..."


    I said as I brushed by him and unlocked my safe. Once inside I shuffled some papers around until I found what I was looking for. A little silver tin Dumask had given me long ago after my training had finished. I opened the box to check the contents then, satisfied with what I saw, I went to the other side of the room and searched my private liquor collection until I found my prize.


    20 year old P.V.W, I brushed the dust off the bottle before tucking it under my arm and going back to my desk as I opened the silver tin once more. I handed the bottle to Conall carefully as I sat down in my over sized chair.


    "Open this.....carefully. Then hand it back to me. Hurry up they''re waiting."


    He did as I asked using the corkscrew I kept sitting on my desk. Then he handed the bottle back to me gently. I took it and sat it in my lap, cushioned between my thighs. Then I dipped my fingers in the tin and pulled out a little silver dust. I held it over the bottle neck and sprinkled it into the bourbon.


    Then I dusted off my fingers and closed the tin tightly, handed the bottle to Conall again and instructed him to gently swirl it as I replaced the tin in my safe. Once we were all done and the powder had dissolved I took the bottle back and headed for the door.


    "Red please, I can''t lose you. If they hurt you...."


    "They won''t. I think they want you not me. I''m going to find out why they''re here. Then when I''m done with them I''ll kick em out. You stay here, outta sight until this is done. Ok?"


    "...Fine, what did you do to the bourbon though?"


    "Tracking powder. He drinks it and we''ll be able to track him anywhere he goes,Now do as I say and stay here."


    I kissed him then left. As I made my way back to the table I instructed Alexandria to serve the men their beer then head home, I wanted her to check on Jax and inform me of his healing progress. After promising to pay her for a full shift she agreed to head out after she''d served the men.


    I replaced the smile on my face and headed back to sit with the stranger.


    "Y''all will get your drinks in a few, Ok. Alex will be bringing them out soon. As for you, try this on for size."


    I placed a glass in front of him and poured him a small amount in to it. He took it happily and swallowed it in one gulp. I smiled as I saw the tell, tell signs of appreciation for a great aged liquor cross his face. The sudden sweat upon his brow and the slight red in his eyetold me he may have been familiar with hard drinks but he was by no means accustomed to the fire water. He gave a slight cough but composed quick.


    "Damn that''s some great stuff. Never had it that good before."


    "Well, of course you haven''t! Because you''ve never been here before sugar. Now is there anything else I can do for you?" I smiled sweetly.


    "Oh sweetheart, there''s a lot you could do for me, but for now how about we continue our chat? That was part of the deal." He winked.


    "Ok, the place isn''t too busy this evening." I sat across from my handsome yet creepy customer.


    "So, who you lookin for?"


    His eye''s widened for only a moment before he regained composure and smiled a knowing smile at me.


    "Now how''d you know we were looking for someone?"


    "Not to hard to guess hun. Four big, brooding, handsome men come into town outta no where and the first place you hit is the local watering hole. Then seat yourselves so you can scan the entire bar without being noticed. You are obviously the leader, seeing as how you''re constantly shifting and watching the door and my patron''s, not to mention ya kinda have the whole....."I''m the Leader" vibe going on. So I''ll ask ya politely once more....who ya lookin for?"


    There was a bit of a long pause where he did nothing but smile and look me up and down. The sense of unease coming of his companions was thick as molasses. Time to up the charm and play my "Little bartender who just wants to look out for her bar" routine. Finally he sort of scoffed then slid his glass across the table to me where I happily refilled it. This time he drank it slow and savored the burn.


    "Your right, we are looking for someone."


    "Ah ha, I knew it. Ok so who is it? I betcha I can help. Is it a law breaker? An escaped convict? We don''t see much action round here. I''m happy to help in any way."


    Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.comfor visiting.


    Oh Goddess help me this was sickening. I sounded like a lost puppy begging for a pat on the head or a "Good Girl" from my wayward master. I could only hope this would end soon and I could get back tothe Manor and see and explain things to Conall.


    "Well, the man we''re after claims to be something he''s not."


    "Well a lot''a people do that sugar. Your gonna have to narrow it down." I said in my best southern belle voice.


    I could see I was loosing him, he didn''t trust me. I''d have to show him he was among similar company as himself. I just hoped it wouldn''t come back to bite me.


    "Oh hunny don''t you worry your handsome head about me..." I flicked my fingers and a blue flame appeared and danced across the table before fizzling out. "I can keep your secret if you can keep mine." I said with a smile and a wink.


    "I knew you were magical the moment you stepped through my doorway. Now please do continue. If this man risks exposing us I''ll do what I can to help." I lied.


    I propped my elbows up on the table and leaned in. My breasts came to rest on the table top which in turn pulled the V-neck of my collar even further south. The man''s eye''s flitted to my partially exposed flesh then just as quickly came back to rest upon my face.


    It seems a little flash and some sultry, sexiness would work well in this situation. I could only hope my leap of faith, exposing my magic, would help to loosen his tongue as well.


    "I see, well the man we''re looking for is tall, tan skinned, green eyes, brown shoulder length hair, and speaks with an Irish accent. He wouldn''t be easy to forget."


    (Jackpot! Thank the Goddess.)


    "Hmm, anything else you can tell em about him?"


    "Like I said he''s a liar. He has also dabbled in the black arts. He''s disguised himself using said magic and is parading around as...."


    "As? Please do continue I''m very intrigued!"


    "He claims to be the long lost son of King Quinn of the Wolven. Goddess rest his soul. It''s hard enough to live in this day and age with Doran masquerading as King of my people, sending out his Dark Reapers every time he get''s his panties in a twist. Now we have this renegade traipsing around pretending to be the Prince."


    I gave a slight gasp at the mention of the deceased Wolf King.


    "So....How do you know this man isn''t the real son to King Quinn?"


    "Because my dear, I am Quinn McGreggor''s son."


    Now that time the gasp was real.


    "You...but..."


    "I know he''s told you he is the one Redalia. But he isn''t. Yes I know who you are, just as I know Conall has been staying with you and trying seal a bond with you but believe me when I say....he is only doing it to try to fulfill a prophecy that isn''t his to fulfill."


    I just stared at him. I didn''t know what to think, what to do. So I just sat there. After a few moment''s of deep thought I composed myself and moved to stand. Once on my feet I looked around the bar.


    "I''m going to close the bar. I''d like to keep talking to you though. Will you wait here until I''m done?"


    "Yes."


    "Can we speak....alone once the bar is closed? In my office maybe? Your men can wait here or in the hall outside my office. They are welcome to the food and drinks and can play pool while they wait."


    "That will be fine....Redalia, I know this is all going to be hard for you. I know he must have told you so many thing''s...I''m....I''m so sorry I didn''t make it here in time to stop him from intruding upon your life."


    I pushed my wild curls behind my ear and gave a slight nod then turned, squared my shoulders and walked to the far end of the bar where I rang the final call bell and announced closing time.


    "Hey, final call everyone. I''m closing early tonight, got a few thing''s to do this evening."


    "Awww, Red if you close early I''ll have no where to go!" came a grumpy reply.


    "Frank Moses how bout you take your sorry ass home to your wife and 5 kid''s for once! Help her make dinner or watch the kids for her. Man up! Final call everybody!"


    Murmurs of aggravation sounded throughout the bar as everyone started paying tabs and filing out the doors. Once everyone had been cashed out and the place had been cleaned and shut down I locked the door''s and headed back to the corner where the stranger sat.


    "Well, that''s, that. You ready to do a little explaining?"


    "If that''s what you need me to do I will oblige."


    "Ok, so you obviously know who I am....I mean officially."


    "If you are referring to your title among my people yes I do, You are the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion. The Red Wolf Queen....but do YOU know who you are?"


    "What? What do you mean? Of course I know who I am."


    "Let''s go to your office. We''ll finish out chat there. I promise I''ll explain everything."


    Suddenly my phone started blaring Foggy Mountain Breakdown, I looked at the caller I.D and saw it was a number I didn''t recognize.


    "It''s him. Go ahead and take the call. Ask him about Veno Petrov."


    I slid my finger across the screen and answered the call, all the while staring straight at the stranger.


    "Hello?"


    "Red, Mo Ghra are you on your way yet? Who was the man at the bar did you get his name?"


    I paused a moment as the man slowly nodded his head.


    "Yea, do you know a Veno Petrov?"


    "...Redalia, where are you?"


    "I''m at the bar closing up and doing last minute clean up and inventory, Conall I asked you a question."


    "Redalia I''ll be right there."


    "Conall, I asked you a damned question. What''s going on? Why are you acting so secretive? It''s pissin me off a bit. You know the last couple of nights have been like hell for me, answer the question! Do Not Try My Patience." At this point I was sick of the lies and secrets!


    "Redalia that man....he''s a bad man I''m only trying to protect you. Please, I''ll come to the bar and explain everything."


    Suddenly the stranger shook his head no. His face was set in a stern gaze. He didn''t want Conall here. Suddenly I heard a voice inside my mind.


    "He''s lying Redalia."


    Shocked, I blinked rapidly and tried to focus on Conall. I had to keep him away from the bar until I got my answers from this man, whom I guessing was this Veno Petrov character.


    "Conall, I''m tired of being treated like a child. Secrets being kept from me, death threats being thrown at me, Shades popping in and outta my best friends bodies...I''m not a child. I''m a big girl. I think I''ll stay late at the bar tonight. Don''t come down here, I need to think about thing''s."


    "Red....Veno Petrov is a Russian born International Hitman and a member of the Wolven. He''s known for his sadistic and savage mutilation''s of his victims. He''s the most sought after Hitman in the world. He''s also the most cunning and powerful. Please just be safe, I''ll be here when you get home. I love you Mo Stor."


    "I''ll be home when I''m ready to come home. It''s my house after all."


    As bad as it hurt, I hung up. Every fiber of my being hoped he understood it was all an act, but in my heart I secretly started to feel like it might not be an act after all. I didn''t want to believe what this man was telling me, but wanting and doing are two very different things so for the time being I would play along. I''d find out as much information as I could then make my decision to trust him or kill him, I''m an assassin after all.....it''s what I do.


    "It sounds as if he''s trying to sway you from me. Telling stories about my exploits?"


    "He said you were a Russian born International Hitman. He also said you were Wolven."


    "Ah, well I see there is no need for the guise then."


    Suddenly his voice went from a sexy American accent to one heavily laden with a Russian accent. I nearly hit the floor when he spoke again. (I have a thing for a hot guy with a nice accent....obviously.)


    "I have to hide my accent when visiting America. It tends to scare most people, if people are scared they won''t speak to me. Now may we adjourn to your office?"


    "Uh, yea sure. This way."


    Veno followed me down the hallway and around the corner to my office, once there he opened the door for me and turned back to his men.


    "§°§ã§ä§Ñ§Ó§Ñ§Û§ä§Ö§ã§î §Ù§Õ§Ö§ã§î §Ú §ã§Þ§à§ä§â§Ú§ä§Ö."


    (Translation: Stay here and watch.---in other words Keep a lookout)


    "Da ser."(Yes,sir)


    He closed the door and turned to face me. I was leaning back against my desk, sort of half sitting on it. The light from the one and only ceiling fan painted me in an unflattering light so I''d have to really up the charm. To bad my back and neck were killing me. Not to mention my stomach was now growling. I can''t believe I''d forgotten to eat, all day!


    "You look tired my dear."


    "Yep, the joys of owning your own biz. So, what did you mean earlier when you asked me if I knew what I was?"


    "You know you are the Dearg Mac Tire Banrion, but do you really know what that means and what comes with the title? Haven''t you ever wondered why it translates to The Red Wolf Queen?"


    "Well....I never really gave it any thought. From the time I was little I''ve been preparing for the day I''d meet the Prince and Leader of the Wolven, for the day I''d meet my other half. I''m the most skilled of all THE ELITE warriors. Top of my class in all studies. Just so you know, in case you get any ideas." I gave a playful wink.


    He smiled back at me and closed the space between us so fast he took my breath away. He was so handsome, being this close to him set my insides on fire. The urge to touch the white scar running down over his eye and cheek was tantalizing. He must have sensed my need, he lowered his face until we were merely and inch or two at the most, apart.


    "Once you find your TRUE mate, you will be able to transform into your very own TRUE form. The Red Wolf of our people. THAT is why you are called the Red Wolf Queen. Tell me little witch, can you transform yet?"


    "Transform?!...wait...Little witch?.....You....You sent me the text last night?"


    "Yes. I''ve been watching you for a while now. Ever since I came into town. It was only last night I realized I was too late to stop Conall from infiltrating your home and corrupting your judgment. For that, I will forever remain apologetic. I never wanted this life for you Redalia, you must understand that."


    "Understand what? What do you mean you never wanted this life for me? Mr. Petrov I think you had better start from the beginning and explain yourself very quickly. I''ve not ate today and I''m starting to get pretty fatigued and easily pissed off."


    Suddenly right beside me on my desk there sat a bowl of very delicious looking Beef Stew. The smell alone was enough to turn my mouth into a watering hole.


    "Did you just..."


    "You need to eat. I''ll explain while you do so."


    Reluctantly I pushed off the desk and sat down in my big chair. I grabbed the bowl of stew and went to town on it. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!As I scarfed it down and nearly choked a time or two he started explaining.


    "Ok so I''ll attempt to make a very long story short. Have you been told about the first Wolven and his mate?"


    I nodded, unable to speak through my mouthful of stew.


    "Ok, so you know that''s how you came to have the Healing Stone embedded into your heart and soul."


    "Mmmm, hol ohn ah sec...*swallow*....I was told I had half of the Stone in my heart. My mate has the other half, it''s how we know we are mates."


    "Who told you that der''mo?!"


    "Der''mo?"


    "Shit."


    "Oh...Conall told me when he told me about the Wolf, Mac Tire and his human mate."


    "I should have known. Redalia, YOU have the whole stone inside your heart. YOU are quite literally the Healing Stone in human form. When you heal someone you will glow red. Not just any red but a beautiful iridescent shade of crimson, and as far as your mate goes....you should have the freedom to choose whomever you wish. You shouldn''t be tied to one person because of some ancient prophecy. That''s just ludicrous. That is what I meant when I said I never wanted this for you. Redalia, I was supposed to be your mate. No doubt Conall told you about the dream of Cernunnos?"


    I eyed him suspiciously and shook my head.


    "I thought as much, and did he tell you the great God came to HIM in the dream? In a lush forest and told him of you and your destiny?"


    "I shook my head again, starting to feel a bit uneasy about the fact hesomehow knew these intimate details. He scoffed at my reply.


    "Redalia, It was my dream. I saw you, but once I did I knew....I could never lay claim to you."


    I swallowed the last of the stew and wiped my mouth with a napkin I found laying on a stack of papers. I turned my chair to face Petrov.


    "Why? Why did you decide you couldn''t lay claim to me."


    He looked up slowly, It was then I saw something shocking in the golden depths of his eye''s.....Pain.


    "I knew from the moment I saw you, you were perfect and I didn''t deserve you. As long as I was there, as long as I was Prince our destinies would be intertwined. I wanted to be worthy of you, I could never force you to love me, and so when I came of age I left. To make myself worthy. I also wanted you to be free to choose who you would love. I was going to present myself to you when I thought you and I were ready and I had planned to court you like a normal human being. If you wanted to love me, only then would I tell you the truth of who I was."


    He looked away, focusing on something outside my window. I used my powers to watch his aura, it never shifted. He was telling the truth. But how could any of this be true. It couldn''t be....he had to be lying....


    "I''m not lying to you Redalia. You were meant to be my mate. But you were stolen from me."


    "Wait, I''m calling a time out. IF your telling the truth and Conall is lying about everything.....how could he and I share the powers and the bond that we have? How would he be able to do the whole, fast healing when we are in close proximity thing, and F.Y.I, I glow blue when I heal, not red and what about the telepathy thing? How would he be able to do ANY of the thing''s he''s been doing?!"


    I was at my wit''s end. I couldn''t believe it but I was actually starting to question Conall''s character and morals though I felt like I had him on the blue glow. But when I asked him questions his aura showed him as speaking the truth....I just don''t get it.


    "If he believed what he was telling you, then he technically wasn''t lying. His aura would not have shown any untruths. As far as everything else goes...it''s simple magic tricks. The rapid healing was a trait he was born with that''s why the blue glow, Redalia he has been the one manipulating your senses and abilities, you won''t unleash your full powers until you are with your TRUE mate and F.Y.I he was also born with the telepathy, he can do it to everyone not just you. He pretended he could only do these things once he found you, his mate as he calls you. It''s how he has been able to manipulate you so easily."


    "Ok, well....wait a minute, get outta my head!"


    "I''m sorry, I won''t intrude again. Though to be fair you should know, when we are in close proximity it is very hard not to read you. It''s part of OUR bond."


    "Ok, just give me a second and let me think....Ah ha! Ok tell me this, if everything your saying is true, how is it Conall can make me feel...well....." Oh wow shoulda thought this line of questioning though first...woopsie!


    "Like you''ve found your one true love? How can he make you feel like everything is perfect when you are together? Did you ever stop and question Why you let him move in so quickly? Or why you allowed him to lay claim to you when he did? You''d only just met him hadn''t you?"


    "Yes but he saved my life...and I felt...wait.....hold on, I never told you any of this. How do you know everything?"


    "I was there Redalia. I was there when the Bear Shifter attacked. I was there when you saved his life, I was there when the council showed up and I was there when the Shade attacked you through your friend. I tried to warn you last night before you went to bed with...him."


    He looked away again, I felt a sudden rush of shame sweep over me. I could feel my cheeks growing warmer. A sharp knock at the door brought us both to "Alert Con 1." He crossed the room swiftly and opened the door, his number 2 guy was standing there.


    "§³§ï§â, §á§â§Ú§ê§Ý§à §Ó§â§Ö§Þ§ñ §á§Ñ§ä§â§å§Ý§Ú§â§à§Ó§Ñ§ä§î §ä§Ö§â§â§Ú§ä§à§â§Ú§ð."


    (Trans: Sir, It is time to patrol the territory)


    "Da, I understand."


    "What have you been telling them? My Russian isn''t very fluent."


    "Earlier I told them to patrol the place while we were talking, now he tells me we need to leave to do our patrols tonight. I''m sorry Redalia I must go."


    He turned to leave.


    "Wait!...Please."


    He stopped, slowly he turned back to me. I walked over to meet him face to face. I still wanted answers to more of the question''s I had now pilling up inside my mind. We were inches apart when he placed a rough, strong hand upon my cheek and cradled my face, then he tilted my head upwards and gently kissed me.


    The explosion of color and warmth flooded my very soul. I saw his memories in my mind''s eye. The dream he had, had when he was still a child, the courtyard where he played with his friends, his mothers beautiful face, his fathers hearty laugh. The day of his coronation in the Black Forest, then suddenly I saw myself as a teenager.


    I was laughing at something Alexandria had said, next I saw my twenty first birthday, I was down in the Forested area of out backyard. A wolf came out of nowhere, I was scared to death but something kept telling me I would be Ok. The wolf slowly came over to me and nuzzled my neck and hair. I smiled and laughed as he and I rolled through the grass. Then I realized the memory wasn''t his...nor mine...it was ours.


    It was a memory we shared. One I, by myself couldn''t remember. I heard his voice then, heavy with his accent.


    "I locked this memory away in your mind, until the day we would be together. I wanted you to see it when you were ready to believe me."


    He released me from the kiss. I instantaneously started to fall forward a bit. But he caught me and helped me over to my chair. He bent down to his knee as I sat. I was completely in awe and shock of what I''d just seen and experienced. He swept hair from my face and stood again. As he was exiting my door I turned quickly and hollered after him one last question.


    "Petrov, how do you know so much about Conall? Why does he think your a Hitman and savage murderer?"


    He turned kept his back to me as he laid one hand on the door frame. Then he turned his head to look over his shoulder.


    "I know because, Conall is my brother. The rumors were to keep my identity a secret. I left long before Mother and Father had Conall. Please do not tell him, It is my place to do so."


    "I won''t.....Veno, I''m so...."


    "Mikhail.....Mikhail is my real name, not Veno."


    "Mikhail, I''m so sorry about...everything."


    "It sounds so beautiful when you say it. I''ll text you later, when I find a safe place to meet. It may be a few day''s. Until we see each other again. Just know, You will haunt my dreams now more than ever. Goodnight my Queen."


    With those final word''s he and his men were gone. I was left to ponder what the hell had just happened.

 10 Chapter 10

    So here I sit, in my office chair, not wanting to go home. I look up at the clock, it''s been four hours since he left. It''s well passed two o''clock in the morning. Yet here I still sit...


    "Come on Red, there''s no way...he couldn''t be. Brothers....well, I guessin truth they do look alike. All except for those eye''s, and what about their accents? Conall''s is Irish and Ven...Mikhail''s is Russian. Though, if he left long before Conall''s birth maybe he just adopted the accent from all the years he spent in Russia. I mean I know the Wolven have prolonged life and a single normal human lifetime is nothing to them, so in all actuality he may be telling the truth. But that doesn''t explain why or even how Conall would believe HE is the True King...unless....."


    Everything was becoming clear to me now. All the pieces were slowly falling into place. I knew when I finally made the decision to go home I''d have to explain things to Conall, come up with some excuse as to why I had stayed away so long. My phone vibrated and snapped me back to reality. I looked down at the caller I.D but didn''t recognize the number.


    I slide my finger across the screen to unlock it and my new text notification popped up. I quickly put in my pass code (Always lock my texts and calls, in case I lose my phone during a fight.) and opened up the text messages app.


    "Save this number under my real name. Show it to no one. It look''s like I''ll be in contact sooner than I originally thought. We may have found a safe place, but it need''s fortified. Please Redalia, tell no one about what we spoke of tonight...I didn''t think, I didn''t know, it would hurt this much...finally meeting you then having to leave and stay away. I''ve always felt a sense of emptiness, until tonight, while we were together. But now that I''m gone again the emptiness has come back ten fold. If you ever need me, call out to me and I''ll be there.


    Your M."


    I sat there just staring at my phone, a thousand thing''s ran through my mind. Everything I wanted to ask him, everything I wanted to say to him...He''d let me go on thinking Conall was my other half. He let him use magic on me to alter my thoughts and feelings. I was torn between pure unadulterated rage and sorrowful longing for him to be with me again.


    I twisted in my chair, ran my fingers through my curly hair, sighed then scoffed at myself, then finally finding my back bone I sat up straight grasped the electronic device in both hands firmly, strengthened my resolve and wrote him back.


    "You have a lot of explaining to do. Next time we will not be so rushed and you will explain everything to me. I have questions and they need answer''s...Also.....I miss you Mikhail.


    Why do I wish you were here so badly? I feel like a damned fool. I want you to be near me. I need you to be. Until we meet again.


    R."


    "My dearest Red, I am always near you. I will never abandon you again. Soonmoya lyubov'', in the meantime I will send a man to watch over you at the bar during the day and one at night. I don''t know what to do about Conall yet. We will discuss him soon. Do Svidaniya.


    Your M."


    That was the end of the conversation for the night. I made a mental note to look up some of the Russian he had used. I looked up at the clock again, five past three. I had to go home and get some sleep.


    Tomorrow was Friday, I decided I''d open the bar at one instead of the usual three . Nobody even came in until around five truthfully but I figured I would need the time to clean and think.Now all I had to do was figure out what I was going to say to Conall.


    I pushed up out of my chair and made my way to the door. I switched off the light''s, locked door, double checked the others as well and headed for my truck. The drive home was a quiet one. I didn''t bother turning on the radio, I needed the silence to figure out what I was going to do about Conall.


    One thing was for damned sure, I wanted my house back, though he may not have meant to cause me harm or pain, he certainly did just that. Lying to me, using magic on me...I could forgive the lie, because to him it wasn''t a lie. But to use magic against me like he had been doing.


    Using it to bend my will and allow him inside my house. Inside my home. What else had he used that kind of magic on me for? Sex? Did he spell me so I''d have sex with him?! Ughh...all this crazy he said, he said shit is really getting to me. I rolled my window down, I needed to feel the earth and her elements tonight.


    One thing was certain, when I got home I was going to ask Conall to leave then I was going to cleanse my whole house. By the time I actually made the short drive from the bar to the manor I had one hundred percent made up my mind about what I was going to do. I turned up my driveway, watching the gate seal itself shut behind me after I entered. Once I had made it inside the house I marched straight upstairs where I found Conall sitting in the chair by my window. He turned his head towards me as I entered the room.


    He began to stand but I motioned for him to stay seated. What I had to say was important and if he touched me I may not be strong enough to get the words out. He looked at me quizzically for a moment. I moved to stand at the edge of the bed. I took a deep breath and began,


    "Tonight I met with Veno Petrov. (I''d decided not to use his real name.) He enlightened me to a few thing''s Conall."


    "Oh really? Such as?" he asked suspiciously.


    Now was the time I had to pick and choose my word''s wisely. I''d promised Mikhail I wouldn''t reveal him to his brother.


    "Such as the fact that you have been using magic against me this whole time."


    He started to rise again and protest my words but I clenched my fist in a sudden blaze of anger then watched a little bewildered as he was thrown back into the chair. My powers were growing stronger for some reason.


    "Conall, I want you out of this house by morning. I think we need to be separate for a little while."


    "Redalia! You can''t mean that. If we are separated for too long we''ll become depressed, the void within us will consume us and we''ll fall to pieces. Mo Ghra why are you doing this?"


    "Conall...if you love me, you''ll give me time. After I''ve cooled off, I''ll call you and give you a chance to explain. Just so you know when I say explain, I mean EVERYTHING. Now please leave. You can take one of the other room''s for the night."


    "Redalia...." he was quiet for a moment. Then his shoulders deflated.


    "If this is what you want, I will oblige. I''ll be gone by the morning."


    "Do you need money?" I couldn''t help it, this was the man I thought I loved....once.


    "No, Mo chori. I have money."


    He went to stand then hesitated for a moment as if waiting to see if I was going to throw him back down again. I let him stand then turned away as he walked by me. He stopped in my door way and gave me one last sorrowful look.


    "I never meant to hurt you, I just thought...I wanted you to give me a chance. Without the magic I didn''t think you would."


    "You had no right to use magic to influence my decisions. Goodnight Conall."


    He stepped outside my door and looked as if he were going to say something else but I snapped my finger''s which in turn closed my door. I wrapped my arms around my waist and hugged myself as I slipped to the floor and began to cry. I knew with his heightened hearing Conall could hear me but I no longer cared.


    He deserved to hear this. He had lied to me, knowingly. Some of the lies he believed making them truths in his eyes but the other lies....he knew he was doing it. That''s what hurt the most. I sat up and leaned against my bed after a good fifteen minutes of self pity. It was time to get cleaned up.


    I made my way to my shower, once there I took the longest hottest shower of my life then blow dried my hair and went to bed, naked as the day I was born. I didn''t care anymore. No one was going to see me after all. Sleep came quickly but the dreams that engulfed me were full of terrors and hellish nightmares.


    When I woke the next day I grabbed my phone from the pocket of my blue jeans I''d thrown in the floor last night and checked the time. Whoa, I''d seriously slept in. It was eleven thirty, After plugging my phone up on it''s charger and setting it on the nightstand I hoisted myself up from my comfortable mattress and went to brush my teeth and wash my face.


    Once all the primping was done and over with I slathered on some war paint (a.k.a make up) and flopped back down on my bed, grabbing my phone once again I slide the unlock screen over and put in my pass code to check my messages. I must say I was a bit shocked to see I had a multitude of them.


    The first was from Jaxon, letting me know he was fully healed and feeling much better. He promised to drop by today or tomorrow to check on things here. The next was from Alexandria, she wanted to make sure Jaxon text me and told me he was Ok then she wanted to know if we were on for shoppingtomorrow.


    The next two were from Conall, he let me know he had left early this morning and purchased a house close by. He also wanted me to know he was going to give me my space and would talk to me when I was ready. Yeah, fat chance of that happening any time in the near future. There was one last text, this one sent my heart a flutter. I really needed to stop letting my hormones drive me.


    It was from Mikhail, he wanted me to know the man guarding me was named Alexi and he would be waiting in the corner of the bar where we first met. He ended the text with the same Do Svidaniya that he had used in his previous text then, my now favorite part, Your M.


    I closed the text messaging and opened my browser, I quickly typed in "meaning of Do Svidaniya" and hit search. Apparently it means "Until we meet again or Bye" well I like the former. It sounds beautiful. Maybe I''ll learn a few Russian phrases sometime when assassins and Shade''s and Shifter''s aren''t trying to kill me and rip out my heart for their sadistic boss. (Look at me, all perky pants!)


    I got myself up, rummaged though my clothes and finally settled on my snug black V-neck t-shirt that said "The Dark Horse, Where Whiskey is always the Soup of the Day!" and my favorite dark jeans with a bit of a washed out look on the legs. I quickly sprayed my Frizz Control spray all over my noggin and gave my curls a bit of a scrunch before grabbing some conforming polo socks and heading downstairs.


    When in the living room I flipped on the ol tube and found the weather channel, this whole weekend and up coming week was supposed to be in the mid 60''s and possibly the 70''s. I couldn''t have asked for better weather. I smiled as I lay back against the soft fabric. Since Conall had already gone and I didn''t technically have to open early I decided to call up Alexandria and go have a little lunch date.


    We met up at a little cafe in Downtown Sanctuary aptly named Angel''s Corner.They have the most delicious fruit in all Sanctuary. Alexandria and I laughed and talked most of the afternoon away. I knew she was curious and wanted to ask about Conall so I beat her to the punch.


    "So I guess you noticed Conall isn''t hanging on my coat tails today." More a statement really.


    "As a matter of fact I did notice, I figured you''d tell me if''n you wanted to."


    "Well, it look''s like the dream romance was just that. I don''t know what Jaxon told you but Conall was supposed to be...the one."


    "Wait, the ONE. As in, (she lowered her voice and leaned in)..your mate?"


    "Yup. Turns out though, it''s a lot more complicated then all that. Alex what we say here is only for you and I right?"


    "You know it Red! Girl code hun!"


    "Good."


    I proceeded to tell Alex everything. She was my one and only female friend. I needed her. I spilled my gut''s like a strung up, stuck hog, and when I began to ball like a baby again she scooted close and hugged me tight.


    I could always count on Alex to be there. She was also my outside opinion. I never made any huge life altering decisions without her input. Just another thing that reminded me of the spell Conall had cast over me, I didn''t even think to ask my best friend what she thoughtI should do when the decision was made for Conall to come live with me.


    "Feel better hun?" she asked smiling.


    "Yea a bit. So now there''s Mikhail and I felt....Goddess Alex I can''t even put into word''s what I felt. I thought when Conall kissed me, that was it. I saw fireworks and melted right into his arms. But when Mikhail kissed me...Alex I saw memories, not just his but mine as well. One''s he had hidden from me so I could come to my own conclusion when it came to my love life. Shew, Alex I don''t know what to do. What do you think?"


    "Honest opinion?"


    "Of course!"


    "Ok, lets look at the pro''s and cons and compare the two. Conall, used magic to influence your decision''s so you''d let him live with you and possibly claim you as his mate, but when you first met he helped you fight off the Bear Shifter. Mikhail, now he stayed away for far too long, causing you to become vulnerable, but he hid memories of the two of you together so you wouldn''t be influenced by them. The way I see it, Conall has convinced himself he loves you and you two are meant to be together and to insure that you end up together he used magic against you and deceived you. Where as Mikhail wanted you to decide for yourself who to love, so he stayed away until you were old enough to know what love was and then he came looking for you, he was going to introduce himself and "court you" his words I believe...then he was going to tell you about himself. That about sum it up?


    "Well, when you put it that way..."


    "yeah I''m sorry girl but I think I''ma have to side with team Mikhail on this one. He wanted what was best for YOU. While Conall was chasing after some deranged sense of duty. He may have convinced himself he loves you but that''s all it is....an illusion he has made himself come to terms with. It sounds to me, based on what you''ve told me, Mikhail truly does love you, though he may be awkward at trying to show it. It also seems to me you need to distance yourself from both men for a while and see who you end up missing."


    I thought about all Alex had said. She took a bite of her Apple Tart and smiled at me. I smiled back and laughed a little when I finally realized she was like the female version of Dr. Phil.


    "Alex has anyone ever told you, you have an old soul?"


    "Actually yes, you have many times."


    We laughed, then finished our lunches and headed to our vehicles. We hugged then agreed to meet up at the Bar in a few. She had to go home and put away her new clothes she''d snagged while waiting on me to arrive today.


    I went on to the bar and opened up. Alexi was waiting by the side of the building. I felt his aura as soon as I''d parked the truck. I held the door for him as he walked in I could see him using his wolf senses to check the place out. He was a nice looking young man, mid twenties I''d say. Blue eye''s, short cut blonde hair, well defined muscles all over his body. He was a good six foot three inches tall.


    After he did his little scan of the area he dropped his serious expression and smiled at me. I liked his smile, it was sweet. He came up and sat at the bar as I counted the till out for the morning. I glanced up and caught him watching me, amazement in his eye''s. I smiled at him.


    "Hey, Alexi right?"


    "Oh, Yes ma''am. I''m sorry was I bothering you?"


    "No, no your fine. Since your gonna be here anyway how would you like a job?"


    "A job? Well, I''d like that a lot. If it''s ok with Mikhail that is."


    "I''ll check. In the mean time I''ll pay you to bounce for me tonight. Friday''s are always rough people come in from neighboring towns and some of em are bad drunks. I usually have to break a few bones of some of the more unruly ones. You''d be doin me a huge favor."


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    "Well when you put it that way, of course I''ll help."


    "Good, and please call me Red. All my friends do." I winked at him. He smiled back.


    "Over there in the back cabinet there are some T-Shirts go on and help yourself to one, grab some for your friends too. If you all are gonna be here ya might as well help out and make a few bucks on the side."


    "Thank you very much, I''m sure they will be appreciative."


    He left to retrieve the shirt''s, I pulled out my cell and sent Mikhail a quick text explaining my proposition. He replied within a few minutes, giving me his blessing to use himself and his men however I needed them. He also informed me HE would be watching over me later on along side Alexi.


    This could be my chance to ask about a few thing''s. I switched off my screen and replaced the phone in my back pocket, then I went to light up the OPEN sign. It wasn''t long before my other workers started filing in. Of course, the cook''s were right on time per the norm, Blaine and Rook a couple of Norhu''s or Normal Humans. Those two were the world''s worst when you put em together, always cutting up and playing pranks on each other but ultimately they were the best of friends.


    It''s so funny because they are such an odd pairing, what with Blaine only being about five foot ten and skinny as a stick and Rook towering him at a massive six foot four and built like a brick house. By the looks of the two you''d think Rook would just snap Blaine in half when he get''s to pranking him but under his gruff appearance he''s just a big ol teddy bear.


    Next to show were my hostess and two waitresses. Alexandria hostessed while Zendala and Laya waited tables. I immediately noticed Alexi''s attention snap towards the bar when he caught Zendala''s scent, not only was she a witch but she was also a gypsy child. She''d been traveling through Sanctuary with her family when she was a teen and she liked it so much here she decided to stay. I kept her up till she could afford her own place. Turn''s out she''s a very powerful witch with amazing abilities.


    But I think the real reason she caught Alexi''s eye had nothing to do with her supernatural side, I do believe it was her appearance. Standing at five foot seven she had tan skin, big hazel eye''s, pouty lip''s and a mass of thick ink black hair that spanned her back all the way to her waist, not to mention her crazy tiny waist and plump C-cup (if I were guessing) chest.


    Poor Laya just couldn''t measure up. Laya was also a Norhu. She was beautiful don''t get me wrong but she just wasn''t as beautiful as say Zendala. She was about five foot five with a small waist and I''d say about a high B-cup breast with long leg''s and a nice pair of blue eye''s accompanied by short cut blonde hair on a heart shaped face. Laya was also about thirty where as Zendala was only twenty three. Regardless I made yet another mental note to speak with Zendala after the worst of the crowd was taken care of later this evening.


    I finished up the morningduties and called the official T.D.H crew into our regularly scheduled Friday meeting. People were just now starting to file in and find seats so I knew I had to hurry. I gathered everyone in the kitchen and called their attention''s to order.


    "Alright, it''s everyone''s fav day of the week." groans went up all around.


    "Ok, ok I know. Listen up, We have a few new people I hred to come in and bounce for me for a bit. This here is Alexi. He is OFF LIMIT''S ladies. At least during work hours. Also, another new guy will be here later, Mikhail. Same goes for him that goes for Alexi. One last thing, there have been a series of animal attack''s lately. I was attacked just a few night''s ago by some kind of wild animal after I closed up one night. So tonight no one goes to their vehicle''s alone. No one takes out trash or takes a break or smokes outside without someone accompanying them. Got it?"


    Everyone agreed then we closed the meeting and started to file out of the kitchen to let Blaine and Rook do what they do best. I pulled Alexi and Zen to the side and out of ear shot of everyone else.


    "You two will be my first line of defense. Zen this is Alexi, don''t freak out but he''s a Wolven."


    "I know."


    "Right...clairvoyant. Ok well you know why he''s here then?"


    "Not 100% on that one, the vision''s are foggy but I feel that an evil is trying to seep into our town. I assume since he''s here he''s a good guy?"


    "Well....yeah, Zen, I wouldn''t knowingly allow a bad guy to work for me now would I?" We laughed for a second.


    "Ok so is there anyone in particular I should be on the look out for tonight?" Alexi asked.


    Before I had a chance to answer Laya came running towards us.


    "Oh my God, you guy''s have to come see who just rode up on a big black motorcycle! Come on!"


    Zen and I gave each other a quizzical look before grabbing Alexi by the arm and pulling him along with us to see this mysterious stranger. We made it behind the bar right as the guy waltzed in my front door''s.

 11 Chapter 11

    Ok, I couldn''t help but be a little impressed as I realized the devilishly handsome biker was in fact Mikhail. Now that he ditched the Bush Hat I could properly see his face. All I can say is WOW. Well I guess I could actually sum it up in two word''s....WOW and DAMN.


    He gave me the most mesmerizing look as he planted himself across from me at the bar. He crossed his arm''s on the bar lip and just looked at me, as he was awaiting order''s. I cleared my throat and motioned for Alexi and Zen to go back to work.


    They both gave me a knowing nod and set off. I slipped my hand beneath the bar quickly and retrieved the shirt I''d placed there for Mikhail to change into. I slid it to him with a wry smile.


    "Restroom''s in the back sugar."


    He stood, never breaking eye contact with me. Then he gave me slightest hint of a smile before removing his shirt right there in the middle of my bar. He was massive to say the least. I noticed scar''s all over his beautifully tanned skin but they only heightened the rugged masterpiece that was his torso.


    Peck''s flexed and relaxed as he grabbed the shirt I''d laid out for him and slipped it on. I had been pretty close on guessing his size. It almost fit save for the sleeves. They were a bit to tight, no matter though. He gave them a look of vexation. It was my turn to show off, I quickly grabbed my tactical spring assisted knife from mypocket and in one lightning fast swipe I slit the sleeves ever so slightly at the tip''s.


    His muscles were free to flex all they wanted now. He gave me a nod of approval then sat back down. I could feel the eye''s of everyone in the bar staring at us, especially the women. I pretended to clean the bar in front of him as I sent his a message telepathically.


    "Show off."


    "Me? You were the one getting fancy with the knife,Krasivyy."


    "Translation?" he chuckled deep in his throat.


    "Beautiful."


    I took a quick look around, jukebox was playing Raise a Little Hell by Dorothy ( one of my fav song''s), pool tables were full of patron''s laughing and playing, it seemed like everyone was having a grand old time tonight. I decided to continue our conversation out loud. Considering I was very close to wiping a hole in my bar by now, I figured it was the best option. Just then Zen swung by us on her way into the kitchen to check an order.


    "F.Y.I she''s not all that patient." She said as she winked and smiled at us then left.


    I turned back to Mikhail, he looked at me expectantly but all I could do was shrug my shoulder''s. I had thing''s to ask him and I couldn''t lose my train of thought now. Besides half the time Zen spouts nonsense to herself anyway.


    "Ok, so now you''re here. What do we do or where do we go now?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You know what I mean. I want answers. I''m a pretty patient woman and...Awww ZEN! I hate when you do that!"


    Zen hurried past us smiling brightly. Mikhail chuckled again, I was beginning to really enjoy his laugh. I gave myself a mental slap in the face. Hormones!


    "Mikhail we need to talk about thing''s...I put Conall out last night, uh, well this morning." He continued to scan the bar, but I saw the look of hurt that swept across his face.


    "I didn''t sleep with him, I told him he had until this morning then he had to leave. Apparently he''s very good at house hunting. He messaged me sometime after he left and said he bought a house close by."


    "You think he used magic to obtain a house?"


    "The thought had crossed my mind."


    "Don''t worry yourself about it. I have some good news."


    "Really? What kind of good news?"


    "We completed the initial scan of your property and set up ward''s to keep everyone out that wasn''t invited in by you personally. Now for anyone at all to enter they must be invited by you and only you. Do you know what that mean''s?"


    "Thaaaaaat no one can pop by for an unannounced visit?"


    "Well, yes but, it also mean''s the manor is safe. I can come in if you wish and we can talk about everything, without the fear someone or something will interrupt us."


    "That actually is good news. Finally! Ok so tonight I''m closing down at about two. We can meet up before we leave. Deal?"


    "Deal."


    Just then my cell buzzed in my pocket. Mikhail turned on his stool to scan the area again while I slid my finger across the screen to unlock it, I had a new text, I put in my pass code and opened the message. As I quickly scanned the text Mikhail turned back towards me. I felt my face go stern and my back straighten. I closed the app and laid my towel under the bar.


    This couldn''t have come at a worse time. I sighed as I motioned for Alexandria to take over behind the bar. She knew immediately what was going on and nodded as we slid by each other. I whispered to her quickly.


    "Shouldn''t take long, hour at most."


    "You got this!" she whispered back.


    Mikhail was internally on red alert. His aura was crazy with protection and slight hues of irritation and worry. I smiled at him and mouthed "Be right back" then I turned and made my way quickly back to my office where I shut and locked the door so I could change into my gear.


    The text had been from THE ELITE. I had a new assignment. Dumask had apologized for giving me an assignment whilst I was going through my personal issues but he had been adamant about needing me specifically for this target. The details were few but all I really needed was a name and a photo and I''d get the job done. Dumask knew I was the best sniper and close quarter combatant he has so I took it as an honor to be called upon so soon.


    Just as I finished dressing in my all black attire I heard a knock at my door. I slid my cowl over my head and stepped back into the shadows to wait for whomever it was to give up and go so I could open the hidden door behind my bookcase that led outside. After a moment or two I heard footstep''s leading away so I slid the bookcase outward, pulled it closed behind me and I was gone.


    The light''s lining the corridor behind the bookcase were auto sensory light''s so I never needed worry about turning them off, they''d simply go off after a few minutes with no movement. As I stepped out into the crisp night air I inhaled deeply. This job was going to be a bit tough but it wasn''t anything I couldn''t handle. Tonight''s mark was a man by the name of Johanson. Bartrund Johanson, CEO of Syn International.


    Syn International is basically a giant shell corp whose main objective is to launder cash for the Supernatural Mob bosses of Sanctuary and the surrounding counties. I know, I know, you wouldn''t think a small town like Sanctuary would have a Mob boss living in it, let alone operating outta it right? Well guess again. Sanctuary is a small town but it''s the center of the Supernatural Community, because it houses the border between us and The Black Forrest.


    Which happens to be the source of nearly all supernatural abilities and powers for all of us Sunat''s or Supernaturals. Anyway so Bart is a bad guy who works for an even worse guy. The plan is to take out the bad guy in order to flush out the worse guy. Simple right? Well it''s no so simple when Bart happens to be a powerful Sunat.


    Because details are so minimal on this one I don''t even know what kind of Sunat he is. So I''m basically going in blind on this one. No matter tough, I''m Redalia Hood, I''ll get the job done. I always close my contracts. I took one last deep breath then made my way as silently as a gentle breeze, over to my shed I''d set up when I first purchased The Dark Horse.


    I unlocked the padlock and opened the old door to reveal my Ducati Panigale 1199 R, It''s sole purpose is to be used for THE ELITE missions. Because the bike is so recognizable it has to remain hidden. Anytime it''s brought out you can guarantee a quick get away will be the end to the night. I pulled the bike out then shut and locked the door. If need be I can always use magic to unlock it if I come in on the fly.


    Once I had the bike around the building and my helmet on I fired him up, he roared to life as if shaking off years of sleep and dust then he settled into a purr and off we went. I loved the feeling of riding my bike, it was so freeing. It didn''t take long for me to reach Procious, the next city over from Sanctuary. I checked in with THE ELITE and let them know I was in the vicinity.


    I received another text informing me of the mark''s whereabouts.He was closer than I expected, only a few blocks from me. I made my way to the building he resided in and parked in the building adjacent from his. This man didn''t care to show off his money, he lived in the penthouse of the richest hotel in the state. The Duchess Hotel, I quickly and quietly maneuvered my way to the top floor of the building I was in. Unfortunately I still didn''t have the shot I needed. I decided a change of plans was in order.


    There was a building off to my right, it was slightly taller than The Duchess Hotel. I decided to use it as my perch, I couldn''t however take my bike over, so after the hit I''d have to hightail it back to this building and retrieve the bike. No Problem!....Right?


    It looked like the building was empty save for a few guards, they were practically no problem. I set off an alarm on the opposite end of the building and snuck through undetected. I had to take the stairs to remain undetected. I don''t know what kind of building this is but it had very poor security, no cameras at all in the stairwell''s, fat, lazy security guards...good lord it''s like a bad movie.


    After I FINALLY made it to the top floor I was relieved to find I had a perfect view, totally clear. I pulled my black rifle case around to face me and popped the lid so I could start unloading my massive baby. My Headhunters long range tactical rifle was the pride and joy of my collection. By far my fav gun for sure! It''s a .300 WSM rifle built on an AR platform so it''s easy to carry and very precise for long range sniping.


    Once I had the rifle assembled I laid out my casing mat, it''s just a soft mat that absorbs the impact of the rifle legs so they don''t scratch the surface of whatever it''s sitting on, leaving no trace of the rifle having ever been there. The only thing left to do was cut the glass so the shot would go thorough smoothly then cop a squat and wait till the pompous ass hat showed up.


    Cutting the glass was easy enough, my Tarvol cutter was quick and easy enough. This particular set of windows were more like half windows. It was in fact two separate pieces of glass mounted on top of each other inside metal brackets. The each half measured a mere two feet by three feet with a five inch metal separator bracket then there was the wall beneath the window. Everything comes into play when you''re sniping.


    Once the window was taken care of and leaning safely against the wall I pulled out my wind gauge and began taking more measurements I then factored in the distance and thickness of the glass he no undoubtedly had specially made to be high caliber resistant. Ultimately I came to the decision this was going to be a double tap kinda hit.


    I''d have to be extremely cautious, I''d only have moments to get the glass put back in and sealed before the guards would come rushing in and start lookingmy way. I sat back on my leg, waiting. I hated waiting. I riffled through my pocket until I found my Spearmint gum.


    I wondered what Mikhail was doing right now, then Conall invaded my thoughts and I felt myself grow angry. No....it wasn''t so much anger as it was hurt. I was hurt. I hated feeling so vulnerable. Suddenly my phone lit up beside my thigh. It was the bar. Mikhail no doubt. I dare not answer, I needed all my senses to be on high alert in case a guard or janitor came snooping.


    I sent the cal to voice-mail a second later I felt a wave of warmth wash over me. I heard Mikhail''s voice.


    "Redalia where are you?"


    "Ummmm...working."


    "You left nearly an hour ago. Please tell me where you are."


    "*Sigh* I can''t tell you."


    "Does this have to do with the text you received earlier?"


    "Yeah, it''s my...other job."


    "I see, you have an assignment from THE ELITE."


    "Uh, yeah. But I don''t remember telling you..."


    "I know a lot about you Redalia. I told you that. Are you alone?"


    "Yeah, I prefer it this way."


    "Who is your intended target?"


    "If you know so much about me then you know I can''t tell you that. It''s against the code."


    "Shall I ask Dumask Vandeer then?"


    "You know Dumask?!"


    "We knew each other once before, but I scarce think he''d forget me once he saw me. We were very good friends I even helped on a few mark''s before in Russia."


    I don''t know if it was because I knew he wouldn''t let up until he got the name or if it was simply because I had an underlying urge to please him, but either way I told him the mark''s name.


    "The mark''s name is Bartrund Johanson. He''s the..."


    "CEO of Syn International. Yes I know. Redalia, where are you?"


    "I''m hold up in the big building to the right of his hotel, I have a direct line of sight. Look''s like I''ll have to double tap em though. The glass look''s like it''s pretty thick."


    "Red, listen to me. You need to leave there. Abort the mission."


    "What? No I can''t. I always close my contracts."


    "Red you have to go now! Bartrund is a Archaic Seer."


    "Oh My....You''ve gotta be kidding me?!"


    "I wish I were. He may already know your there. I think you should abort, come home and regroup with Dumask. But I won''t tell you what to do, it''s your call. You know where I stand on this though."


    Ok so just a tidbit of a recap here, the mark is an Archaic Seer so he might know I''m already here, but then again this hit was last minute. My own defenses keep me hidden from sight anyway. So maybe he doesn''t know I''m here. It''s basically a 50/50 split.


    My mind was made up before ever I spoke a word. I had already decided to stay and try to complete my mission. After all it''s like I''ve always said, I always close my contracts. This guy was a bad dude and he deserved what I had ready for him.


    I straightened my back, stretched my neck then focused hard on keeping my presence hidden from all. I popped my fingers then my neck and finally my wrists as I took up my position once again and waited.


    "I''m not leaving until this guy''s down. I leave NO open contracts."


    "I understand. I''m coming too you then. Think of me as backup."


    "You don''t need to come babysit me Mikhail."


    "I plan on doing no such thing. I will be there to assist you should you need it. That''s all. Besides I left the bar when you told me who the mark was. I''m nearly there."


    "Oh you! Ugh...fine."


    He laughed and it sent shivers down my spine and set fire to my belly. Stupid hormones! I swear I should look into having them removed! I relaxed a bi knowing Mikhail was on his way. I don''t know why but I feel happy.


    Ugh, I can''t just jump from one guy to the next! People will get the wrong idea Red! Snap outta it. Get to know the guy, for real this time. He may turn out to be an amazing person. Or he could turn out to be like his brother.....dear Goddess no.


    Well I can''t say that, after all Conall really did think he was doing the right thing. Poor guy doesn''t even know he has a brother. But still, to use magic against me! Oh it makes my blood boil every time I think about it! This is why I stay single, you just can''t trust a man! They all want one thing, Oh Goddess, I sound like Trilla.


    I laughed at myself and the crazy emotional roller coaster I put myself on. My attention was captured suddenly when I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. Wait, no not movement, a light flicked on in the Penthouse. Bart was finally home. I pulled my cowl off my head, straightened my back, adjusted my scope and rifle then prepared to seal the deal.


    Bart walked back and forth through his expensive looking living room, he was on the phone yelling at someone. His aura shone a deep crimson red with hints of black. I kept deathly still, finally he threw his phone to the ground across the room and ran his fingers through his hair. I watched him, like a cheetah watches its prey.


    He sauntered over to a liquor cabinet and poured himself a heavy handed drink before coming to stand directly in front of the window. I adjusted the rifle, inhaled deeply, lined up the shot, gently laid my finger next to the trigger, exhaled, placed my finger on the trigger...and gave it two rapid squeezes.


    In the half a second before I pulled the trigger Bart turned his head slightly and looked directly at me. Not at the building, at me. He knew I was there. As soon as the shot''s cleared the barrel I was up and loading my rifle into it''s case. I had second''s to get outta there. I grabbed the casing mat and flung it in the case with my rifle before slinging it on my back and bolting for the door.


    I heard the elevator chime and watched in horror as the door''s started to slide open. I didn''t stay to see who was coming off it, I made a mad dash for the stairs, the door caught my side as I ran through it and tore my torso. I had no time to stop. I jumped the railing.


    The next thing I knew I heard men running down the stairs barking orders after me. I jumped and jumped landing on the next railing. Gunshot''s began to whiz by me. I was in pain from the door but I knew I had to focus. I threw up a shield to cover my decent as I leapt the last railing and began my decent down the final 10 flights of stairs.


    Right before I hit the bottom I called upon my magic to stop my fall. I stopped but just barely, I''d lost quite a bit of blood. I must have tore the gash open when I was jumping from staircase to staircase.


    No matter, I''d be home free soon. I ran through the hall stopping just short of the guard post.


    I peeked around the corner to see the guards were both dead. The men chasing me must have done it on their way up, cowardice at it''s finest. There is no honor it the taking of Innocent life. I swiftly ran for the door as the stairwell door slammed open. I heard the familiar shot''s ring out again.


    I dodged, ducked, dipped and dove to get away. My side was full on thrashing me by now. I wasn''t sure I could make it much further, inside the parking garage I was mere feet from my bike, when out of nowhere I get blindsided. I haul myself up to my feet and stare down my attacker. A big guy, he kinda look''s like what would happen if the old wrestler Kane and Frankenstein had a baby. This guy''s seriously creepy looking. Oh well the bigger they are....


    He threwa hard right but I dodged, delivering a rib shot as I flew by him. He doubled over and I used this to my advantage. I ran at him full speed and climbed on top of his shoulder''s, wrapping my legs around his head and chest, then I used my momentum to throw myself and him forward until we did a flip and landed on our back''s.


    I then released one leg and used my heel to get him in the gut before he grabbed my leg and threw me like a rag doll across the lot into a car. At this point I feel pretty rough. Next thing I know he pulls me up by my cowl, throws it off my face then smiles down at me. He slides a hand down my cheek.


    I use the distraction to land a hay-maker, he''s stunned but not for long. He must have been a boxer or something because this guy was throwing punches left and right. I''m dodging then landing a few of my own but taking a nasty beating too.


    Finally he get''s in a solid shot to the rib''s, I go down but I''m not there long. He pulls me up and slings me back against the trunk of a nearby car. At some point his comrade''s had decided to join us. They were now holding my arm''s and leg''s down as he slowly made his way towards me. The grin plastered across his face was merciless.


    It was then I knew what he wanted to do to me. I struggled and fought but the weight of so many against me was to much. I called upon my magic but I''d lost so much blood I was barely conscious. I felt his hand''s slide up my thigh''s then my torso. He stopped on my chest and began to massage them. I spit at him.


    They all just laughed at me. He leaned in close and licked my face before ripping my shirt open, exposing my chest to the cool night air. I didn''t scream, I had already decided I wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction. I wiggled and writhed against the combined weight of all his men.


    He laughed again as he ripped my clothes some more, he was almost to my lower region when suddenly a low deep growl echoed through the parking garage. He stopped immediately and looked around.


    "Jay, Tito go check it out."


    "But what about her?"


    "She''s mine. I can handle her, she''s nearly dead anyway. GO!"


    "Bobby, James you two go that way. Hurry up!"


    "Yes sir."


    I heard their foot steps as they quickly left to obey. Going in and out of consciousness was no fun at all. That whole vulnerability complex comes into play here. The growl sounded again and this time it was accompanied by screams of terror and pain followed by the gurgle of life leaving a body in a very painful fashion.


    Mr. Hard-On was now visibly shaken. He kept his composure as best he could though. When the other two idiots came back he redirected them to stay by his side. Then he pulled me up by my neck and looked me directly in the eye''s.


    "Before this is over....I''ll strap you down and not only will I beat you till your on the brink of death, I''ll ride you like the bitch you are...over and over and over until I get tired of your mangled up ass then I''ll finish you off. In the most merciless, drawn out way imaginable. Don''t you dare for one second think this is over."


    Another scream and then a gurgle sounded in the distance along with another growl. This time a pair of bright golden eye''s shone in the dark. They were about eight feet in the air, The one holding my neck threw me into the back of the truck and he along with his men ran like the coward''s they are.


    I laid there just staring at the ceiling. Suddenly Mikhail was there. His face was twisted in horror and utter rage. He scooped me up into his arm''s. The pain was a distant memory now. I felt light as air. I touched his face gently, running a blood soaked finger down the length of his scar.


    I watched as he sniffed the air then turned, sniffed again a few feet away and turned again, now we were in front of my bike. He knelt next to it and placed me on the ground. His eye''s were so full of pain. I wanted to touch him, to heal him of his pain. He moved hair from off my face then cupped my cheek in his hand.


    "Red, I need you to focus. Your wound''s are grave, they''re killing you. We haven''t mated, I can''t heal you properly. But you, you can heal yourself. Just focus on filling your body with warmth and light and life. Please Red you have to try."


    "I...can''t.....Mikhail....you have to know....I....I...."


    "You can do this Red, focus. Just think about something that brings you happiness, something that you WANT to live for!"


    His pleading burned itself into my very soul. I found myself going back to the memory we shared. The giant black wolf that nuzzled me and played with me. He protected me when I was scared. I loved that wolf, without a doubt. Suddenly I felt myself growing stronger.


    I focused on him on the wolf that made me so happy. Suddenly I saw a different wolf. This one was almost as big as the black one but it was Red, a beautiful bright shade of Crimson. It looked at me and I swear it smiled. The two wolves ran together, smiling and jumping on each other as if playing.


    Then the black wolf rolled the red wolf onto it''s back, as it stared at the other wolf he leaned his head down and licked the red one. They looked so happy, like they were meant to be together. The black wolf turned back to me and smiled then walked towards me. As he got closer I could see the faint white marking of a scar that ran over his right eye and down his cheek.


    He opened his mouth and spoke, and I actually understood him! Man these hallucination''s are craaaaazzzzyyyyy!)


    "Come back Redalia.....Come back to me.....You are my reason for being."


    "You left me.....I was all alone for so long."


    "I know Moya Lyubov'', I thought what I did was for the best. I wanted you to have a choice. I see now it was a horrid mistake. I should never have left you."


    "I''ve already mated with Conall...We can never be..."


    "Moya Lyubov'' did you bite him?"


    "What? No he bit me. He said that''s how it''s done. I felt.....bliss when he did it."


    I felt tears well up in my eye''s. I didn''t want this. I didn''t want to be tied to a liar or deceiver for all eternity. I wanted Mikhail. He brushed his head against my cheek as he licked it.


    "Redalia, You are not bound to Conall McGreggor. You must return the Mates Bite in order to seal the bond...You are free."


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    "I am?!"


    "Yes, now go. It''s time to wake up now and remember what we spoke of. Remember Red..."


    The white light''s of the parking garage were so bright and harsh. I blinked hard against them. I looked around and saw Mikhail holding me, he was looking around. No doubt scanning the area. I moved my arm slightly and lifted my hand to brush a stay strand of hair from off his face. He looked down at me, his warm golden eye''s looked as if they were molten


    "Well hello there, Spyashchaya krasavitsa." he said.


    "Uhg, translation?" I muttered groggily.


    "Sleeping Beauty. Ha, ha I told you, you could do it. Now up we go. We have to get out of here."


    He hoisted me up like I weighed about as much as a sack of feathers. I noticed he''d put his jeans back on and a dark shirt with a nice sift leather jacket on top. He placed me on the Ducati then mounted it behind me. I felt him shake off the leather and place it around my shoulder''s.


    "Hold on, we''ll be back in Sanctuary soon. By the way, nice bike."


    "You think you can...handle it big guy?" I stuttered. He chuckled as the bike roared to life.


    "Trust me, Vozlyublennyy, I can handle anything you dish out."


    "You sure about that?" I whispered over my shoulder.


    He stared ahead, deep in thought maybe? Then he leaned in close, covering my back with his body and breathing close to my ear. It sent shivers down my spine as my body naturally reacted to the sensation and arched closer to him, exposing my neck to the now cold wind. His body heat warmed me all over.


    "We shall see." he breathed almost inaudibly.


    "Oh yes, we shall." I thought to myself as we sped off into the night.


    The wind was harsh and unforgiving, but as badly as I felt in the cold I knew Mikhail was colder. It felt like time passed slowly as we made our way back to The Dark Horse. I''d been gone far to long I knew Alex was going to be an absolute mess when we got there.


    Finally we rounded the last curve and the bright neon bar sign came into view. Mikhail maneuvered the bike behind the bar with ease and parked in the shadows. He helped lift me off and started to walk to the side door, but if anyone inside saw us they''d ask to many question''s. I stopped him with a hand against his chest then motioned towards a darkened side wall.


    He picked up on my indication and body language and turned us to face the wall. Once we were a few feet away I called upon my magic, a vibrant blue circled and intertwined around my arm then my hand. I waved it in front of us and the wall disappeared. It was the last thing I remembered. The use of magic drained me into unconsciousness.

 12 Chapter 12

    "Chto vy dumali o? Oni mogli ubit'' yeye!"


    I''d know that Russian accent anywhere, it was Mikhail. I had no idea how long I''d been out but I was now slowly coming back from the black abyss. There were people around me, I sent out my mental feelers and checked auras quickly. Mikhail''s golden glow welcomed me but quickly shifted to a dark amber then lightning yellow. He was furious. The other two auras were blue, helpful, sorrowful, worried and both were lined with deep shades of pink which indicated fear. They were afraid of Mikhail. I decided it best to listen in and observe their interaction''s.


    "I assure you Mikhail, had we known he was an Archaic Seer we would never have sent her. Our information was badly corrupted. Please, try to calm down." came the ever calm reply of the man I knew to be my long time Elder and Leader from THE ELITE, Dumask.


    "I AM CALM!" Mikhail roared in response. The wolf was teeming to be set free.


    The third man paced in front of the door to my office. I could barely make out his face but after a moment there was no need. I knew the familiar smell of Scotch and disinfectant. Doc was here.


    "Both of you need to take a minute. Now, I''ve stabilized her, she should come round any minute. BOTH of you listen closely. Dumask you know I''ve been a long time Physician for THE ELITE, and I''ve never done you wrong."


    "Yes, you most certainly have been a loyal friend to us.."


    "Then heed my warning. Redalia, is in a fragile state. Her powers are fluctuating and manifesting in strange new way''s. I''m going to need access to the old archives Dumask. I need to research a few thing''s and find out what''s happening to her. In the meantime I suggest you try to keep her calm, don''t upset her. Her powers seem to be more rapid and unconstrained when she''s upset."


    "Doc....is she...is she a threat to us now?" Dumask asked tentatively.


    The room grew deathly silent. I could hear the men breathing, the patrons in the front of the bar hollering and laughing, finally Doc spoke again.


    "If she loses control she could very well destroy, everything. Redalia is the most powerful being this world has ever seen. That same power is eating her alive, it want''s out, it want''s to be used. The longer she bottles it up the worse the explosion will be when it''s finally set free. Does she know....about her...other half yet?"


    "No, I hadn''t planned on burdening her with the detail''s just yet. I wanted to wait to see if Conall....well, if he was truly her mate, but I suspect now, that there is something you haven''t told me, old friend."


    It was Mikhail''s turn to answer after a long pause full to the brim with expectancy.


    "Yes, Conall McGreggor is not the True Wolf King. He is in fact the second son of King Quinn and Queen Ekaterina (yehkahteeREEnah). I am the first born descendant of the Queen and King."


    A gasp came from where Doc stood. Dumask however didn''t sound as if he was to shocked at hearing this news. I shouldn''t be surprised nothing ever shock''s him.


    "Does Conall know about you?" Dumask asked.


    "No, Conall hails more from our fathers side where as I tended to lean closer to mother. After I had the vision of Cernunnos and Redalia I knew I couldn''t stay in The Black Forrest. I had to leave, I had to give her a chance to choose me because she wanted me, not because we were supposed to be together. Father was slightly less than pleased. His only heir was leaving for what he decreed was a folly of a reason, he always said "You can not fight fate." From what I heard later on, he had removed me from his life completely...I didn''t blame him for this. After a while mother became pregnant with another child. She wrote to me often about how thing''s were going, Unfortunately it wasn''t long after Conall''s birth, that she died. She took my existence with her to the grave. Had I known Conall would develop this warped sense of obligation, I would have done a few thing''s differently."


    "Well that explains how he could make the Moonstone glow. I expect he used magic or some kind of potion on Redalia as well?"


    "Yes, he used magic. He and I were both born with special abilities. He can speak telepathically, heal anyone, and with a little help from some dark magic he made it so he could influence Redalia''s decisions and feeling''s. You have to understand though, in his mind HE is the True Wolf King. He believes it with all his heart. So to him, he didn''t lie to Redalia when he told her he loved her."


    "I was told Redalia and Conall mated....is this true?"


    "Yes, he bit her with her consent."


    "Goddess! Could that have something to do with why her power''s are frantic?"


    "I can''t say for sure but I have a feeling it might. I have distanced myself from her for far too long. It is because of me she was susceptible to Conall''s dark magic. I admit my fault''s, but I will not admit defeat. I will not see her harmed, by anyone. I''m sending some men back to Procious to obtain the parking garage footage. I want to see if they captured a good shot of the faces of Redalia''s assailants. Dumask you need to try to find out what happened with your intel. Doc, find out what you can from the archives. We can not afford to trust anyone now."


    "No one? What about the other members of the council? Dumask can''t be keepin secret''s from them. It''s against their code."


    "It is alright Doc, my fellow Elder''s trust me. If I say it is a matter of personal interest they will leave it alone. Now, when do you want to get started on the archives?"


    "The sooner the better I think."


    "Fine, come with me, Mikhail, we''re leaving her to you."


    "I understand."


    "May you walk always in shadow, old friend."


    "Poka my ne vstretimsya snova, Do Svidaniya." (Until we meet again. Goodbye/Farewell)


    I listened as the two men left my office, Mikhail exhaled deeply before opening the door again and calling out for Alexi.


    "Da, ser?" (Yes, sir)


    "Alexi take Ivan and Daniil and go retrieve the footage of tonight from the guard shack at the parking garage across the street from The Duchess Hotel in Procious. I''ll need to review it immediately."


    "Da, ser."


    "Oh Alexi, tell Alexandria, Redalia is in rough shape and the bar need''s to close early."


    "Da,ser. Chto-nibud'' yeshche?" (Yes, sir. Anything else?)


    "Net, prosto idi skoreye." (No, just go quickly.)


    "Da, moy tsar''" (Yes, my king.)


    After he closed the door again he came to sit on the floor by the couch I was sprawled out on. He began to stroke my arm and play with my finger''s. I shifted slightly, it was time for he and I to have a little chat. I let my eye''s flutter open as I tried to sit up, an action I quickly regretted.


    Mikhail was on me in an instant, lifting me to a sitting position. I smiled my thanks at him then flinched as a surge of pain took hold of my abdomen. He stood and walked to my desk then back again, in his hand he held out a bottle of pills and a cup of water.


    "Doc said when you came too, to take these. He said they''d help with the pain."


    "I don''t take pain medication." I said sternly.


    "Redalia you should take something. It''s only going to get worse."


    "No, I don''t take them. I never have and I won''t start now. I may crack a joke about needing one the size of a horse but that''s all it is, a joke. Narcotics dampen my magic. They make me groggy and make it hard to focus and use my powers."


    "I understand that, but I won''t let anything happen to you. Tonight I''m going to take you home myself. If you permit me I''d like to take up a temporary stay on your couch. Just until you are healed. I know it''s a lot to ask, especially with what happened between you and Conall..."


    At the mention of his name everything came flooding back. The hit and how he looked at me right before I killed him, the crazed vision I had when I was dying in the parking garage,then I remembered why I was dying.


    I remembered the assailant. I began remembering what he had done to me, how he told his men to hold me down, how he had ripped my clothes and beat me then told me he would be the one to end me only after rapping over and over until he grew bored with me.


    Everything was coming in crystal clear now. I wanted to scream, to lash out, to beat something, to kill something.....to cry. But to my dismay, the last time I checked...assassins don''t cry. I fought back tears, biting the inside of my lip and jaw and averting my gaze away from Mikhail.


    Thankfully at that moment Alex started banging on the door demanding to be let in. Mikhail obliged and unlocked then opened the door for her, just enough so she could slip in. Judging by the look of sheer horror on her face I could tell I didn''t look so hot.


    "Oh Red, what the hell happened? I thought it was a quick hit?!"


    "Yeah, so did I. Turn''s out...I was very, very wrong."I tried to laugh, pain shot through me like a bolt of lightning...nope. Not happening!


    "Goddess Red, are you going to be ok? Has anyone called Doc? By the way just where were you at exactly?!" she said as she looked over her shoulder at Mikhail.


    Mikhail held her gaze but I saw the pain that ate at him. His aura was a swirling sea of misery and self-hatred. He hated himself for not being there to save me in time. Ha! Join the club buddy. I hated myself for needing him to help me in the first place!


    "Alex take it easy on em, he''s beating himself up enough about it. Besides, you should see the other guy!" I winked, sort of...


    "Girl you have to be the luckiest person to ever walk this earth. You look like you need a long hot bath and a good massage. Want me to call my cousin Romeo? You know he just finished up his Massage Therapy classes at the University."


    Mikhail went rigid at the mention of Alex''s cousin.


    "Nah, I''ll be ok. Thanks for the offer though. Can I hold onto it for a bit? I may need a good massage later."


    "Sure girl, you know he''d be happy as duck during rabbit season."


    We both laughed. Well she laughed I just sort of writhed in pain at the mere attempt...no the THOUGHT of attempting to laugh. Then she gave me a hug, brushed some hair from my face and agreed to close the bar down an hour early.


    "I''ll leave the till in the safe for the night then count it in the morning ok."


    "Yeah that''s fine go ahead. Thanks for doing this Alex."


    "I''m your best girlfriend, it''s what I''m supposed to do! Girl Code!"


    "Ha! Yeah Girl Code!" I threw up my fist, then jerked as once again pain ripped through my side.


    Alex was true to her word, she announced closing time at one a.m, cleaned the place up, loaded the till into the safe, hugged me again, gave Mikhail strict orders not to let me move or do anything until I had healed, then she left. Man, my best friend is pretty great!


    No doubt I''ll have a nice message waiting for me on my cell when I get home, from Jax. Unless Alex decides to wait and tell him tomorrow, which I silently hopped she did. I was way to tired and in way to much pain to deal with a mad Jax.


    Just then a knock came at the door. Mikhail opened it and retrieved a DVD of some kind from the man outside the door. I tried to make myself a bit more straightened and presentable as Mikhail opened the door a bit more to reveal Alexi. Then I realized the DVD was the footage from the parking garage, I''d heard him tell Alexi to retrieve it earlier tonight.


    This was something I definitely did not want to deal with at the moment. I needed to go home, get cleaned up and chill on my bed so I could heal properly. I cleared my throat as politely as one can, then motioned for Mikhail to come closer. He obediently did as I asked.


    "I''d like to go home. I need to get cleaned up and comfortable so I can begin the healing process. I don''t want to deal with anything else tonight. Please....just take me home."


    I hadn''t realized how upset I really was until I almost began to cry just then. Once again I mentally slapped myself and sucked it up. Because as I believe I previously stated... Assassins don''t cry! Mikhail was very understanding. He scooped me up in his arm''s as gently as he could and carried me to my truck.


    "Alexi."


    "Da,ser?"


    "Tonight move the men to the manor. I want rotating shifts on every two to four hours. You are to do an entire, thorough search of the perimeter. Is that understood?"


    "Da, ser!" he glanced down at me, sorrow filling his soft blue eye''s.


    "Alexi." Mikhail said in a bit of a deeper tone.


    "Da?"


    "She will be fine."


    "I know. I''m sorry for doubting."


    "Go, tell the others. I''ll meet you outside the gate before she lays down for the night."


    "Da, moy tsar''" He saluted and off he went.


    Mikhail carried me across the parking lot with ease. After placing me in my passenger seat he climbed in on the driver side, slipped the keys into the ignition and gave a wisp of a smile as my ol truck roared to life.


    He placed his leather jacket across me before slipping the truck into reverse and backing out of the lot then turning onto the main road. I watched his facial expressions as we drove home. Looking for any sign''s of what was to come. He was very good at hiding his feeling''s.


    I decided to delve a little deeper. I closed my eye''s and focused on his thought''s. Pain riddled my body, but I had to push it away. I couldn''t think about that now. There were other matters at hand to deal with.


    Just as I thought, he was locked up tighter than a ticks rear-end. I had to try though. I slowly pressed on the barrier he had placed up around himself. After a moment or two I found a crack and let my mind flow through it like water over a smooth stone.


    "I can''t believe this. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why didn''t I just follow her to the damned hit. I knew she was going the minute her body language changed. Goddess, this is all my fault! I should have been there! Now she''s in so much pain. I can feel it, it''s running through me like hot iron. I deserve this though. I never should have left her. I never should have left either of them.....Conall.....he would never have done what he did had I stayed. All this, Conall, Redalia....Father...it''s all on my shoulder''s. If I lose her...Goddess she doesn''t even know how much I...how much I love her. She has no clue for how long I''ve loved her. She''d never want me now though. Once she realizes it''s all my fault. If I would have stayed, I would have warned him not to help the bastard sorcerer, I would have sensed the danger. He''d still be alive, my people wouldn''t be in hiding or scattered across the counties. My brethren in arm''s wouldn''t be turning into Dark Reapers...Redalia would be safe, happy, and...and...no. She wouldn''t be with me. I would never force her to be with me just because it''s whats expected. I could never take away her freedom. I swear, once this is over and Doran is dead...I''ll find a way to break her bond with Conall. I''ll set her free so that she can choose her own path. I''ll have to leave her though. She''ll never be truly free if I''m still around. I''d rather slip into the darkness of the void than force her into my arm''s. I hope one day she can forgive me for everything I put her through."


    I withdrew from his thought''s. Now I seriously might cry. How could he blame himself so much. I mean he did what he did so I could be free. He thought about me and my life before his own happiness. A bump in the road jolted the truck and me, causing more pain. I noticed Mikhail slightly flinch at the very moment I felt the shock of pain.


    He really did feel every bit of my hurt. I didn''t want this! It isn''t fair, he''s beating himself up enough he shouldn''t have to endure this torture! I opened my mouth to speak but before I could say anything he slowed to a stop and rolled the window down.


    Alexi greeted him in Russian. They exchanged a few word''s thenAlexi saluted and left. Mikhail then turned to me.


    "Redalia I need you to invite me beyond the boundaries."


    "Oh, ok so I have to say it out loud?"


    "Yes, if you please."


    "Ok, no problem. Mikhail I invite you and your comrades inside the barrier."


    "Thank you."


    As we drove through the gate it looked as if we were driving under a waterfall of golden shimmering water. Then just as quickly as it came the beautiful sight was gone again. I leaned against the door as we pulled round the drive and stopped in front of the manor.


    Mikhail shut off the engine then turned to face me, placing his hand on my cheek as he did so. I thought I almost saw an actual smile begin to spread across his face, but maybe it was just a trick of the moonlight.


    After helping me out and eventually carrying me to my bathroom upstairs where I forced him to let me shower, Mikhail went back downstairs to speak with his men again. I moved slow but at least I can move, am I right?!Man that was a beating and a half.


    I don''t usually go down so easily. Maybe Doc is right and there''s something up with my magic. Figures, why the heck does everything have to happen to me?! I managed to get myself showered and as odd as it sounds I actually felt a bit better afterwards.


    I dried off then towel dried my hair and applied some frizz control serum to it before giving up and just slipping into my fav pair of flare leg sleeping/yoga pant''s and a tank top. I heard muffled voices coming from downstairs and decided to do a little investigating.


    Every step was like a kick in the rib''s but I was determined to see what was up. Once I had managed to descend the stairs I looked to my left and saw the living room had a group of men in it with Mikhail in the middle as the rest sat perched on one knee all around him.


    I tried my best to give a bit of a smile and straighten my back as I walked into the room that now felt very cramped. Everyone in the room bowed their head''s to me as I walked by. I patted their shoulder''s and thanked them. After a moment I decided to enjoy having people around me again.


    "Please, you don''t have to bow. You are all guests in my home. Your welcome to the extra beds and couch''s. There''s the sectional in the family room, the two couch''s in here and a multitude of room''s for anyone who need''s to use them. My kitchen is also open to y''all. I cook breakfast about 8-ish if anyone want''s to join me. There''s plenty of pop, tea, milk, coffee, cappuccino, and of course there''s a bit ofMoonshine for those brave souls who dare try it."


    The men started to chuckle and banter with each other amongst themselves but a glance from Mikhail silenced them.


    "You have your duties for the night, now bid the Queen goodnight and be on your way."


    The men each rose then bowed once to Mikhail then myself. There were about ten of them, I made a mental note to remember to get their names. If they were going to be here 24/7 I should at least try to get to know them right? Off they went, as the door closed behind the last man I looked around the living room.


    I hated being alone, I hated having such a big empty house too. The ghost''s of the past always seemed to be heard better when I was alone, I brushed the memories from my childhood away as I turned to face Mikhail. He was watching me with silent intrigue. I crossed my arm''s as I usually did absentmindedly.


    For a moment he looked as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. His fist''s remained clenched at his side as he walked past me then turned towards the kitchen. He held out his hand to me then, I crossed the room and took it without a second thought. As I let him lead me down the hall I focused in on his hand wrapped around mine.


    It felt so strange, so foreign yet so....like home. I wanted him to touch me, a lot. This time I couldn''t blame it on the hormones, I had absolutely no sex drive at the moment. I was still in need of a good night''s rest so I could fully heal. When we arrived in the kitchen I started to lead him away from the actual nook in the corner where I had first sat with Conall, but as if he were reading my own thoughts, he directed me instead to the island.


    Once there he puled out my chair then helped scoot me in once I was settled. He then went to the stove and leaned his back against it, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at me. Warmth filled my ice cold bones, heat began to creep up my spine in the usual "turned on" way.


    I stamped it out. I was in no mood to become aroused. But I''ll be damned if that fire didn''t wanna burn me alive. I focused instead on my need for caffeine. I rubbed the back of my neck then massaged my temples for a quick moment before opening my eyes back up and locking on to Mikhail''s beautiful molten gold and amber one''s.


    "Care to make me a drink while your standing there comrade?"


    A smile played at the corners of his mouth, he tried so desperately to hide it but I caught it.


    "What would you like?"


    "Hmm, Oh I know! French Vanilla Cappuccino. There''s acanister in the cabinet. Just heat up some water and add it to a cup with about four tablespoons of mix in it then drop two ice cubes in it. Think you can handle that?"


    "Da."


    Oh man that accent. Here comes the fire again! No! Stop it! Down hormones, DOWN I say! Geez! Well while we''re here I may as well ask a few question''s, and maybe help him understand that this isn''t his fault. But how can I go about doing that without letting him know I invaded his privacy? This situation requires tact, stealth, and cleverness.....I''m screwed.


    "Mikhail?"


    "Hm?" was his reply. I watched him measure out exactly one and a half cups of water then add it to the pot to warm it.


    "May I ask you something?"


    "Da."


    A thousand question''s flooded my brain at once. I wanted to ask. Why me? Why did he feel he wasn''t good enough? How did he escape Doran? Why did he never try to come sooner? Why didn''t he want me to tell Conall about him? Where had he been this whole time? How did he know so much about practically everything? How did he have so many followers if nearly all the Wolven were enslaved, run off, killed or turned into Dark Reapers?


    All these questions buzzing, buzzing, buzzing round inside my head but when I went to speak there was only one question that stood out above all the rest, I knew I should have felt self-centered for asking it but at this point I didn''t care.


    "Do you care about me?"


    During my inner monologue he had poured the water into the coffee cup with the cappuccino in it and had stirred it. He also placed two cubes of ice in it as well. He stopped what he was doing and just stood staring at the cup in his hand''s for a long moment before finally turning around to me.


    He gently laid the cup down in front of me and leaned back against the stove again and once more he crossed his arm''s over his chest. He didn''t look at me immediately though, he sorta just stared off into space for a minute or two before answering.


    "I have cared for you since before you were ever thought of by any other, aside from the Gods and Goddesses."


    "Why? You didn''t know me. I could have turned out to be a terrible person. I could have become evil...like Doran."


    "You would never turn evil Red. You have to much good in you."


    "How could you know though? Because Cernunnos showed me to you in a dream?"


    "I felt you, I felt your heartbeat, your joy, your happiness. I knew you were my one."


    "But still you left. You left me. Alone...I was so alone."


    His head shot up to look directly at me. His beautiful face showed the tell tale signs of utter self-loathing. His heart was breaking, I felt it breaking as if it were my own.


    "I never meant..."


    "What? To hurt me? Oh yeah that''s easily said. But you knew I would never be able to love another, not truly anyway. You let me go through life feeling empty, alone, and sad. You could have came back, you could have told me." My voice became strong and hot with anger.


    "I''m so sorry, I..."


    "Stop! Stop telling me your sorry! You abandoned me! Your mate! Wolven mate for life Mikhail, or did you miss that lesson in your history class? But you abandoned me, to go off and do what exactly?"


    "Redalia...I, I moved to Russia after I left. I stayed with my mothers family. What was left of it. I started training, honing my combat skills so I could one day come back here and be..." he looked away again.


    "And be what Mikhail? Huh? Please enlighten me as to what you HAD to be before you came back to claim me?"


    "...Worthy."


    "Worthy huh? Well now, isn''t that a pip. You know what Mikhail I''d rather have had you here with me and us be happy and feel like we were whole than to have some skilled warrior whom I barely know. What about your brother? Why didn''t you go home after he was born? Why did you never contact him?"


    "I couldn''t. Father didn''t want me too..."


    "There you go blaming someone else. Mikhail you didn''t come back because you didn''t want too! Not because of King Quinn. I''m so sick of being lied to by everyone I''m supposed to trust!"


    I stood and slammed my fist on the marbled island top. Mikhail looked so torn and hurt.


    "Admit it. You didn''t want to be with me!"


    "No! I''ll never admit what isn''t true!"


    "Admit it! It''s your fault! It''s all your fault! Every bit of it!"


    "I..."


    "Admit it!" I slammed my fist again. Mikhail was growing extremely irritated.


    "Redalia, I..."


    Stop Lying! Admit your guilt!"


    Suddenly he slammed his palms down on the island so hard it nearly split in two. He looked me dead in the eye as he roared his reply.


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    "NO! IT WASN''T MY FAULT!"


    I took a step back as I crossed my arms under my chest. Then I smiled and arched an eyebrow as if to say "Finally!". Mikhail was breathless as he stood and composed himself. Running a slightly shaky hand over the back of his neck and licking his lips as he realized what I''d done.


    "Exactly." was all I said.


    I gently picked up the cappuccino that I now no longer wanted and walked over to the sink to pour it out. I rinsed out the cup and left it in the sink upside down then turned and started for my room. I was now dead tired, I didn''t get far before Mikhail halted me by grabbing my hand softly. I looked over my shoulder but didn''t make eye contact.


    "The event''s that lead up to this day are all in the past. The Goddesses and Gods knew what would happen. They always do. You need to know I do not blame you for anything. You did as you were meant to do. Now you are here, because you were meant to be here, now. Stop blaming yourself for thing''s you had no control over."

 13 Chapter 13

    I pulled my hand free from his and placed it on his cheek, absentmindedly stroking his scar. Then I turned and let my hand fall away. I didn''t quite make it to the end of the hall before the house started spinning again. I leaned against the wall for support.


    Mikhail was there in a flash, he scooped me into his arm''s and carried me to my room. On the way up the stairs he apologized for his outburst. I chuckled as best I could and snuggled close to his chest.


    "You do need to talk to Conall though. He need''s to know you and to own up to what he''s done and what he did to me."


    "Da, I agree. But we can do all these thing''s tomorrow. Now you need to sleep."


    We rounded the corner of my door frame as he finished. He stood me up then pulled back my comforter for me. I very happily laid down and made myself comfortable. He bowed to me then turned to leave. But I stopped him.


    "Mikhail."


    "Da?" he said, not turning around.


    "Will you stay with me?"


    "Da." he said as he turned back around and came to the bed.


    I scooted over and made room for him lay down.


    "Oh hey there''s a pair of sleeping pant''s in the bedroom across the hall. First drawer on the middle dresser. They were Jax''s old pant''s. They might be a bit snug though."


    "I will be fine."


    All of a sudden his clothes were gone, replaced by a pair of black sleeping pant''s and no shirt. (Nice!)


    "Oh, well that''s helpful."


    I said as I rolled over to snuggle some of my comforter I''d bunched up. He slid in next to me and placed a warm arm around my waist. I couldn''t help but feel all nice and toasty from his body heat. I usually keep the air set pretty low, because I like sleeping in a chilly room. But man he felt soooo good back there.


    It didn''t take long for me to fall into the land of dream''s. Especially after he started rubbing my cheek and running his fingers through my hair. Soon I found myself sitting in a dark room, it felt so familiar but I couldn''t make any of the furnishings out.


    I blinked a few times then rubbed my eyes, everything started to come into focus then. I was in some kind of vacant business office,I turned and looked and sure enough there sat my rifle and mat, I was on the job apparently. I quickly turned back and looked out the empty window trying in vain to find the target.


    He or she was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly everything in me screamed this was a set up so I gathered my gun and other tools of the trade and bolted for the door. Once in the hallway I heard the familiar ding of an elevator. I didn''t know who would be stepping out of it but something was telling me not to stick around and find out.


    I ran like my life depended on it. Down the stairwell I went, taking the steps two at a time until I heard the first shot ring out. I''ll be damned if it didn''t rip through my side, sending the most excruciating pain tearing through my whole body. My step faltered but I quickly recovered and bounded down the rest of the flights of stairs as quickly as I could.


    When at the bottom I burst though the door and made my way down the corridor to the guards station. They were dead, both shot point blank. The guy''s chasing me were no joke. I saw the exit, took my opportunity and ran for it. The night was cool and the air cut sharply. I needed to get my bike, it had to be in the parking garage.I''d never chance leaving such a memorable bike on the street for all to see. It didn''t take long to find the Ducati. I felt relief wash over me in waves then, but I had celebrated too early. Someone grabbed me from behind. I threw my head back, hearing a cracking sound and feeling the pain of nose to head contact I knew I''d broken the assailants nose.


    He stumbled backwards, I turned on him ready this time. He threw a right then left then right then hay-maker. I dodged them all with ease. He was wearing himself down throwing such hard punches. After a minute of this I decided enough was enough.


    I stepped back as he threw another right and this time I grabbed his arm as it went by and used his momentum to throw myself up onto his shoulders where I scissored his head and threw myself forward to flip him onto the concrete floor.


    He was winded and tired but not ready to give up, I lifted my leg and threw it as hard as I could into his chest. He exhaled violently as I heard his ribs crack beneath my boot. I twisted and slid myself away from him then jumped to my feet. Satisfied with the outcome, I turned towards my bike. But the harder I ran towards it the further away it got.


    More men started chasing me. They were closing in quick, I lurched left to dodge a bullet then right to slide by a punch. Finally, catching me off guard a big burly man grabbed me by the back of my shirt and halted me. He wrapped a hand around my throat and squeezed from behind.


    I tried to flip him, no use. So I tried to elbow his rib''s, nothing. Next I tried twisting away then I tried twisting into him but nothing worked. Nothing would make him loosen his grip. The next instant I was thrown to the ground. My arms and legs were paralyzed, I couldn''t move at all, I tried moving my fingers, toes, arms, legs, elbows, nothing.


    I looked into the face of the man who had done this to me. Horrid black eyes met my own violet ones. Hatred and anger spewed from every pore on his body, he laughed then landed a right hook in my side, right where the bullet had ripped through.


    Then he grabbed my shirt and tore it from my chest. He smiled down on me as he stroked the bulge in his pant''s. Snickering and hissing engulfed me as everything except the man turned black. I could see no more of the parking garage, no men that were chasing me before, nothing, just him and me.


    He slid his hand down my thigh as he leaned in close. I headbutt him in response then spat in his face. He smiled and backhanded me. Then he grabbed the loops of my black cargo pant''s and ripped them off me with ease, exposing my lower region. I closed my leg''s and locked them tightly but he was too strong. I screamed and fought. Trying to kick and flail my body as best I could.


    I cursed him and threatened to kill him and his whole family if he touched me again. His smile only became more malicious and evil as he wrapped a hand around my throat again and leaned in so close I could smell his bad cologne.


    I felt the bulge against my thigh, so did he apparently, because he began sliding and thrusting it against me. He lowered himself right down next to my ear and spoke. His voice was gruff and full of darkness and malice.


    "I''m going to **** you, over and over and over. I''ll do it hard! I''ll do it rough! You''ll beg me to stop, you''ll cry and plead, but I won''t stop. I''ll go in harder and deeper until I destroy you! Then when the day comes that I don''t want you anymore...I''ll gut you like the worthless, pathetic pig you are and dump your body in the ocean for the shark''s to gnaw on."


    He smiled again and licked my ear. I shivered and lurched as bile rose in the back of my throat. I couldn''t twist to throw up I had to swallow it or choke. I swallowed, then immediately felt sick again.


    "No matter where you go, No matter where you try to hide, I''ll find you. I''ll kill both your little boy toys right in front of you. But the big one...I''ll do him last. I''ll cut him all over then pour lemon juice in the wounds. I''ll cut out his tongue so he can never say your name. I''ll make him watch as I do you and make you scream my name...."


    I couldn''t take any more I had to get away from him. I lunged and thrashed. I tried to bite his ear then his face. He slapped me hard but I swallowed the blood and kept thrashing. I was soaked in my own blood but he was laughing harder. He unzipped his pant''s and started coming for me. I screamed and cursed again.


    He parted my leg''s with ease and stared me in the eyes as he stroked himself. I screamed again. I wouldn''t beg! I wouldn''t give him the satisfaction! Just as he began his first thrust I screamed again. Suddenly I was in my room, in my own bed. Sweat poured down my face, I felt my heart racing faster then I believe it ever had before.


    Mikhail was holding me stroking my hair and saying something. My hearing came back to me as I started calming down and I could finally make out what he was muttering in my hair.


    "It was only a dream, Red. Try to calm yourself. It was only a dream."


    "Wha....What happened?"


    "You were having a nightmare." he said as he moved to face me.


    "Oh, it...felt so...real." was all I could utter.


    "Red, what was the nightmare about?"


    "I saw..."but then I thought better of it and decided nothing was best.


    "Nothing. I can''t remember now. I''ll be alright in a few minutes."


    "Vozlyublennyy (Beloved/Sweetheart), You were screaming No and Stop and..." he looked away.


    "And what?" I asked.


    "...you said Don''t touch me....I''ll kill you.....Darling, what happened?"


    I thought for a moment. He was going to find out when he watched the footage of the parking garage. Or would he? Those cameras typically sucked. Maybe he wont see anything. I decided for now he didn''t need to be burdened with what the black eyed man said.


    "I''m so tired still. I want to go back to sleep. Will you play with my hair again?"


    "Da, moya lyubov''(my love). I will."


    We settled back into the bed, he on his back and I snuggling his chest.


    "You know one day your going to have to teach me Russian. It sounds so beautiful, and I wanna know if your cussing me behind my back."


    He chuckled. I heard it rumble in his chest and instantly fell in love with the sound.


    "Alright one day I will teach you Russian IF....you do something for me."


    "Oh I can''t wait to hear this. If I do what?


    "If, you will show me what this...Moonshine is that the people of this place talk about."


    It was my turn to laugh now.


    "Tell ya what I''ll take you tomorrow and get you some good ol fashioned Moonshine. Ok?"


    "Ok, tomorrow then."


    He began stroking my hair again and yet again I found myself falling back into the black abyss. Only this time I opened my eyes to a very different sight. I was in a field of blue wild flowers. A crystal clear pond lay in front of me a few yards away along with an over hanging weeping willow tree.


    It was so gorgeous here, then a giant black wolf with eyes like molten gold approached me slowly. Immediately I felt I could trust him and had nothing to fear from the enormous creature. I smiled as he came and sat beside me. Due to his immense size he towered over me. I looked up at his as he bent his head down to nuzzle my hair.


    "What are you doing here?" I asked as I breathed in his scent.


    "I''m here to protect you my Queen." was his reply.


    A fish jumped at a dragon fly hovering just above the water.


    "Protect me from what?"


    "The nightmares that seem to invade your sleep."


    "Oh, that."


    "Care to share what happened?"


    "It was...nothing."


    "If you do not wish to tell that is alright. We can simply sit and enjoy each others company."


    "Can I ask...what''s your name? I feel like I know you. I mean, I know I don''t but I have this...weird feeling like....like I do. It''s hard to explain. Ya know what I''m sayin''? I know I sound a little nut''s."


    "I know exactly what you mean. As for my name, I''m known by manydifferent ones, but you may simply call me Korol'' if you wish."


    "That''s beautiful, does it have any significant meaning?"


    "Only to my kind. What about you malen''kaya koroleva?"


    "What does that mean?"


    "Little Queen."


    "Oh, ha ha well my names Redalia. But I like to be called Red. So where are we Korol''? Is this a dream world or somethin?"


    He laughed heartily and deep in his chest.


    "Of sorts, This is a place I created for you. Think of it as a safe haven for you when you need to escape the riggers of the real world. You can create anything here. Go on, think of something you really want right now, picture it in your minds eye."


    "Ok, I''ll try."


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    I closed my eye''s and focused all my energy on what I most wanted right now, at this very moment. I waited, then waited a moment longer, after a few more of those waiting moments had passed I opened my eyes and looked around. Disappointment flooded me as I realized what I''d wanted hadn''t appeared.


    "What''s wrong Redalia?"


    "It didn''t work?"


    "What did you wish for?"


    "....Mikhail. I wanted him to see this beautiful place, to be here with me."


    Suddenly the wolfs body went rigid.


    "Mikhail." he spat in a venomous tone.


    "What? You know him?" I was very intrigued.


    "Yes, I know him. Selfish, horrible man. Thinks only of himself. Never giving a single care to others and how they feel or think. He''s just as bad as the False King himself."


    I was shocked to hear Korol'' speak so harshly of Mikhail. I immediately felt the need to defend him. The man was beating himself up enough for the choices he made when he was younger, he didn''t need anyone else beating him too.


    "Korol'' how can you say such harsh thing''s? Mikhail made the decisions he made to save me. He didn''t want me to be trapped in a relationship with him all in the name of duty. He wanted me to have a chance at life first. He thought of me first not himself."


    "Oh Redalia, you wish to find good in everyone. But it simply isn''t so in some. He has burned his bridges and now the repercussions of his actions are his to deal with and own up too. As inadvertently as it was he still ruined his own brothers life and caused him to turn to dark magic to fulfill a prophecy that wasn''t his burden to bare, left you on your own for far too long which caused your powers to weaken, caused his father to hate him and his mother died without ever laying eyes on her first born as an adult. He deserves to be alone for the rest of his day''s. I''ll not allow him to harm you, not again."


    "How can you lay so much blame at his feet? If you knew him, I mean really knew him, you wouldn''t be saying these thing''s."


    "And do you "really" know him Redalia? How can you? You''ve only just met. You know nothing of his treachery."


    I thought for a moment. Did I know him well enough to defend him the way I was? A split second was all it took to realize I was right. I didn''t know him as well as Korol'' might but I still know what I felt.


    "This man gave up his claim to me so I could be free. He left so I wouldn''t feel the pull of our natural bond to each other. He has stood by my side and fought for me this whole time. He cares enough about his brother to try to save him instead of kill him for mating with me, or partially mating...whatever! He has had my back in a terrible situation, he has not even tried to touch me sexually, he even plans on leaving after this is all over and Doran is dead!"


    "Leaving? How do you know this?"


    "I know because....well, he was lost in thought one day with a grave look on his face. So, I...took a peek inside his mind. I heard the argument he had with himself and that''s the decision he had come too. I didn''t mean to pry, I was just worried."


    The wolf was silent again. We both just pretended to stare at the pond for a while. A dragonfly hovered near my leg before settling down on my knee. It was so beautiful, bright blue and green. Korol'' shifted and the dragonfly took flight.


    Korol'' stood and stretched his front legs then his back ones before glancing over his shoulder at me and partially bowing his head. Then he looked towards the forest as if it called his name in a loving way. I brushed my hand through his glistening fur.


    "Will I see you again Korol''?"


    "Of course you will my Queen. Remember, to get back here all you must do is focus on this place. See yourself sitting in the grass, and you will be."


    "If I come back will you be here?"


    "I can sense when you are within the realm. I will come when you are here. For now I must go."


    "Ok, Thank you, for being here for me."


    "You are very welcome my Queen."


    He turned and walked towards the forest. Just as he was about to disappear inside it''s heavy foliage I called after him one last time.


    "Korol''!"


    He turned his head back to me.


    "Your wrong about Mikhail. He''s not a bad guy."


    "We shall see." was his only reply. Then he was gone.

 14 Chapter 14

    When I woke the next morning Mikhail was gone. I threw off my comforter and sauntered to the bathroom where I did my usual morning ritual. Shower, intense drying, lotion applying, war paint application, hair drying...exhaustion. Welp, glad that''s done.


    Now what to wear? I walked briskly to my closet and stood before it in utter confusion. What did I feel like today? Although, about 90% of my clothes are black so....yeah, not a lot of options there. I sighed heavily as I grabbed a black ? sleeve T.D.H shirt and a pair of my fav flare leg jeans. I stood silently judging myself in front of my mirror.


    "Well, if you''re going for bad-ass....you hit the nail on the head!"


    I smiled approvingly as I winked at myself, turned and headed for my bedroom door. Suddenly I was stopped dead in my tracks. Something was wrong, I could feel the shift in the air. There was a dark presence nearby, where exactly I didn''t know. The magical barrier that protects the manor hinders my powers a bit.


    It''s sort of like looking at a quarter in the bed of a gently flowing creek or river, you know it''s there you just cant see it clearly. I slowed my breathing, closed my eyes and focused. Sending out my mental feelers, I searched for any sign of trouble or dark intentions.


    To my surprise the darkness was closer and stronger than I had thought. I immediately went into assassin mode, drawing on my powers I crept through the house seeking out the source of my unease. As I neared the staircase the feeling began to grow, what started as a minor warning in my mind was now a blaring alarm bell resonating throughout my whole body.


    But how could this be? How could any evil bypass the gate? The wards would protect me, Mikhail''s guards would protect me, I (my powers)would protect me. My powers would be going full force, blazing trails through my veins if any evil was as close as it feel''s right now. What the hell is going on with me?


    Whatever it is I need to snap out of it and fast! I steadied myself as I descended the staircase. The sun shone bright outside, it looked to be a beautiful day, sadly I just couldn''t enjoy it. I was too busy sneaking around my own house trying to locate whatever dark presence was hiding within it.


    To my very unhappy surprise it didn''t take me long to find the source of the bad Ju-Ju feeling. As I entered my kitchen I saw a sight I never in all my bold day''s thought I''d actually see, Beliad Cane stood by my island drinking My coffee out of MY coffee mug! He looked up at me as I entered the room.


    "Geez Beliad, I coulda killed you, ya know?! if''n I''da had half a mind I would anyway!" I scowled at him. He beamed a self righteous smile back at me.


    "From what I hear you couldn''t beat the milk money out of a school girl!" he snorted with laughter.


    I take it everyone knew about my run in with the idiot''s in the parking lot after my botched hit. Oh Goddess, the embarrassment alone was enough o end me right there on the spot. I felt my cheeks go hot as my fingers began to dig into the hilt of my palm. I slowly turned to face somewhere, anywhere that wasn''t where the snake was standing.


    "Oh come now Redalia my dear, we can''t all be super assassin''s now can we? I mean after all....with your...lineage and what not...well you get my drift, I don''t know why you even try. It''s simply a waste really."


    "Beliad! Care to explain what your doing in my home? UN-invited I might add."


    "Oh, I''m here on official ELITE business. You''ve been summoned."


    "Summoned?What the hell''s that about?"


    He scoffed and rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed heavily as if to say "Your annoying as hell and I hate you."


    "It''s what happens to you when you fail to kill your target. Your to meet the council in the Dogwood Grove tonight at nine o''clock sharp. You mustn''t be late! Understand?" he spat at me.


    "Y...Yes, I understand, I know what a Summoning is, I''m asking why I''m receiving a Summons."


    "You''ll find out tonight, wont you. I''m a busy man Redalia, places to go people to deal with."


    "Oh, please don''t let little ol me hold you up." I said sarcasm dripping from every syllable.


    "Good, well now I can finally get out of this hovel....no offense." He threw his head to the side as he passed me. I wanted to punch him in that big fat nose of his.


    Something still irked me though. The overwhelming sense of darkness and evil. Could it really be just him? His mere presence is quite vexing but....still....


    "Beliad..."


    "Yes, what is it? I''m a busy, busy man Redalia. As I''ve said!"


    "Nothing, I''ll be at the Dogwood Grove tonight, as ordered."


    "Good."


    With that he turned and slammed my front door shut behind him. I have to admit once he was actually goneI did feel a bit better, but not by much. There was still a lingering darkness, I just couldn''t quite place it. My phone vibrated in my pocket and startled me out of my trance like state.


    I slid my finger across the screen, put in my code and unlocked the text messages. I had one from Jax, as expected. One from Alex, also expected. And one from Conall Definitely NOT expected. I opened the one from Conall and perused it curiously.


    "Redalia,


    I know you do not wish to speak to me, and I don''t blame you. I did something''s...I''m not proud of them. I need to speak with you as soon as possible. I know you''re still mad and hurt and you have every right to be. But you wanted answers and you wanted truths, well if you still do, please meet me by the river in the wood''s behind the manor in one hour. Come alone, I want to talk to you face to face without interruption. If you still wish for me to leave you alone, I will. I''ll be waiting.


    Conall."


    "Well...that got interesting pretty quickly. I should talk to Mikhail about this. Could be a trap. Though it might not be. Wait a minute, why the hell would I need Mikhail there? I''m a Kick-Ass-Top-of-My-Class Assassin for the super secret guild THE ELITE! I don''t NEED anyone to watch my ass!" I argued with myself as I twisted and rolled my phone in my hands.


    "Ok, so he said in an hour right? Well how''s about I show up now! I''ll check out the situation and make sure everything''s okey-dory! Then wait him out. Yeah! Alright let''s do this! Wait, why the hell do I keep talking to myself? Man I gotta quit this, someones gonna think I''m insane." I said to myself as I threw on my boot''s, grabbed my leather jaket and head out the back door to head for the river.


    The river was deep in the wood''s, about a good mile in. Due to all the thick coverage of the tree''s the wood''s get pretty dark, thankfully it''s broad daylight today with no clouds so I could still see pretty ok. Because of my tip top physical condition I cleared the mile in about six minutes give or take a minute or two.


    Once I had the clearing by the river in my sight''s I stalked all around looking for ward''s or traps of any kind. I used my power''s to feel for any vibrations or hums of spell''s that may have been used to cloak someone or something. After checking then double checking everything I could think of and finding no danger I stepped into the clear.


    Conall manifested a few feet away, the initial shock threw me for a moment but I recovered quickly. How had I not sensed him?! No time for that I crouched a bit and prepared myself for a fight. But Conall held up his hand''s as if to say "I come in peace."


    "Redalia wait. I''m not here to harm you. I''m here to talk that''s all, I swear."


    I stood slowly, cautiously. Keeping my powers on standby and sending out my mental feelers, I eyed him suspiciously. His aura showed he meant me no harm and had good intentions, but I couldn''t trust his aura anymore, he believed what he was saying so reading it really meant nothing.


    "What do you want? Haven''t you done enough?"


    "Red, I..."


    "Only my friends, the people I trust, call me Red."


    He was visibly hurt. I saw the sting in his eye''s.


    "I never meant to hurt you, you have to believe me. When I found out we couldn''t share a real bond....I didn''t know what else to do. It''s our destiny to be together, to take down Doran and to rule over the Black Forest. Now, I don''t know why I never really felt the power of a bond between us, I can''t explain it, and I know it hurt''s now, looking back on all the times I told you I felt a bond when there was never one to feel. But you have to understand, I did what I did because it was meant to be and the more time we actually sent together the more my feelings became real. I know I deceived you, I know what I did was wrong, I know you can never forgive me for using magic against you.....but please, try to understand, I did what I did to protect you, to protect everyone. WE have to stop Doran, so we may take our true places upon OUR thrones."


    Rage boiled inside at the mention of all the times he lied to me then used magic against me, I tried to stamp it down and control the fire storm he''d set loose inside me. I thought back to Mikhail, I promised him I wouldn''t reveal who he really was. But standing here now, seeing the total and utter UN-questioned belief in such a falsification or perversion of MY prophecy...I have to set him straight and hopefully I can do it with enough tact to not reveal Mikhail.


    "Conall, I understand you did what you thought you were meant to do. But you were wrong, you ARE wrong. I was sworn to secrecy and so I won''t reveal who it is, but you, Conall McGreggor are not the first born of King Quinn and Queen Ekaterina."


    He stepped back in shock and probably disbelief. He looked from me to the ground then closed his eye''s and exhaled deeply before clenching his fists and slowly turning back to me.


    "My father....was a good man. A good King. I had heard whispers when I was a child. But whenever I would try to find out more the source of the whisper would disappear. How did you find out? How long have you known? Who...this is why."


    It was as if realization hauled off and backhanded him in the face. He placed his hand on his forehead and clenched his eye''s closed. Tear''s were threatening to fall. I could see his pain, anger, heartbreak....I wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but I held my ground.


    Though my heart bleeds for him, he still lied and tricked me. I couldn''t get passed it. I waited for him to compose himself before I spoke again, in a bit of a gentler tone.


    "Conall, it took great strength and will power to stay true to a prophecy that worked against you, everyday of your life. For that I commend you. I feel your pain, your fury, and your heartache and for causing all this I really am sorry. But now, you''re free. You can choose your own path, you can walk away. There is nothing to tether you here any longer."


    "Redalia, I....I can''t go. I told you, what I feel for you...it became real. I may not be your true mate, but I do truly love you. I want to be the one you come too. If you''ll let me."


    "Conall, what you did to me...I can forgive the lying because you thought it was a truth. But the use of dark magic to influence my decisions and my body....THAT, I can not forgive. You may stay in my town if you want, but don''t go expecting me to forgive you or trust you."


    He lowered his head as his shoulder''s fell, his fists remained clenched by his side''s. He turned his head slightly and gave a solemn nod. My heart ached for him but I knew I had to show strength. I could never truly forgive or forget what he did and because of that I could never fully trust him again.


    I turned to head back to the manor, this little meeting was over. A great sense of relief flooded me as I inhaled deeply then released the trapped air flow. I glanced back over my shoulder, Conall watched me as I left the Wood. I called back to him.


    "By the way, HE want''s to meet you. He has for a very, very long time. When your ready, drop by the bar. It''s well passed time you met your brother."


    "Does he hold your heart Redalia?"


    I thought for a moment, does Mikhail hold my heart? Do I love him? Wholeheartedly I mean? Do I trust him with my life? I barely know him. I mean, Yeah there''s some serious attraction, then there''s the whole prophesied to be together thing, but at the end of the day....do I want to spend the rest of my life with him?


    Then I realized, these aren''t questions I can answer right now, I don''t have time for warm and feely thought''s and answer''s, so I opted for the opposite. I told him a truth, a cold, hard, truth that has stood in stone for as long as I can remember.


    "No one holds anything of MINE."


    With that final statement I left the wood and headed for the Manor. By the time I got to the house I I had received another text, this one was from Alex, again. I wondered what''s up, she should be at work by now, matter of fact, so should I!


    Then it hit me like a ton of bricks, Mikhail was undoubtedly at work, in my office, with the tape from the security office of the parking garage! DAMN It! I bolted for my truck, as I passed by the garage I noticed something strange, just a glint off the side of the building but enough to peak my interest.


    I made a mental note to come back to it later when I wasn''t in such a blazing hurry to stop Mikhail from watching a tape that could possibly show my exposed body and failure to escape a human to all his men. WOW that''s a mouthful. I jumped in my truck fired him up and kicked rocks all the way outta my driveway.


    My cell vibrated rapidly just then, I grabbed it and chanced a glance down as I sped down the road, obviously breaking the speeding limit. It was Alex, I slid my finger across the screen to unlock it and answer.


    "Alex?"


    "Where the hell are you, she said in a whispered tone?"


    "I''m on my way, listen don''t let Mikhail...." she cut me off.


    "Red, stay away from the bar. Go anywhere else but here. There''s a bunch of guy''s here, they keep looking and askin for you. Alexi went to find Mikhail and warn him too. Red, they''re using a security camera photo and it look''s like one from a parking garage." she whispered hastily.


    "Alex...does the guy have black eye''s? Like so dark you cant see his iris because it blends in type eye''s."


    "Hold on I''ll check really quick."


    "Alex wait!" but she was already gone.


    I whipped the truck off the side of the road and slammed it in park. I could just see the Bar a little way''s down the road. I waited on pins and needles for her to come back on the line. After about a minute I became so frustrated I had to get out of the truck for fear of blowing it up.


    I walked to my tailgate and let it down then bent over and placed my head against the warm liner. My powers were starting to take control of me again. My veins went hot, my ears started to lose hearing, I felt a wave of power rush over me like a wave over the sand.


    It was amazing and terrifying at the same time. I glanced over and caught my reflection in the side mirror, my eye''s were glowing bright violet, little electric waves of crimson started running all over my skin and clothes. I closed my eye''s and concentrated as best I could. I was teetering on the edge of a knifes blade.


    Just as I thought I would lose myself to the power I heard Alex''s voice, it was distant and just barly a whisper but it was enough ot bring me back.


    "Red?...Red?.....Come on answer me girl!"


    "Alex...sorry I was, uh....(Clear throat) well did you look at his eyes?"


    "Yeah, I did....they''re black as coal. Red is this the guy that nearly killed you?"


    A couple of big black motorcycle''s rolled in and parked as she spoke. I paid them no mind at the moment though, I had bigger fish to fry.


    "Yeah, that''s him. I''m right up the road, I can see the bar from here..."


    "Oh shit....."


    "What?!....Alex what?"


    "Uh, girlfriend Mikhail and a few of his buddies just got here, thing''s are not lookin good."


    "Damn, if they start brawling I could wind up loosing the bar in the fight. They''ll destroy it." I inhaled deeply then released it as I came to terms with what I knew I had to do.


    "Alex, how many customers?"


    "What? Oh well only like five at the moment. All Sunat''s, why?"


    "Ok, I''ll be right there. Get everyone in the kitchen and keep them there."


    "Red, NO! Wait..." I hung up.


    I calmed myself and steeled my nerves as I shut my tailgate, walked to my door, got in and started the truck. My grip on the steering wheel tightened as I revved the engine. Memories of the black eyed man came flooding back and swirled around my head.


    "Before this is over....I''ll strap you down and not only will I beat you till your on the brink of death, I''ll ride you like the bitch you are!"


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    Fury rose to greet the memories with it''s blazing embrace...


    "...over and over and over until I get tired of your mangled up ass then I''ll finish you off. In the most merciless, drawn out way imaginable. Don''t you dare for one second think this is over."


    Oh he had that right, it for damn sure was NOT over! I threw the truck in drive and ripped down the road until I reached the T.D.H parking lot. I parked my truck at the side then stomped my way to the front door. I took a deep breath then slammed the doors open wide where they stuck in their stopper''s.


    The power was fighting to be set free, it roamed all over me making my fingers twitch slightly and my body to crack with electricity like tendrils. I waltzed inside all nonchalant, just like I would any other day. Mikhail had his men at his back, standing in front of the bar and kitchen. No doubt trying to protect the patrons.


    I glanced from him to the black eyed man. He knew me immediately and smiled that horrid, dark smile. He straightened himself and ran a hand through his greasy hair.


    "Well now, lookie here boys." They grunted in response to their lead dog''s comment.


    "Heard ya been lookin for me big man." I tilted my head to the side a bit then faked a yawn. I smiled at him afterwards.


    "Oh yeah, I been lookin." He said, malice dripping from his word''s as he clenched his fists.


    "Well here I am, please do tell, how can I...assist you gentlemen?"


    He scoffed then cracked his knuckles and neck.


    "We''re here to finish what we started little girl. You killed our boss, time to pay you back."


    "Oh, so the Seer is dead after all. Look''s like I can close that contract then can''t I?"


    He growled. Typical dog response I believe.


    "Oh don''t tell me you cared for the man? How sweet, I''d be happy to send you where I sent him."


    "Ha, no, no little bitch. I made you promise remember? You and I.....we''ll be seeing each other real soon and we can....." he looked me up and down stopping once on my breasts.


    "...finish, what we started on that truck bed." he winked then motioned for his goon squad to follow him out the door.


    I waited to hear vehicles start then pull out before I allowed myself to exhale the breath I''d been holding. My whole body shuddered. The power grew strong again. I doubled over, clenching my stomach. Mikhail and Alexi started to come to me but I held a hand up, stopping them in their tracks.


    "Stay back! I don''t want...to hurt you." I said between breath''s.


    Glasses on the bar and picture frames on the walls began to burst, wild whipping winds blew in from the open door''s and cracked windows. Tables turned over and chairs went flying across the room. Lightning, red and violet cracked throughout the building, the lights began to flicker as they swung wildly around the ceiling.


    "Redalia, it does not control you." Mikhail boomed at me over the noise of the wind.


    "I''m turning into a monster, This power...it''s to strong!" I screamed back at him.


    "Breathe Moy ogon'' just breathe."


    I listened to Mikhail''s deep sultry voice and slowly regained control of the raging whirlwind of power. The wind''s subsided and the bar soon fell silent. As I started to calm, I stood slowly. I looked around, the patrons in the bar had come out to see what was happening, they all stared at me wide eyed.


    "I never meant to....I would never...." I hung my head and looked away from them all. Suddenly I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I turned to see that it was the Widow Reeves who had touched me so gently. She placed a hand beneath my chin and raised it up, I towered over the small woman, she smiled up at me and stroked my cheek.


    "Redalia, we''ve always known you were special. You were born to do great things! This power you have is strong and terrible, BUT, it does not define who you are. Your action''s everyday do." I smiled down at her, tears flooding my eye''s. I wiped them before they could fall.


    "Come on everyone, let''s help Red and the girl''s clean this mess up so we can have ourselves a drink!" cheer''s came up from all around.

 15 Chapter 15

    It didn''t take long to get he bar cleaned with everybody''s help. After more patrons started coming in I put Alex in charge while I did a bank run before they closed for the day. When I got back Mikhail and his men were nowhere to be found. I stopped behind the bar and asked Alex if she''d seen them.


    "Yeah they headed to your office about 2-3 minutes ago."


    "Thank''s!" I said quickly as I made my way down the hall and into my office.


    By the time I got there it was too late, they were all gathered round the TV watching the event''s from the previous night unfold.


    "Red, come stand by me." Mikhail ushered me to his side.


    "I was able to get the footage from the building you were held up in for the hit as well. This way we can hopefully get a clearer picture of what exactly happened from start to finish that night." he said.


    All I could do was stand there and watch it happen all over again. I saw myself darting down the corridor''s and jumping from staircase to staircase. The men were excited and in awe of my skill''s. They were totally entranced, even Mikhail seemed to be impressed at my nimbleness.


    Then the show ended, one of Mikhail''s men, Ivan I think is his name, took out the tape and replaced it with a different one then hit play. I saw the parking garage, clear as crystal. This video was in HD. But why in the hell would the video of a parking garage be in HD?


    "Mikhail, why''s the video quality so good? It''s a parking garage. What gives?"


    "Yeah, these cameras are actually pretty new, records show they were installed about three day''s prior to the hit. The man you...the target, was some big, rich money man for the mob. He had a few very expensive car''s in that garage. He payed out of pocket himself to have the whole place wired with new cameras. Lucky for us."


    "Yeah....lucky."


    I cringedas I saw him. The black eyed man, he was apparently giving orders to the other men right outside the garage. Thankfully there was no sound to accompany the video. I relaxed a bit at least until Mikhail grabbed the remote.


    "What are you doing? See something? Hey, that''s the TV remote it won''t work the VCR."


    "I know. I''m turning up the volume."


    "Volume?! There''s sound?!"


    "Da, according to the receipts we found when we searched the targets office, these are top of the line. They have night vision, background noise canceling full sound, and full HD picture with accompanied 8X Zoom feature. This guy wasn''t messing around."


    "No...he wasn''t."


    I looked back at the TV in time to see myself launching my body up the guy''s chest and landing on his shoulder''s. The men hooped and hollered in excitement. I heard some of them conversing.


    "Watch this I bet she nails him." exclaimed Ivan.


    "Oh I bet he felt that today!'''' laughed Broli.


    "She''s amazing, look how fast she is, and precise." Alexi said in awe.


    I glanced over at Mikhail, he was watching along with his men, a smile played at the corners of his lips. I used my power to view his aura and was very surprised to see it alight with pride and admiration.


    I jerked my attention back to the TV once I heard the deep, disgusting laugh I''d come to loath. The room fell into an eerie silence as we all watched what transpired next. Smiles faded and were quickly replaced with a mixture of expressions, ranging from scowls, to shock, to total disgusting hatred.


    Mikhail''s arms were tightly crossed over his chest now. His jaw was set and tight. I could tell he was grinding his teeth. I looked back at the TV, memories, like ghosts haunted me.


    "Before we''re done....I''ll strap you down and not only will I beat you till your on the very brink of death, I''ll ride you like the bitch you are...over and over and over until I get tired of your mangled up ass then I''ll finish you off. In the most merciless, drawn out way imaginable. Don''t you dare for one second think this is over."


    The tape stopped.


    The room was silent, not even air dared move. Mikhail held the remote fast in his hand. He was staring at the screen. He had paused it just as the black-eyed man turned around. After a long pause he spoke. His word''s were strained.


    "This is the man who was in here looking for you this evening." more a statement then a question.


    "Yes." I said as strongly as I could. I couldn''t stop staring at my half naked and bloodied body on the TV.


    "Alexi, Viktor take the men to the Manor and patrol the ground''s until I return." Mikhail said in a stern commanding voice.


    "Mikhail? What are you going to do?" I said unsure.


    "What I should have done that night. End this."


    All the men had turned to either face myself or Mikhail now. One of them stood and stepped forward, Alexi''s brother Viktor I believe.


    "You are our Queen, Mikhail, our King. That....worm violated our Queen.This will not stand!I go with you my King."


    "As will I!" Alexi stated as he too came to stand next to his brother.


    "I will fight for the honor of our Queen!" Ivan exclaimed.


    Soon all the men had come to stand next to us, proclaiming their devotion to me. As touching and heart warming as it was I couldn''t make peace with it. I wouldn''t let others fight my battles. Before I could say anything Mikhail spoke.


    "Alexi, Viktor, Ivan, Broli, Vlad you are to come with me. The rest of you, guard your Queen."


    "Da, ser!" they said in unison as they all saluted.


    "HOLD UP! Now y''all seem to forget a lil somethin here. I''m a trained assassin. I''ve been taking care of myself since long before y''all showed up. Now, I appreciate you wanting to protect me. But, I can handle my own."


    They looked from me to Mikhail.


    "Leave us." was all Mikhail said as he stared deep into my eye''s.


    Once everyone was gone and the door was shut Mikhail calmly walked to the TV and shut it off. He stood with his back to me for what felt like a very, very long time. I started to question what was happening. Was he mad at me for not telling him I wondered.


    "Redalia....." he stopped.


    "I''m so...I''m so sorry Mikhail. I was ashamed, I still am."


    He turned so quickly I didn''t have time to react, the next thing I knew he swept me into his arms and held me there. I felt his anger dissipate and knew in that moment he was never mad at me. He held onto me tightly.


    "Let it go."


    "Huh? Let what go?"


    "Redalia...let it go."


    "I don''t know what your talking about." I tried to pull away but he held me to his chest.


    "Let it go, Redalia. I''m here."


    "Mikhail, stop it. I have to go."


    "Stop running from it. Just let it go."


    "Stop!"


    "No, I''m here for you."


    That was it, I couldn''t hold back the tears any longer. They came rushing down my cheek''s like a flood. I leaned into him and beat my fists against his chest. I screamed into his shirt, he just held me. I hit him, hard. I knew it hurt him but it made me feel better.


    I continued my assault until I was so tired I could no longer shed a single tear drop. He loosened his grip a bit and retrieved a tissue from my desk, after wiping my eye''s he pulled back to look into my face.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean too..."


    "Redalia, you can''t lock it up. The longer you cage the pain the worse it will fester. I am always here for you, no matter what. But, I can not stand by and let what he did to you go. I''m going after him, and I''m going to make him wish had never laid eye''s on your beautiful face."


    He brought his hand up and caressed my cheek before tilting my head and gently kissing me. His lips were warm and inviting. I felt so alive when he touched me, so exuberant! I never wanted it to end.


    I leaned into him and wrapped my arms around his neck, he in turn let his arms circle my waist and draw me even closer. His mouth took on an urgency all of a sudden, as if he couldn''t get enough of me, I knew the feeling and returned it to him ten fold.


    I moaned slightly as he ran a hand through my hair. I broke the kiss and leaned my head back so that he could leave a trail of kisses down my throat. He backed me against the wall and grabbed my ass as he lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around him.


    Suddenly he stopped. I felt him rest his head against my collarbone, he started to put me down and step away but I stopped him.


    "What is it?"


    He remained silent.


    "Mikhail what is it?"


    I placed my hand where he had laid the last kiss. Sure enough there under my finger tip''s I felt the raised scar''s from where Conall had tried to mate with me. All of a sudden I had a vision. I saw myself in a bright valley, talking with a giant black wolf, it was Korol'', I''d know him anywhere. He was telling me about the Mates Bite.


    I flashed back to reality and grabbed my head as I slid down the wall. Mikhail was there to catch me in an instant. It all came flooding back. The valley, the wolf, the pond, the dragonfly....the Mates Bite.


    "The Mates Bite..." I whispered as I held my head.


    "Red, what is wrong?" came the thick Russian accent I had grown to love hearing.


    "The Mates Bite!" I exclaimed as I looked up at him.


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    "What about it?" he said, eying me suspiciously.


    "Mikhail, I never returned The Mates Bite to Conall. I''m not bound to him! Oh my Goddess, Conall! I saw him today. Well I had a meeting with him I mean."


    "Your making no sense Dorogoy (dearest). Wait, you met with Conall? ALONE? Redalia he could have hurt you or worse... What made you think this was good idea?!"


    "He want''s to meet you." I said simply as I let my arms rest on my knee''s.


    "Of all the....he what? You didn''t tell him...who I am did you?"


    "No, I''m good to my word. I had to tell him the truth though, and he want''s to meet his brother. He understands everything now, and he feel''s so ashamed and terrible. Mikhail, I told him I''d never be able to forgive him for what he did. I think that hurt worst of all." I looked away as memories came haunting again.


    Mikhail bent to rest on his heel''s, then he took my face in his hand and rubbed my cheek softly.


    "You have nothing to feel bad about. I want to meet him, tonight. Can you make it happen? After I deal with this....current situation."


    "I can. Oh wait I won''t be here. I''ve been Summoned by the Council. I''m to meet them tonight at Dogwood Grove at nine o''clock sharp. Beliad was the one to deliver that little ol tid bit to my door today."


    "Beliad Cane? Fourth chair holder on the council of THE ELITE?" he asked.


    "Yes, but how did you...ya know what. Never mind, I give up on askin. Anyway, I can set up the meeting for you but I can''t come tonight. I''m sorry sugar."


    "It''s fine, do you want me to accompany you tonight instead?"


    "Oh no, they summoned me because they think I didn''t complete my contract, the very same contract that, that big guy that was in here today was talking about."


    "But he said you killed his leader."


    "Exactly, Dumask must not have gotten the intel yet. It''s ok I''ll swing by and let them know he''s dead and they need to check their sources again."


    "It''s nearly 8:30 now, how far away is this Dogwood Grove?"


    "Not to terribly far. I oughtta be there and back at the house in about an hour or two."


    "Then I will wait for you there. After....I take care of a few thing''s."


    "Oh, not gonna meet up with Conall tonight then?" I knew he was talking about the black eyed man, I chose to ignore it. Normal conversation was hard to come by these day''s, I cherish it.


    "I would prefer you join me on that particular endeavor."


    "Ok, not a problem. I need to be heading out or I WILL end up being late." I laughed as I reached for his hand then playfully pushed him backwards onto his very nice tush.


    I stood and dusted myself off, like I had too. Alex keep''s everything so clean you can practically eat off of any surface around the bar. Then I turned to the secret exit behind my bookcase. I opened the door and looked over my shoulder one last time before leaving. Mikhail was standing by my desk now.


    "Hey, how about you and me hang out tonight and watch a movie?"


    "A movie would be nice. You will call if you have trouble?"


    "Trouble I can''t handle you mean? Yeah, sure." I winked then was gone.


    My last view was him shaking his head and smiling, No seriously it was an honest to goodness smile. I couldn''t help but smile to myself as I walked out to my truck, Once inside I took a few deep breath''s and just enjoyed the silence for a moment before turning the key and heading down the road to the abandoned church off I-79.


    I didn''t turn on the radio, I just wanted silence for a while. So I


    could think and reflect on everything that had happened. I knew at this very moment Mikhail was on his way to find the black eyed man. I still didn''t like the idea of him and the boy''s taking on the guy I should have been fighting, but he seemed incorrigible.


    I pulled into the old overgrown parking lot and turned off the truck. We often used the Dogwood Grove for secret meeting''s for just myself and the council.It was the only place we felt safe. I looked around but saw no other vehicles. A glance down at my phone told me it was 9:05.


    THE ELITE council was never late. I started to become a tad suspicions but brushed it off as being left over jitters from the asshole in the bar earlier and then having to relive the horror on the tape in my office. As I made my way to our usual place inside the run down church''s garden I noticed none of the grass or growth had been trampled down or cut.


    Now my whole body was telling me something was wrong, I went on high alert. I slowly started backing away from the garden in hopes I could make it back to my truck before something happened. I was very wrong, yet again.


    "Well, Well what have we got here?" came a deep, gruff voice from somewhere in the shadows. I sent out my feelers to find him but no luck, he was being cloaked.


    "Who are you? What do you want?"


    "Forgotten me already? I''m insulted. I figured, with how intimate we been you''d remember me pretty easily."


    I stepped a little closer to my truck. The voice laughed, I knew that laugh! A cold chill ran down my spine instantly.


    "I know who you are, your the pig from the parking garage."


    "Pig?! I got a pig for ya sweetheart, a nice big fat hog. He''s dripping wet with anticipation."


    "Shut up you misogynistic asshole" I hissed.


    "Oh, touchy, touchy. I love it when they play hard to get! Oh baby I''m gonna make you scream!"


    "The only thing you''ll be making me do, is vomit! Come on out and fight me fair. Or are you scared I''ll break your poor little cock off and feed it to the wolves?"


    Well that got his attention. He growled his anger and stepped out from behind an old pillar of the once beautiful gazebo. He smiled that toothy, vicious smile at me. He was different now, something about him had changed.


    He was still ugly, evil, and stupid but now he seemed...powerful. I couldn''t quite figure it out but he seemed as if he felt nothing could touch him. Man where was Mikhail and the boys when you needed them.


    Just then I remembered something Mikhail had told me about us. I hoped this worked.


    "I-79, old abandoned and falling in church, Dogwood Grove in the back, Black eye''s!" was all I could get out before the monster was lunging himself towards me.


    I dodged easy enough and spun round on my heel to see him slam to the ground. I ran at him and somersaulted through the air to land on his back. I crouched down, took his head in my hands and slammed it against the ground. Then I leapt back and waited.


    It didn''t take him a second to recover.


    "There''s no way! I slammed him hard enough to break his neck at the very least." I whispered to myself.


    No time to think, he was on me. I slipped from his grasp and twirled on my side.Again I leapt through the air, avoiding his advances. I pelted him with a myriad of punches and kick''s that I knew were hard enough to rupture organs and break bones.


    But for some reason this guy was simply not going down. He came at me again and again each time I flipped or rolled out of his grasp. We were both tired, bleeding, and angry. He came at me again but I deflected his punch, while he was dazed I used the pause to my advantage.


    I ran full force at him, used his arm as my levy, pushed off of his right knee and flipped though the air to land on his back. I wrapped my leg''s around his waist and threw myself backwards with as much force as I could muster. When I felt my hands touch the ground I flexed my abs and pulled him harder towards the concrete slab that was the old gazebo landing.


    I didn''t let go until I heard the crack of his now broken skull. Before he could land on top of me I released his waist and balancing on my hands I pushed off him and flipped once more to land on my feet a little ways away. I crouched down for a moment then when I felt it was safe enough to do it I stood. Placing one hand on my hip and the other dangling by my side, I walked over to the corpse and checked for a pulse.


    Nothing. Good, the world was better off without him.

 16 Chapter 16

    I wiped the sweat from my brow and walked back across the gazebo to sit on the stone seat, what was left of it anyway. I had just sat down when I heard the faintest of hum''s. I looked around, every muscle twitched, my powers had been bubbling and rippling through me this whole time but now they rose to the surface, which led me to believe a powerful evil was nearby.


    My skin began to crackle and pop, the little bolts of electricity ran all over me, I felt my vein''s run hot with power. I sent out my mental feeler''s desperately searching for someone or something. But nothing was there. The hum continued to grow, until it was as loud as my truck.


    All of a sudden the fallen corpse rose into the air. I watched horrified as I saw his bloodshot eye''s once again fill with life. His broken, sunk in skull reset itself with a terrible, stomach turning, cracking sound. Then he came back to the earth. A smile spread wide across his face.


    "What''s the matter baby? You don''t wanna play no more?"


    "What the hell are you?!" I demanded as I stood and stepped aside.


    "I''m your worst nightmare sweetheart." he spat.


    No sooner had he spoke the word''s he fired off some kind of energy bolt directly towards me, there was no time to react. I took the shot dead center. I went flying backwards, landing hard in a pile of rubble. I shook my head and pushed myself up to my feet.


    Once I could stand I loosed the rage that I held deep inside. It came through my veins like a tidal wave. A release of power so strong I barely controlled it. Violet and Red sparks and bolts flew. I nailed the Pig, direct hit to the stomach.


    Once again he didn''t stay down long, when he stood, there wasn''t even a scratch! No torn clothing, no bloodied body, nothing. I stumbled back in shock, the use of so much power had once again weakened me but I could still fight! Power or no power! I braced myself then lunged, firing off bolt after bolt. Nearly every shot hit it''s mark and yet there he still stood. He laughed at my attempt''s then simply lifted his hand into the air, causing me to go flying into a nearby wall.


    I was dazed at this point. He has powers, but I have no idea where they came from. He has to have some kind of power source. He was a human the other night in the Parking Garage.


    "I just have to find the power source and....wait a minute....."


    Upon closer inspection, he was in fact wearing a necklace. And dangling off that necklace was a lion''s head with two set rubies for eyes, I knew that amulet! I hadn''t seen it because it had been beneath his shirt, I must have partially freed it, at least enough for me to see it, when I broke his skull.


    That was the power source! I honed in on it, Yup. That thing was definitely putting out a lot of bad Ju-Ju. I knew it! But where had I seen that thing before? I know that I know that lions head from somewhere. Before I could think of a plan of attack he raised his hand again and this time I slammed down onto the altar at the far end of the garden. He was on me in a flash, I could once again feel the bulge in his pant''s rubbing my thigh.


    Ugh, how could he be turned on right now?! What kind of sick pervert would find this arousing? He looked down on me and smiled his vile, nasty smile. Dried blood soaked half his face from our previous encounter. I twisted and arched myself but it was no use he had my arms and legs pinned with magic. He laughed again as he slid his hand up and down my thigh. Then he brought his right hand up and slid it under my shirt.


    I tried to jerk myself away but it was no use. He laughed again and leaned in close to smell my skin. I felt his tongue lick my abdomen. Then he ripped my shirt collar down far enough to expose my breast''s to the cooling night air. He tore the front of my lace bra, once my nipples came into contact with the air they began to form stiff peaks. I tried to fight him again, lashing out and trying to bite him. He slapped me, busting my lip and cutting my eyebrow open wide.


    "Shut up and lay there like a good little bitch. I have a nice big surprise for you."


    "Stop! Why are you doing this? Seriously! Because I killed your boss?"


    He laughed hysterically. After a minute he calmed enough to catch his breath (pity) then cocked an eyebrow and looked down on me again.


    "I couldn''t care less about that old geezer. I''m being paid to take you out little miss. Though I told him I''d have some fun with you first, for free."


    "Who''s paying you to do this?"


    "Ha! He said you were smart. Look''s like he overestimated you. Now, no more chit chat. Where were we?"


    He lowered himself onto his knee''s which brought him face to face with my girl down south of the boarder, if ya catch my drift. I wiggled and lurched, pulling at the magic that held me in place. He slid his hands up and forcefully jerked my pant''s down to my ankles, leaving bloodies scratches and gashes along my thigh''s.


    I was fully exposed to him now, only the thin material of my panties stopped his assault, he ran his tongue over the material that covered the entrance to my body then began to stroke me thorough the material.


    I felt tears well up in my eye''s. I tried to call upon my magic but nothing came, just a faint sense that it was there and fighting to get to me. Something here must be dampening it, maybe it was the constraints. He bit my thigh, hard. I clenched my jaw, I wouldn''t give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream in pain.


    "Hmmm...not hard enough eh? Let''s try again, I wanna hear you scream!"


    A moment later he bit again, higher this time. He squeezed me so hard I knew he''d popped a few blood vessels. Then he crawled on top of me. He''d unzipped his pants and pulled them down a little way''s. His face was twisted into a smile so venomous, so horrid, I could barely look at him.


    He grasped my left wrist, hard then my throat with his other hand. I spit in his face but he only wiped it off with his sleeve and continued to smile down on me. Then he reach down and started stroking himself, he was so close to my nether region I could feel the heat coming off his erection directly through my panties.


    I closed my eye''s and braced myself, I would not scream, I would not look at him. I don''t know how but one day I''d find him again, if I lived through this, I''d find him and I''d kill him!


    "You ready baby?! I''m gonna make you beg so loud! My cock''s so hard baby, You gonna take it all!"


    He parted my leg''s slightly and grasped my panties hard, just as he went to rip them off he was thrown off me. Someone or something had tackled him to the ground. The next thing''s I heard were the sounds of growl''s, snarl''s and howl''s.


    I realized at once who my saviors were. I opened my eye''s to see a whole pack of wolves, larger than life wolves! They were attacking the rapist bastard. Though they had him in number''s he had them in magic. I watched, horrified as he started to glow a bright green, then he himself grew! Nearly doubling in height and weight. He was now at least 12 feet tall!


    The biggest, blackest wolf I''d ever seen ran by me then. He leapt into the air and like a ballerina on the wind he flew over all the rest to land directly on top ofhis target. Finally my senses returned.


    "Mikhail!"


    The black wolf looked up at me.


    "The necklace! It''s the necklace! Destroy it NOW!"


    He nodded his understanding then tore at the man''s throat, he was thrown off but only for a moment. He was up again and on the man in an instant. After fighting with him for what felt like forever he finally tore the necklace from his throat and slung it hard against a nearby wall.


    As it shattered the man shrank back to his human size all the magic he''d done was now dying and with it, my invisible restraint''s. I was free. A rush of power flooded me again. Soon I was covered in the red bolts and waves of electricity like power. I felt it growing and pulsating inside me.


    I sat up and pushed off of the altar, replacing my breasts inside the torn bra and pulling my pants back up. Once I was settled I locked on to the scene in front of me. I had, had enough of this. All of a sudden a wave of power took hold of me. It was like a revelation and I knew exactly what to say.


    "Wolven, to me!" I demanded in an authoritative tone.


    Every Wolven stopped his assault and returned to stand behind me, all except one who took his place at my side.His gaze never left the bloodied, torn, pathetic man. I once again set my sight''s on my target and advanced.


    He fell backwards and began to try to crawl away. I held up a hand and blew the boulder next to his hand into a billion little pieces. Slowly I made my way to him, firing shot after shot, blowing up rock''s, boulder''s, statues until I was directly in front of him.


    Then I lifted my hand and as I did he came up with it. He looked me dead in the eye''s and I could see his fear. He began to beg and whine for his life.


    "Please, don''t kill me. I''ll do anything. I''ll tell you who hired me! Please!"


    "Who?"


    "It was Cane, He called me a few night''s before you came to kill my boss. He told me what was going to happen and when. Then he offered me a deal. $100,000.00 if I let you kill my boss, then I kill you. He said it would be easy, that you were a nobody that he wanted gone, I didn''t know you had powers until tonight that''s why he gave me the medallion. So I could resist your powers, that medallion also drains power from anyone nearby. So, So your gonna let me go right?"


    I thought for a moment. I knew I recognized that medallion, it was Canes family crest. A golden lion with ruby eye''s. I had figured Cane was behind this somehow or he had at least played some part in it, I just didn''t know why he went to such elaborate length''s.


    "Mikhail."


    He came to rest next to me, brushing my hand against his fur as he did so, I looked up into his molten gold eye''s.


    "Send one of the boys to find Dumask. Tell him to relay what we have come to find out here tonight."


    Mikhail nodded and went back to the pack, I heard two of the wolves turn tail and leave at lightning fast speed''s.


    "So your gonna let me go right?" came the reply from the man I held by his throat in midair.


    "No."


    "No? But I told you everything! What the hell are you going to do now?"


    "....I''m going to make you scream."


    I let lose a bolt of electricity so powerful it burned through his body, his blood curdling scream''s lingered on the night air as he disintegrated into dust. I turned around and headed for my truck, still aglow from the mass of power coursing through me.My Wolven bowed as I passed. I was going home now, to change then I would find Dumask.


    Mikhail walked beside me to the truck where I stood and just stared at my reflection in the window for a moment. He nudged my cheek and licked it. I smiled in spite of myself. The glow was fading now. I looked up into his golden eye''s.


    "What''s happening to me?"


    He just stared at me, unsure of what to say or how to answer. Hell I didn''t even know if he COULD answer me in his wolf form. So I focused on the truck once more.


    "I want to go home." I said as I climbed in and started the truck up.


    I backed out and flipped on my headlights before starting down the road for home. Mikhail and the rest of the boy''s raced through the darkness, none, left the side of the truck. It was as if I were running with them, I thought to myself, how great it must be to be able to run like that.


    To get mad and just take off running. Soon I was home and once inside my protected gates I felt relief wash over me like a warm bath. Inside the house I went to my room where I locked the door, stripped down and took the longest, hottest shower of my life. The blood from all my cuts and gashes pooled around my feet as it fought to swirl down the drain.


    Time to clean out the ol shower drain again. I shut of the water and stepped out onto my bath mat. Once dried and dressed I towel dried my mass of curls and checked out the actual damage done to my face via my bedroom vanity.


    "Huh, well ol girl it looks like you''ve only been ran over by ONE truck tonight. Good for you!" I said sarcastically to myself.


    I walked over to my bed and flopped down into the fluffy comforter, Iknew I had to get right back up in a few minutes but figured I''d enjoy the time I had and try to just relax. I could feel myself healing already, it wasn''t painful at all, more like, a slight strange tingling feeling at the sites of all my lacerations and bruises.


    I closed my eye''s and let the darkness envelope me as I relished in the strange tingling feeling. It wasn''t long before I felt myself start to drift off to sleep. I quickly realized what was happening and jolted awake. Which of course caused every gash to throb with anger.


    I mentally slapped myself and forced my powers to surface as I lay there. I held my hand above me and wiggled my fingers a bit then snapped once...nothing. Ok, let''s try that again, another snap. This time sharp cracks of what looked like lightning fizzled and poped around my whole hand.


    I felt the little surge of power as it started to rush through my veins, I quickly focused my energy and slowed it to a simple flow. I had to learn how to get a handle on this frantic new surge of power or it was gonna eat me alive! It tried to force it''s was into a rush again but, again I stopped it and soothed it from a roar to a gentle flow.


    I waved my hand and the electric waves were gone. I closed my eye''s again, this time focusing on my healing around my face. I couldn''t stand the thought of what the guy''s would be thinking if they saw my face so torn up when I go downstairs to talk about the night''s event''s. Speaking of, I needed to get a move on. I sat myself up, took a few deep and relaxing breath''s and crossed my leg''s.


    I closed my eye''s and focused all the energy I had left to my healing. After a good ten, maybe fifteen minutes I decided to risk a peek at my handy work. I got up and maneuvered very stiff self to the vanity mirror.


    "Well, I''ll be damned. I did it...I actually did it."


    I couldn''t believe it but I''d actually healed most of my face in record time, I decided to go on and speak with the guy''s but before I did I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to Dumask regarding my power issues. I had to figure out what was happening there.


    "Dumask,


    Have you found out anything at all about why my powers are on the fritz? Because honestly, I can deal with the upgrade but what I can not, and I mean CAN NOT deal with is the fact that I have no idea when and if they are going to work when I need them too. Tonight I was attacked at the Dogwood Grove which is another thing I need to talk to you about, considering I was there supposedly on your orders. Anyway the guy nearly raped then killed me. My powers were all over the place! Dumask.....I need your help. I know you didn''t really order me to the Grove. But I also know who did. I need to get my powers straightened out, fast! He''s coming...soon. I can feel it."


    "Red,


    I have no word''s to describe how I''m feeling at this moment. I am truly sorry for what''s happened this night. I had no idea about Dogwood but I swear to you I gave no such order for you to be there. I''ve been hip deep in research along with Doc, in our old archives. We believe we may have found something but aren''t 100% sure yet. Have no fear I will meet you at the manor as soon as I figure this out. You say you know who sent you to the grove, might I chance a guess at it being our one and only snake in the grass,Cane? If so I''ll see to it he''s severely punished for his treasonous act''s! He''s done some terrible thing''s, none f which I can prove, but this! If we can prove he was behind your attack, it''ll tighten the hangman''s knot around his throat!"


    " Dumask,


    Yes, I can prove it was him. I havewhat''s left of his family necklace that he gave the would be murderer to power him up so he could kill me, and it''s dripping with blood and dark magic. I also have witnesses to the attack. The Wolven and Mikhail were there. Dumask I hope you find some information soon, I desperately need your help. Please come see me at the manor asap when you find anything that might explain what''s happening."


    I locked the screen the shoved the phone in my pocket, I needed to head downstairs and see what was up with everyone. Some of the men may have been hurt during the struggle. I took another deep breath and cleared my throat. My face was almost fully healed but my body wasn''t. I had focused as much energy as I could on my face, it was the part they''d be seeing after all.


    I wanted to show strength, confidence, and power not fear, cowardice or weakness. I straightened my shoulder''s and smoothed my shirt then made my way downstairs. I was met with hopeful and curious look''s from the men. None of them appeared to be seriously injured, as I passed by I checked each one just as a mama wolf would her pup''s.


    After I had thoroughly checked everyone out and helped those who were hurt heal, I stood in the middle of the living room and ushered everyone in around me. I hated making speeches but I felt their bravery and commitment to me should be commended.


    "You.....you are all...amazing. I have no idea where I would be right now if you all...well, I actually do know where I''d be. I''d be dead..." a few flinched while others shuffled or jerked uncomfortably.


    "If it weren''t for your bravery and selflessness I wouldn''t be here right now. I owe you all a great debt of gratitude...my Wolven."


    Each man''s chest visibly swelled with pride as I spoke the last word''s. They started looking at each other with pride in their eye''s and a smile on their face''s. Alex appeared suddenly and all went quiet and solemn once again as he began to speak. I spied Mikhail leaned against the open frame of the archway that lead into the living room, arm''s crossed over his chest, just watching.


    "Tonight our Queen was attacked. She was beaten..."growl''s sounded from all around me. "She was disrespected..." the growl''s grew louder. "She was nearly.....violated!" The growl''s turned to a blood curdling, deep, vicious sound I can''t even describe. "Are we going to let this stand?"


    "NO!" came the answer in unison.


    "That''s right! If it takes my last weapon, my last ounce of strength, my last breath, if it takes my very soul....Then so be it! No one disrespect''s our Queen and tried to kill her! NO ONE!" he growled.


    The room was a sea of hooping and hollering, snarl''s and growl''s then came the howl''s and more sound''s I can''t describe. The men were riled up and itching for a fight, but until I figured out what was happening with my power''s I couldn''t risk an attack on Doran or Cane. I needed to diffuse this situation and fast.


    "Hey! I know your all itching to get out there and lay some justice on the D-bag who started all this. Hell, I am too, but until we figure out what''s happening with my powers....no one''s hunting Doran. He''s on the back burner for now guy''s. Our main priority at the moment is to just lay low and play it cool until I get the info I need from Dumask and Doc. Can everyone handle that?"


    Murmurs went up all around but the ultimate answer was a resounding Yes, Ma''am. I nodded my approval then ushered them all into the kitchen to get something to eat before they set out on their patrol''s for the night. After the first round of guards were fed they left and the secondary round grabbed snacks to take into the family room so they could watch TV and crash afterwards.


    Mikhail and I were alone in the kitchen, I sat down at the island and rubbed the back of my neck. The muscles were strained and ached something fierce. I knew I''d have to have another healing session asap.


    Mikhail sat next to me, arm''s up on the island, face taught, he was deep in thought. I stopped rubbing my aching self to give him my full attention. (Anything to not think about what happened tonight.)


    "You seem distracted." I began.


    "Hmm? Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just thinking...about what you said before..."


    "When?"


    "When we spoke of the wolf in your hallucination''s."


    "Oh, him! Yeah Korol'' is his name. I was gonna ask you about him and forgot, what with everything going on."


    "Why would you ask me about him?"


    "Well...he''s your wolf right?"


    He looked at me quizzically, then quickly composed himself.


    "Do you know what Korol'' means in Russian?"


    "No, not really. But I''m sure YOU could enlighten me."


    "This is true, I can. Korol'', put simply, means King. To answer the other part of your question, Da. Korol'' is my wolf, or actually, he is the personification of my wolf. When I am in wolf form I am still me but while I am in human form, Korol'' is the wolf who lives within. The wolf has his own personality which can influence a person while while in wolf form, its why a very passive person in human form can end up being a true monster in wolf form. It can take decades or even life times to learn how to coexist with your wolf. I can see how this would be hard to understand to someone who is relatively new to the Wolven. But you''ll catch on soon enough."


    "Oh! Ok, Ok cool I get it now. He is the wolf that lives inside you, until the wolf is set free, then the wolf is you, and his personality mixed with yours makes for a perfect leader, dominant, strong, capable but also humble, smart, and wise beyond your year''s. So this is why the men respect you so much, not just because your their king but because you have mastered living cohesively with your wolf."


    "Exactly, though I''m not to sure about the wise part."


    "Ok, well that''s not confusing at all...that''s sarcasm....in case you missed it."


    "Ha, Ok, Ok I know it''s hard to explain but that''s the best I can do for now."


    His laughter died away and left us once again to sit in the vast bleakness of silence. There were thing''s I wanted to ask him, about himself, about meeting Conall, and about.....us, but none came to mind at the moment. All I could think about was the way I lost control tonight and let the power take over.


    I''d never expected, in all my life...to just lose it. It was scary but so invigorating as well. I pushed everything away and decided to make tonight about him, he was beating himself up again. I could feel it. He also wouldn''t make eye contact with me or even look in my direction. I turned in my chair to face him.


    "Why is it your unsure about the wise part?"


    "A wise king would never have let his queen go alone tonight."


    "A wise queen would never have went alone....We all make mistakes Mikhail, it''s how you amend them that count''s. I don''t blame you for tonight. I blame Beliad Cane." I said as I ground my teeth.


    Mikhail growled low and deep in his throat at Beliad''s name.


    "Cane will pay, for everything he has done to aid Doran in his quest to take my throne, more than that though, he will die a slow, painful death for what he tried to do too you. I swear it on our bond."


    He turned his head and looked directly into my eye''s as he spoke the last part, I knew without a doubt he was good to his word. I sat there staring at him for a moment, his eye''s were lit with a fire I hadn''t seen in them before. They still churned like molten gold, it was mesmerizing to watch. He blinked and looked back at the island.


    I rose from my stool and ran my hand across his shoulder''s as I passed by him, I stopped just inside the archway to the hall and leaned against the panel. A glance over my shoulder told me he was watching so I held my hand back slightly. An open invitation to him.


    I closed my eye''s and waited, sure enough a few second''s later his warm fingers slipped between my own, his touch sent fire shooting through my vein''s. He stood right behind me, also leaned on the frame of the archway. He inhaled deeply and I knew he was catching my scent. The grip on my finger''s tightened a fraction.


    I pushed myself free of the archway frame and led him up the stair''s to my room. Once there I left him on the bed to go to the bathroom and check my bandages for blood overflow. I''d hoped to try and spare my sheet''s yet another go in the washer.


    Once inside the door I peeled off my shirt and pant''s and threw them back out the door to land on or near my chair. (Hey, who cares honestly, I know they''re clean and I''ll wear em again.) I checked my thigh''s first. Much to my surprise the gashes were nearly gone and the bite mark''s were almost totally closed up.


    I spotted a few that had just started to bleed through the bandage though so I quickly ran some water in the sink and grabbed a cloth to clean it up with. As gentle as I was being, it still burned and sent shock''s of pain through my body. I squeezed my eye''s shut as I wiped dried blood from a particularly nasty wound close to my girl down south.


    A warm hand closed over mine and my eye''s opened slowly to find Mikhail standing behind me holding my hand stead fast above the wound. He took the cloth from me and moved to sit on my toilet seat I''d used as my leg prop.


    I didn''t really want him to see the wound''s and turned my head to look back into the bedroom, I knew my cheek''s were turning red with shame and anger at myself. I closed my eye''s and braced for the impact of the cloth over the tear in my flesh. It never came, I looked back at Mikhail to see him studying it like it was a damned algebra problem he couldn''t figure out.


    "I was just trying to get the dried blood off, it''ll be gone after I sit back down and do a lil healing session."


    "Together we can heal your wounds much faster. Though some of these deeper ones....will scar."


    His eyebrows pinched as he mentioned the deep wounds. I started to pull my leg back down but he placed a gentle hand on my calk and stopped me. Then he brought the washcloth up and with the lightest of touches, wiped the blood away. After doing this to a few more we made our way back to the bedroom where he laid down on the bed and eased me into the nook of his arm.


    "Now all you have to do is focus on healing. Close your eye''s and just breath, deep and slow."


    I did as he asked and sure enough within the next minute I felt all the wounds start to tingle once again, only this time the tingle lasted for only about five minutes then was gone. I opened my eye''s to see red and gold light all around us, swirling and churning like taffy being pulled. My chest was glowing gold as well.


    "It must be the healing stone inside me. It''s reacting to Mikhail being near me, this is amazing!" I thought to myself.


    The glow began to die down and soon had dissipated completely. I pushed up on my elbow and smiled as I looked at my leg''s. Where gashes and open wounds once were, now there was nothing just a few faint scar''s.


    I opened my legs to check my upper thigh and saw only a scar where the horrid bite was. I sent a silent thank you up to the Goddess and turned back to face Mikhail.


    "This is amazing! I can''t believe it actually worked."


    "You doubted?" he chuckled.


    "Well after everything that''s happened.....sorta. But, not anymore." I smiled at him and snuggled myself back into his arm.


    "Mikhail?"


    "Da?"


    "I have to tell you something. Something I seriously should have told you before."


    "Da? What is it moya koroleva? (my queen)


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    "I....I know you blame yourself, for everything that''s happened since you left. I also know....you plan to find a way to sever our bond and leave me because you think that is what''s best for me. You want me to have a normal life, fall in love with a normal guy."


    "How do you know these thing''s.....you read my thought''s without my knowledge, didn''t you?"


    "....Yes. You looked so troubled, I just wanted to help, but you wouldn''t talk to me. So...I snuck in and found a crack in your wall and saw everything. Mikhail I don''t want you to leave me. I don''t want to feel the way I''ve felt all this time, the loneliness, the feeling of being incomplete. I want you to stay. Not just for me...I want you to stay for yourself. I know you can be happy here, I know I can make you happy. You just have to let me try."


    BeforeI finished my sentence I was pulling his face towards mine. Our lip''s met and fire rushed through us both. What started as a gentle kiss quickly became hot and hard. He pushed his tongue forward and I opened my mouth to receive it. He pulled me closer as I wrapped my arm''s around his neck.


    I lay flat on my back now while he hovered above me. His hand ran the length of my torso, leaving a trail of heat behind it. Everywhere he touched, fire burned just beneath his finger''s begging to be released. He deepened the kiss as he grabbed my leg and pulled it up to meet his hip. I gladly repeated this step with my other leg, he was now directly between the two.


    I could feel his hot erection as it brushed by my apex. I gave the softest moan as I thrust my hips up to meet him, the soft fabric of his pajama pant''s slid away suddenly to reveal what I most craved! I ran my hand''s all over his back feeling every muscle, tracing every scar. He was a masterpiece...my masterpiece.


    He intertwined his fingers into the thin line of the panties that held my moist center prisoner from him and tore them away. Just as quickly as the cool air hit me, his hot member came down to give me cover and shield me from the cold. He was grunting now as he broke the kiss and tried to regain control, I held him fast and looked him dead in the eye''s.


    "No. I want you, and the Queen always get''s what she want''s right?" I said breathlessly.


    "....Da, Moy Koroleva. What you want, it comes at a great price. You will never be free of me." he uttered, barely above a whisper.


    "Good." was the only word my brain could piece together.


    He loosed my bra expertly and threw it to the side, no need for that anymore I guess. I arched my back as I threw my head to the side, showing him my neck. He slowed his gyration long enough to gently place a hand on my cheek and turn my head the other way. He was going to bite where Conall had bitten me. I wondered why but as if he were reading my thought''s he answered.


    "The only Mates Bite you shall have is mine." he said in a husky domineering tone.


    His gruff voice only fueled the fire roaring through me. He licked the scar''s on my shoulder causing me to drive my nails into his back. He smiled against my skin.


    "Not yet moya lyubov'' (my love) the queen may always get what she want''s...but so does the king." he whispered right against my ear.


    He slid his hand slowly down the length of my body until he found the now moistened mound just above my southern lips. I gasped as he toyed with it, rolling it around on the tip of his finger then flicking it ever so softly.


    The longer he made me wait the more I wanted him. I ground my hips against his, begging for him to relieve the pain growing in my loins. When I thought I could take no more he lowered his head to my right breast and encased the stiff-peaked mound he found there.


    His tongue rolled over the peak, lapping at it then nibbling it before deciding to suckle it, I moaned and arched, grabbed for the bed sheet''s and pillows. Anything to pull against, he was pushing me right to the edge. I was so wet and hot between my thigh''s and he knew it. He rubbed the mound harder as he positioned his hip''s to finally enter me.


    He slowly began rubbing the head against my now soaked lips. I moaned again and again dug my nails into his back and shoulder blade. He grunted and growled as he suckled my nipple harder. He released me for only a moment as he re-positioned his hands in my tangled mess of hair. Grabbing two big hand fulls and tilting my head back he looked down on me with those big, golden eye''s, lit with passion and fire.


    "Redalia there is no turning back from here. If we do this, you''ll be tied to me forever. Unable to love another."


    "I don''t want to love another, just you." I whispered.


    He loosed a fierce and terrifying growl as he entered me, simultaneously biting my shoulder. I screamed as the pain and pleasure of both act''s rocketed through my body. Suddenly I felt a change, I felt stronger, clearer, more alive then I had ever felt in my life. It was as if I''d been living my life in a sea of pastel colors but now the colors were bright and vibrant.


    Where my human eye teeth had been, were now two fresh sharp canine''s. I latched onto Mikhail''s shoulder to complete the Mates Bite. He grunted in pleasure and pain. Given renewed vigor, he thrust inside me hard. Pumping and pumping, harder and harder. Blood pooled in my mouth but I didn''t care I lapped it up like a hungry dog.


    I felt him doing the same then as if it never happened the wounds sealed and became nearly invisible in the dark. I howled and moaned as did he. I ground against him begging for more, pleading for him to go deeper. He obliged my request, he latched onto my breast again, this time the left and suckled hard as he pumped inside me.


    "yes...that''s it...Mikhail I''m going to....."


    "Do it! Come on baby I wanna feel you do it all over me!"


    "You keep talkin like that and.....Oh....."


    I had no time to finish, my sentence that is, I came hard and fast all over him just as he asked. There are no words in the English language to describe what I felt at that moment, nor the moment he came in me. If I had to pick a word though....wholeness.


    At that moment I knew I would never in my life or the next find anyone who would ever come close to the way he made me feel. All my reservations I''d been holding in suddenly melted away as I lay in his arm''s.


    "I never want to move again." I said softly.


    He chuckled.


    "Nor do I moy sladkiy (my sweet), but the men will be waiting to celebrate us."


    "Celebrate....why?"


    "They are our pack. They felt the bond''s completion, they to will have a sense of bliss and wholeness. Now that their King and Queen have been mated."


    "Uuuuhhh ok, are they going to feel EVERYTIME we...mate?"


    "Oh Goddess no! Just this one time." he laughed.


    I smiled up at him as he wrapped me in his arm''s and rolled onto his back. My mess of hair was all over my head I just knew it! I tried to smooth it down a bit but he stopped me with a kiss.


    "Leave it. You look so beautiful, wild and messy."


    "You know this is the most I''ve ever seen you smile and laugh. I told you I''d be good for you!"


    "Da, I can not dispute this. Redalia, I swear to you, we''ll get our kingdom back, and when we do...I''ll give you everything you deserve and more!"


    "Mikhail, I just want to be happy and complete. That''s all."


    "This is why you will make a wonderful queen. You do not care for the riches, just the love. Come, we must shower."


    "Ok, but if we''re in there together.....we won''t be getting clean."


    "I do not recall saying anything about getting clean..." he smiled a wry smile at me.


    "Oh, well whatever his lordship want''s....." I said in my most seductive voice as I slid off the bed and walked to the bathroom door. I turned my head just slightly so I could glance over my shoulder. "....his lordship get''s."