

Siofra's Change

By:

Theresa Marguerite Hewitt

Published By: Theresa Marguerite Hewitt at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Theresa Marguerite Hewitt

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Attention:

This book contains mature subject matter that may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 17.

This ebook is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locations is coincidental.

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I'd like to thank S.B. for her vigilant editing and brainstorming. To my family and close friends for not thinking I'm crazy for chasing a dream. Also thank you to all of you for giving me a chance. It's greatly appreciated.~~ TMH

PRELUDE:

December 24, 2015

The snow was coming down in big, wet clumps as Siofra pulled her Jeep into the parking lot of the Johnson Brewery n Grille. Tonight was the annual Pack Christmas party, and every member of the Big Sky Pack would be attending. She was running late because she couldn't get her almost 3 year old son, Roan, to keep his pants on. He was becoming more of a handful, and it was only more of a hassle since Siofra was 6 months pregnant. She and pretty much every non-single she-wolf in the Pack, and some of the single ones were expecting.

The Pack doctor, Michelle Trapper [who herself was 6 months pregnant with her first, and was newly engaged to Cajun were-mountain lion, Leon Sullivan] had just told Siofra two days before that she was having a girl. Siofra was ecstatic. Her family would be complete. She hadn't told her husband yet; she had decided to surprise Conall with his Christmas present, a big white hooded sweatshirt that said "My Daughter Kicks Ass". Siofra can't help but smile when she thinks of it.

Unbuckling Roan from his booster seat, she swings him onto her hip, grabbing the bag of gifts that Conall had forgot to take with him when he had left with the twins, two hours before. Making her way through the back door of the bar, she realizes that if she doesn't walk faster, she'll pee her pants.

Damn this bladder, she thinks. Picking up the pace, she bursts through the swinging doors from the kitchen to behind the bar, startling her mother-in-law.

"Oh, Jesus!" Sue exclaims, almost dropping the glass of beer she was pouring. Seeing the look on Siofra's face, she sets it down quickly, taking Roan from her.

"Damn, I think this baby kicks my bladder at times like this on purpose!" Siofra curses, bursting back through the swinging doors to the closer employee bathroom. Her unborn child always seemed to know when she had her hands full, or when she was going to be in the car for longer than 10 minutes. Making it to the bathroom without peeing herself, Siofra washes and dries her hands, opening the door to her husband's face.

"Hi love." he says, leaning down to capture her lips quickly. "You okay? Saw you hand Roan off and go runnin'." Taking her hand, he leads her back into the kitchen.

"Fine, just this bladder ninja is killing me." she laughs, leaning her head on his shoulder as they go through the swinging doors. The bar is filled with the Pack members, country Christmas music pumping from the jukebox. Eight long tables are set end to end, filled with food of every kind. Ham, pot roast, turkey and lamb; carrots, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans and all the other trimming you can think of at Christmas. They did, after all, have to feed close to 60 people now, half of those being pregnant she-wolves who could eat three or four full plate helpings of the food.

Seeing her best friend Francie sitting at a table with her sister-in-laws, Cassie and Sylvia, Siofra kisses Conall on the cheek, leaving him to go gossip with the girls.

"Fry!!" Francie squeals, taking her in a hug from her seat. Siofra plopped down in the chair between her and Cassie. Francie had chopped off some of her long, curly red hair, bringing the length to her shoulders. Her brown eyes were sparkling at her childhood friend.

"Sooooo? What did the Doc tell you the other day?" Her friend was the most impatient person she knows, always wanting to know the updates in everything. All the other she-wolves had revealed the genders of their unborn pups, the majority being boys, except Francie and Cassie. They were in same boat as Siofra...expecting girls.

"You'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out." she giggles, turning red in the face. She couldn't wait for Conall to open up that shirt box, revealing the sweatshirt she had embroidered herself. The women all look at Siofra with disappointed faces, but she just sticks her tongue out at them, making them laugh.

Looking around, she doesn't see her half-sister Lilith. "Where's Lil you guys?" Lilith had stayed here, instead of returning to the Fae realm with Siofra's birth father Shamus and her half-brother Darmin. She had gone into partnership with Doc Trapper, since she was a skilled healer, so it worked out well for everyone. She and Jace were expecting a boy, and they were planning on tying the knot in the summer. Siofra was sure that Jace would be a great dad, and Lilith and him seemed to be made for each other. It made Siofra happy that they had found one another.

"Oh she's here somewhere." Sylvia said, swiveling in her chair to look around her. "Prolly in the game room, showing up the guys on the pool table." They all laugh, because Lilith was a pool shark. She won every time.

"ALL RIGHT EVERYONE!" boomed Mike's voice over the noise and music. "Please help yourselves to the buffet, in an orderly fashion. I'll issue the Pack prayer when we are all seated." Yips and shouts answer him as hungry Pack members start over to the food.

Standing to follow her friends to the line, Siofra notices she forgot her phone. "I gotta go back out to the Jeep. Forgot my cell." Francie just nods at her, focused in on getting her hands on some food.

Going through the kitchen, Siofra pulls the single key on the smiley face keychain from the back pocket of her jeans. Not bothering to put her jacket on since she's wearing a sweater with a long sleeved shirt underneath, Siofra steps out the back door into the snow, which is now falling faster and heavier.

Fumbling with the key, because the wind has stunned her fingers, Siofra gets the door open. Reaching in, she is frozen in place when she hears an aggressive, feral growl.

Grabbing her phone, she slowly backs out, coming to face a waist high, silver and white wolf with glowing yellow eyes. The eyes capture her for a second, and they seem to look her up and down, stopping for a mere second on her swollen belly.

His teeth were bared, saliva dripping from the sides of his lips that are curled back. The growls rumbling through the wolf's chest made Siofra tremble. She couldn't shift in any way because she was pregnant. [Scholars figured it was to protect the unborn baby, the shift being too harsh on the body.]

She-wolves were at the mercy of anyone when they were pregnant. That's why they normally traveled in groups of two or more, but no, not Siofra. Well, who would have thought a two second step outside would bring her face to face with a threat.

"Whoa there." she whispers, her hands out in front of her. Pushing the door to the Jeep shut, she is issued a loud warning snarl.

Why didn't she just jump in the Jeep and lock the door you say?

Because the wolf's jaw and teeth could rip through the roof or doors in three seconds flat, making the Jeep a death trap. And if she got in and drove away, who's to say the aggressive beast wouldn't get into the bar and hurt her family?

"Whoa there, I'm not gonna hurt ya." she whispers, slowly stepping back towards the bar door.

An ear piercing howl comes from off in the distance. The strange wolf perks his head up, issuing her one more growl and snarl before lopping off into the snowing night. Siofra wastes no time bursting through the bar door, sliding the red metal bar across the inside, then bounding into the bar room, huffing and puffing.

"Conall!" she shouts. Faces turn her way, the line at the buffet still long. Conall's green eyes find her from the head table. He drops his empty plate, pushing past his brothers, grasping Siofra's face in his hands. Her cheeks burned and her hair was wet from the snow. She was out of breath from her mad dash from the parking lot, and her unborn daughter was doing cartwheels in her belly.

"What's wrong love? Is it the baby?" Immediately he places his hands on her stomach and the baby stills, calming at his touch. His brow is creased with concern, and Siofra places her palm to his cheek.

"No...." she huffs out, "There was...a...there was a strange wolf. Yellow eyes...." She points to the back door, still out of breath. "Ran off..." she stammers, staggering over to the closest chair and plopping down.

Conall's defenses at once go up, the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and his eyes rim in that neon green glow. "Where?" he grinds out.

"By my Jeep." Siofra grabs the closest glass of water, not caring whose it is, taking a big gulp.

"Brothers!" Conall voice booms over the noisy crowd. "Please follow me into the kitchen." Kissing Siofra on the forehead, Conall stalks off into the kitchen. Mike, Jason, Trey, Jace, Roman, Ronald and Kaeton close behind. Cassie and Sylvia come to Siofra's side, helping her to the head table.

"What the hell is going on?" Cassie whispers, sitting next to Siofra's right side.

"There was a strange wolf outside. He was silver and white, with yellow eyes." Siofra grabs her designated glass of water, but her hand is shaking. She needs something with sugar in it. Searching the table, she grabs up a candy cane that had been scattered on all of them. Breaking it in half because she didn't want to fumble with trying to unwrap it, Siofra takes a bite, crunching away on it.

Their mother-in-law comes to join them, three plates of food balanced on her experienced arms. Sylvia informs the retired female Alpha, handing a plate down to Siofra. Expressing her thanks, Siofra and the women wait for the men to return to dig in. She sits there, tapping her fingers nervously on the table.

They only have to wait maybe ten minutes, before the men come through the kitchen with melting snow glistening all over their hair and clothing in the overhead lights. Conall brushes the snow off of his perfectly shaped, broad sweater covered shoulders, approaching the opposite side of the table; he places his palms on either side of Siofra's place setting, leaning forward.

His green eyes are full of pride and love as he gazes at her. "There was a little scent on the tire, but it disappeared about a mile north, passing through the cemetery. Kaeton couldn't even pick it up after that." That was saying a lot, since Kaeton Bokan had become their best tracker after Siofra and Francie had sponsored him into the Pack 4 months back.

"It seems it was just a passer through, prolly just a rogue." Conall tries to give his wife a reassuring smile, winking at her. "Mike is gonna send a tracking party out tomorrow, see if they can find anything."

Leaning back in her chair, Siofra sighs. Just a fluke, she ponders. Not likely. She was too superstitious, after all the shit she had gone through in the last two and a half years. Nothing was a coincidence or a fluke to her, especially since she had a bad feeling now.

Just the way that yellow-eyed wolf had looked her up and down, gave her the heebie-jeebies. It was Christmas, and she didn't feel like being a downer, so she just smiled back at her husband.

"Get your ass over there and eat something." she growls at him before leaning forward and giving him a light kiss. Conall just winks at her, bounding off to retrieve his plate from his mother at the buffet.

Dinner passes with Siofra packing away three plates of pot roast and ham, un-counted spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and green beans and ten, yes ten, rolls with butter slathered on them. Finishing off her second piece of apple pie, snuggled in between Cassie and Francie, Siofra is delighted to see Jace and the boys head into the band area.

Nudging Francie to move with her elbow, Siofra scoots out from behind the head table, brushing her clothing free of the crumbs that always seem to find her these days. Smiling at Susan and Clyde, Siofra waddles past them, full to the brim and ready to sit and have some fun with her husband and friends. Pushing through the swinging door, Siofra isn't surprised that the boys are already finished hooking up their equipment.

"Fry!" Kaeton welcomes her, waving wildly at her. He was a goof ball, the same little boy she had always known, stuffed into a 6'11" frame. He joins the band every once in a while, playing fiddle, drums, bass or just doing the sound controls. "Coming to play with us boys?"

"Of course, what else would I do?" she asks, putting her hands on her hips trying to act sassy.

"Oh, I don't know." Jace adds, putting his index finger to his chin, tapping it back and forth in a thinking motion. "Huddle up with all the other women and talk baby stuff. Peeing schedules and how your boobs hurt, shit like that." This elicits laughs from his male counterparts, and Siofra smacks her husband on the shoulder, scolding him.

"Oh you know that I love it when you let me know that your boobs hurt." Conall whispers as he pulls his wife closer, pressing a kiss to her cheek and one right below her left ear. "You like what I do for you to make them feel better." he whispers again, his breath hot on Siofra's neck.

It makes a hot poker of desire shoot through her body, heat pooling between her legs. She did love what he did for her when she complained that they hurt. Just thinking about it made her body quiver. Her husband knew how to use his mouth and hands in magical ways, making her moan in climax without even touching the apex of her thighs. He was such a damn tease.

Pushing him away with her hands on his chest [before she jumps his bones right there and then], Siofra grabs a mic and sits on the edge of the stage, her feet dangling over the front. She just listens and taps her fingers along to the different beats as they do their usual warm up routine. One by one they play a little something, tuning and tweaking till it's perfect. Kaeton on the sound board, flipping switches and turning knobs as usual, till everyone is satisfied.

Zoning out till she realizes they are waiting for her, Siofra whips her head around. "What song will it be boys?"

"Ah, let's get them in here." Jace says, a sly smile on his face. "Let's do a little Sonia Leigh." Siofra grins, because she loves to sing Leigh's song "Bar", it's a rowdy, fun, honky-tonk brawl type of song. Jace was right, as soon as they started the song up and Siofra uttered the first couple of lines, their Pack mates filed onto the dance floor.

Siofra sang a handful of songs, then danced to a handful of songs, then resigned to sit through a handful more with Sylvia, Cassie and Francie. They were all beat, and decided to go check on the kids. It was 1a.m. according to the clock above the bar, and Siofra leaned onto Francie's right side, absorbing her friend's weight as well. Leaning her head around the corner, she can see her boys cuddled all together on one of the couches in the game room.

"Guess it's time to call it a night." Francie whispers and Siofra nods her head.

Telling the boys to wrap it up, Siofra helps Susan and some of the other she-wolves clean up the bar and put away the left-overs. Saying goodnight to Francie and Trey, Siofra is glad that the bar is empty except for the Johnson family. It was 1:45 and she was ready for bed.

Moving Roan's booster seat from the Jeep to the Equinox, Siofra finishes buckling the boys in, turning down the heater that was pumping hot air into the already warm vehicle. Conall was going to drive the boys and she was going to take the Jeep, not wanting to leave it at the bar since it was still snowing. Telling Susan that she would lock up, she waves goodnight to them, promising not to be late for brunch in the morning.

"Sure you're okay to drive love?" Conall asks, pulling her close to him, shielding her a little from the still falling thick snow. Reaching up, she pulls her swollen belly close, leaning in to kiss him on the lips. The baby kicks, hard enough to make Conall feel, making him jerk a little. He just smirks, placing his warm hand over her jacket, rubbing in a little circle.

'I'm fine. I'll be right behind you. Just gonna double check, make sure all the lights are off and the doors are locked." She pats him on the shoulder, turning to go back inside.

Knowing he'll wait till he sees her put the red alarm light on, Siofra checks all the doors, turning some stray lights off. Flicking the alarm on, along with the red light, she waves into the lit up interior of the Equinox. Conall waves back, shutting the dome light off and starting to back out of the parking spot.

Her Jeep is already warmed up when she gets in, so she buckles quickly, throwing it in reverse. Noticing that the tires are spinning a little, Siofra engages the 4x4 button on the dash, waiting for its light to click on indicating that it's engaged. Turning South on Park Ave, following Conall's tail lights, she makes her way West onto their home route via Moorehead Road.

Turning left onto their road, Siofra kicks the wipers into high gear, the wet snow still pounding her windshield. Humming along to the radio, she lets up on the gas a little when the back end of the Jeep fishtails.

Weird, she thinks, looking down to the 4x4 button seeing if it became disengaged for some reason, but the light was still on. Cresting the slight hill, Siofra can see Conall's tail lights turn into their driveway about three quarters of a mile ahead.

Descending the slight hill, her back end starts to fishtail, Siofra steering into the skid trying not to over correct. Her headlights catch a reflection in the road ahead, making Siofra squint. The Jeep is still slipping and sliding when she sees that yellow eyed wolf in the road just in front of the Jeep.

"SHITTTTT!" she screams, yanking her wheel so that she doesn't hit the wolf. Her front tires catch in some slush on the side of the road, lurching the car towards the snow bank. Trying to get the car heading away from the bank, she realizes that she has over corrected when the Jeep goes into a full out spin. Siofra can't help but scream, gripping the wheel as the Jeep does a full seven times around, the back tire catching on the one bare spot on the entire road.

The change of traction tips the Jeep, sending it into a roll. Glass and metal crunching are the last sounds Siofra remembers, the air bag exploding in her face. The Jeep comes to a skidding halt, on its roof, in the middle of Fifth Street, stopping just 30 feet from the Johnson's driveway. Conall's yells fill the night air, screaming for his wife, getting no response.

Up the road where the catastrophe started, the yellow eyed wolf huffs into the cold night air, his breath a cloud of steam. Smiling to himself, he bounds off into the snow bank, letting a howl resonate in his wake.

SPIRITS OF THE DEAD

Edgar Allan Pae

Thy soul shall find itself alone

'Mid dark thoughts of the grey tomb-stone;

Not one, of all the crowd, to pry

Into thine hour of secrecy.

Be silent in that solitude,

Which is not loneliness- for then

The spirits of the dead, who stood

In life before thee, and their will

Shall overshadow thee; be still.

The night, though clear, shall frown,

And the stars shall not look down

From their high thrones in the Heaven

With light like hope to mortals given,

But their red orbs, without beam,

To thy weariness shall seem

As a burning and a fever

Which would cling to thee for ever.

Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish,

Now are visions ne'er to vanish;

From thy spirit shall they pass

No more, like dew-drop from the grass.

The breeze, the breath of God, is still,

And the mist upon the hill

Shadowy, shadowy, yet unbroken,

Is a symbol and a token.

How it hangs upon the trees,

A mystery of mysteries!

CHAPTER ONE:

'Hi, um, my name is Siofra, but please call me Fry."

"Hello, Fry," the greeting echoes in the mostly empty classroom. Seven female faces stare at her from their seated circle in the middle of the room. Siofra nervously wrings her hands together, then squeezes them tight between her knees. She really didn't want to be here. The therapist leading the session [a 50ish African American woman, who at the beginning of the session revealed that she is a were-panther] nods at her, urging her to continue.

"Um.... I'm here because exactly 6 months ago today I lost my baby girl." Oh God, she mumbles in her head, tears starting to well already in her eyes. The therapist, again, nods for her to continue. "I was in a car accident. My um....Jeep rolled six times before coming to rest on the roof." A tight pain starts to form in her chest and she rubs it with her right palm.

"I was trapped upside down for about 15 minutes. My husband couldn't get me out because of the damage." Siofra kicks herself mentally when her tears spill out, hot, running down her cheek. "I woke up 6 days later, in the hospital here in Miles City. My husband had to tell me what had happened cuz I couldn't remember." She stops because she can tell her words are going to start hitching, her throat tightening.

"Please go on, Fry. We are here to help." Dr. Erin Tallman urges, giving Siofra a slight sweet smile. The girl seated next to her who looked to be about Siofra's age, 27, patted Siofra lightly on the knee. Clearing her throat and wiping her face with her shaky fingers, Siofra tries to continue.

"When I was still out of it, they had air lifted me here. They had performed an emergency C-Section because of the stress on the baby." She didn't see what re-hashing all this was going to do for her; it was still going to hurt. "Um..... The baby girl lived for 2 days, on a breathing machine and all sorts of tubes. My husband got to see her in the NICU; he got to reach his hand into the incubator. He says that she grasped his finger ever so lightly." She gave a waning smile thinking of the light in Conall's eyes when he had told her that.

"My husband had named her Cecilia, after my mother." The dam she had tried to keep up came tumbling down and the sob hit her chest, releasing a choking sound from her throat. The girl next to her placed her hand on Siofra's back, rubbing it gently. "She died because her lungs just ........weren't strong..... enough. I flipped out when my husband told me." She had. When Conall had told her the news, she had ripped the IV from her arm, flipping her bed and anything else not tied down in her hospital room over. The hospital staff had to sedate her to stop her screams and cries. She had gone home in a stupor because she didn't want to feel, but the drugs only work for so long when you have the hyper metabolism of a werewolf.

"And what brings you here to be with us Fry? How have you dealt with this tragic event?" The doctors soothing voice brought Siofra a little more to the surface, waving off some of the pain. The groups name was F.L.S.S.W: Fetal Loss Support for Supernatural Women, and it met every other Thursday in Room 103, Custer Hall, Miles Community College, Miles City; which was about 1 hour and 20 minutes northeast of Broadus.

"I haven't dealt with it." she admits, because it's true. She had spent the last 6 months locked in the bedroom upstairs, refusing to see anyone but her own children. Even then, her depression made her not pay attention to them half of the time and the other half she was getting angry at them for no reason whatsoever. She had screamed at Roan one morning when he had taken more than what her patience could retain to put his boots on.

Not to mention in March all of her Pack mates had given birth to their pups. Siofra couldn't stand to be in the same room as them, even her best friend Francie and her daughter Francesca. They had surprised Siofra and Conall at home one day for a visit around dinner time, and even before Siofra set eyes on the baby, she took off up the stairs when the baby cooed a little. Conall had pounded on the bedroom door, telling her to calm down and talk, but the tightness in her chest, her tears and her shaky hands prevented her from doing it. Francie hadn't come to visit since.

She hated herself because she couldn't help but feel hatred towards her Pack mates that had given birth to perfect, healthy children. It sickened her that those thoughts filled her head whenever she thought of her sister-in-laws or her best friend, but those thoughts seeped in every time, without fail. The thought that they looked at her with disgust and disappointment passed through her mind non-stop. She felt like a leper.

"That's what we are here for my dear." The doctor says, a slight smile caressing her lips. "We'll help you to deal with this." Siofra nods a little, looking around her at the teary eyed faces. The doctor passes her gaze onto the girl next to Siofra, the one whose hand is still rubbing a slight circle on Siofra's shoulders. "Let's have everyone introduce themselves to our new friend. Nikki, please tell Siofra a little about your story."

Siofra angled her head slightly, peering at the woman seated to her right. She was slightly taller looking, maybe 5'5" or 6", curvy, with bobbed brown hair, pulled back and bobby pinned into a nobby ponytail. The underside of her hair was magenta, and she had a number of visible tattoos. A crescent moon on the left side of her neck, an angel on her left ankle, a string of flowers wound around her left wrist, and a likeness of Jack Skellington from Tim Burtons "A Nightmare Before Christmas" on her right shin. She was a wolf; Siofra could smell it on her.

The word that came to mind when Siofra looked at her was 'Fashionista". She was wearing high end skinny jean capris, with 4 1/2 inch gold stiletto heels; adorned with studs, glitter and sequins; and a bright red chiffon flowy top, looking like it was right off the runway. Her blue eyes were hidden behind fashion glasses, because it was well known that wolves had perfect eyesight, not ever needing contacts or glasses. The girl gives Siofra a sweet smile, removing her hand from Siofra's shoulders.

"Hi," she whispers, "my name is Nikki Sparks, but everyone calls me Sparkles." This lightens the mood in the room a little when a couple of the women let out small giggles, and Nikki herself giggles back. Looking back to Siofra, she clears her throat, getting back to business.

"I'm originally from Denver, but I moved here to major in Fashion here at M.C.C." Miles Community College was not a big college, but it had good programs. "Here I met a guy, and we were living together for a year when I found out I was pregnant." She looks a little fidgety and it makes Siofra feel at ease, at least she wasn't the only one having trouble talking in this group. "He took off when I told him, haven't seen him since." Fuck'em, ass hole. Carrying on, "I was 7 months pregnant when I was hit head on by a drunk driver."

That shocked Siofra. Having some drunk asshole who couldn't take the time to get a DD take away your child, well that was bullshit. As much so as swerving your Jeep not to hit a dumbass wolf with yellow eyes, flipping and losing your baby, but let's get back to Nikki's story.

"My baby was dead by the time they delivered it at the hospital. This was 3 years ago, and I've been in this group for about 3 months." Nikki's face was solemn and it was Siofra's turn to issue the consoling shoulder rub. "So you see, Fry, we are in the same kinda boat." Locking eyes with the newcomer, Nikki gives her a tear edged smile.

"Thank you Nikki. Sharon, you're next." Dr. Tallman passed the buck to the next woman in the circle. Siofra sat through the next hour and a half listening to the women's stories. Two more had been like Siofra and Nikki's, one had given birth to 5 stillborns before her husband left her, and two had lost their unborn babies to vicious attacks from other supernatural creatures. Tissues were passed around frequently, and finally the good Doctor called the group to an end.

"Please all help yourselves to the refreshments provided by the dining hall, and Fry." she pauses, turning to the newest member. "I hope to see you next time." Smiling and nodding, Dr. Tallman stands first, heading towards the refreshment table set up by the door.

Siofra stands and receives hugs from five of the women she had just shared her story with, the entire time noticing that Nikki "Sparkles" stands idly by at her right side. Releasing the last of the ladies, Siofra turns to see a slight smile on Nikki's face.

"Are they always so touchy-feely?" she asks Nikki with a shrug. The girl just smiles, putting her arm around Siofra's shoulders steering them towards the coffee pot on the refreshment table.

"Yeah, pretty much. I've come to learn that it helps, even though it seems weird at first." She hands Siofra a cup of coffee and pours one for herself. It was 8:30p.m., but Siofra still had to drive the hour plus home, so coffee wouldn't hurt. Turning back to Siofra, Nikki hands her a cookie, and asks, "Do you take anytime to yourself to do anything fun?"

"Anything fun?" Siofra questions. Thinking, she came up with a big, fat NO. She had become a hermit, staying in her house pretty much 24/7. She didn't go to work, or to the store, or even to the doctor anymore. She had refused to go to counseling sooner, telling Conall that her depression would pass, that it just needed a little while. That had been four months ago. Things were getting edgy at home. Conall and Siofra hadn't made love in the 6 months since the accident, not that they hadn't tried. Every time it had ended in Siofra breaking down in tears saying she was a failure and locking herself in the spare room downstairs.

"You know..... like clubbing." Nikki adds with a grin. Siofra tilts her head slightly, giving this new acquaintance a raised eyebrow look. "Don't judge. I've found that it helped if I went out, especially around the full moons, and dance my ass off!"

Siofra can't help but release a giggle, getting a smile to cross Nikki's face. These two were becoming fast friends, and it was making Siofra happy. "No," she answers, still giggling a little. "I haven't gone clubbing." Siofra makes her fingers do the quotes signal when she says clubbing. "There isn't a hell of a lotta night life in Broadus. At least you have some here, with the college and all."

"Psshhh, please, I don't bother with college kids honey." Nikki laughs. Her smile only heightens her looks, making Siofra envy her a little. She looks high class in her heels compared to Siofra's flip flops, torn jeans, and white tank under a holey Coca-Cola shirt.

"Alright ladies, time to head out. Everyone drive safely." Dr. Tallman says with a smile on her face. "Please if you can't make the next session, email me as soon as you can." With that she exited the classroom, everyone slowly in tow. Siofra had left her purse in the Chevelle, only pocketing the key, so she unhooked the smiley face keychain from her belt loop.

"If you feel up to it next time, I can take you to the bar I like after the session." Nikki asks, her heels clicking away on the pavement as they make their way to their cars. "Holy hell.....is that your car?" She gasps, pointing at the fire engine red Chevelle.

"Haha, yeah. Why?" Siofra asks, chuckling a little to herself about the exasperated look on her new companions face.

"It's sweet as hell!" Nikki teems with excitement, her smile from ear to ear. Looking back to Siofra, she backs off a little to let her open the driver's door. "So like I was saying, if you feel up to it, it's just 5 minutes from here. My apartment is a block and a half from it, so if you get trashed you can stay over." This was the longest amount of time Siofra had spent out of the house in 6 months. The thought of going to a bar and staying at a strange house was kind of scaring her a little.

"Um, yeah, I'll think about it." The smile on Nikki's face was getting to her, so she was really going to think about it. "Hey you want my cell number, in case you come down my way?" Nikki nods her head, so they exchange phone numbers, saying goodbyes till next session.

Rolling down the windows in the muscle car as she heads South on MT-59, Siofra feels relieved. She feels a little bit of that pressure ease off of her heart, and it makes her smile. She cranks up the radio, blaring Jason Aldean's "Dirt Road Anthem", pushing the car to 90 mph down the highway.

She had hopefully made a new friend. Someone she could talk to, and that knew what she was going thru. Things were looking up for the first time in a while. At least, she hoped they were.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The smoke was thick and the music loud in the back room of 'The Wet Dog' bar, where Kraze sat with his gang. He had been eyeing this little hottie up since she had walked in about an hour ago. She was curvy as hell, wearing gold stilettos and tight jeans. She was alone too, which was always promising. His reverie snapped back to the conversation he was having with his twin brother, Dyson.

"I think we should take the offer." Dyson mumbled, sucking down his Guinness in two gulps. Kraze thought about the situation.

This older wolf, old enough to be their dad, and his wife had approached their camp in Canada. They had told the Killian brothers that they would pay them $1000 for every member of this Big Sky Pack that they killed. They had to leave one alive, a woman with brown hair, sky blue eyes and snow white skin. She was a mutt with some sort of special powers, and she was to be the second half of the brother's payment. After this woman's pack was destroyed, this man, who gave even Kraze a weird felling, would let the Killian brothers keep this woman as a mate, and he had promised them that she would bare them children with 'gifts'. They had scoped out this Pack about 6 months ago, finding nothing special.

The 28 year old brothers had been Berserkers for six years, ever since their parents had been killed in a house fire and they had been shunned from their Pack in South Boston. They had been all over the country and Canada, leaving destruction and death in their wake. They had come to love the taste of human flesh, and were known to dine off of hitchhikers and runaways every now and then. Tasting human flesh makes a Berserker different from other wolves. The human blood gives them the ability to transform into what was called a 'Berserker' stance, being the form most humans associate with werewolves. A perfect example of a Berserker stance is the wolves portrayed in the 'Underworld' movies; standing upright, snouts elongated, arms and fingers lengthened. They usually only did this when fighting, it gave them an edge against shorter, smaller wolves. Kraze and Dyson liked to tell people they played two of the wolves in the movie franchise.

The brothers, and most of their gang of 12, were intimidating to look at. Kraze and Dyson were both 6'6", broad shouldered, square jawed, naturally tanned complexion, both with yellow-gold eyes. They had thick, barrel chests, with huge pecks and massive biceps and triceps. Tattoos covered most of Kraze's right side and Dyson's left side, tribal designs and special wolf heritage markings from their family history. The brothers each had a blood red moon inked on the back of their right calves, with their parents' initials inside.

They all had hot heads and bad habits. They stole prescription drugs [oxycontin, lortabs, Percocet, Adderall, and Concerta were among their favorites] because street drugs were generally too weak to have any effect on a wolf. Taking an entire bottle of Adderall could make them feel like they were the Hulk, and then a drink made with wolf's bane could sober them up in no time. They loved to fight about anything, no matter their opponent. Human, Were, Blood sucker, didn't matter to them, they'd throw down wherever.

"Yeah, maybe we should." Kraze replied, still gazing at that little hottie now out on the dance floor with some other she-wolves and Weres. "What do the guys say?" They conferred with their men on the big decision, as to not cause ripples in their group. They had to kill three members a couple of weeks back because of a minor dispute, and they didn't want to dwindle their numbers any further.

"You know they'll follow us anywhere, especially when there is a potential for them to get some ass." Dyson chuckles and Kraze joins in. They were men after all, they had needs. Their group had a reputation of running off with single she-wolves, playing with them for a few weeks at most, and then leaving them in some dumpy motel to find their own way home.

"Cha bro, I'll follow you anywhere dude." replied their California-bred 'brother' Casey. He was the definition of surfer dude. Tall and thinly muscular, blonde shaggy hair and ocean blue eyes. He was the Killian brother's comic relief. Slapping the surfer on the back, Kraze eyes up the girl again.

"How do we get in contact with that.... well what the hell was that ass's name again?" Kraze looks at his brother, holding up his hands in question.

"Kevin Bokan, his wife is Shelley." Dyson replies, signaling for the waitress to make her way over. He was the more technical brother, more reserved than Kraze. He liked to sit and watch his surroundings whereas Kraze wants to be in the thick of it. Dyson wasn't that fond of killing humans, but he did it to make his brother happy, and Kraze was well aware of it.

"Yeah. Well how do we get a hold of them?" Kraze sees the hottie look his way, and he catches her eyes for a second. Sending a knee buckling grin her way, he winks at her, getting a finger wag back in reply.

"They said they'd find us once they had some loose ends tied up." Dyson fumbles with his empty glass. Kraze needed a refill as well, so he looked up for the waitress.

A plump and curvy short little blonde woman makes her way over to them finally, her cleavage hanging from her top, just begging for sleaze balls to ogle and grab at them. Her name tag reads 'Candy', obviously fake. Either that or she was a part time stripper. "What can I get ya fellas?" she smiles and winks, leaning over to give them a good look, obnoxiously snapping her gum and rolling it around her tongue. Short plump girls were not his thing, so Kraze looks into her mousy brown eyes.

"Three pitchers of Bud, two Guinness's, ten shots of tequila with limes and salt, andddd," Kraze looks over in the direction of the hottie with the gold heels, nodding his head and pointing at her, "Give that little piece of heaven whatever she's drinkin' 'n tell her it's from me." Handing the waitress a hundred dollar bill, she winks and trots off to the bar. Coming back five minutes later, she sets their pitchers, glasses and shots down, leaving one drink on her tray.

"What's she drinkin?" he asks the waitress, tilting his chin up in question.

"Alabama Slamma' mister." she replies, turning to deliver the drink. Kraze sees the plump waitress approach the hottie, hand her the drink and point over to his table. The hottie peers over, locking eyes with Kraze. He grins, raising a shot in the air. She does the same, thanking him silently for the drink. Downing his shot, he takes another, growling heartily after the second slides down. He ignores the limes and salt, pushing them over to Casey.

"Picked out another conquest, brother?" Dyson inquires, seeing the exchange between his twin and the girl on the dance floor. Dyson was the more private twin when it came to women, his brother Kraze would take two or three home to their loft down the street per night.

"Hopefully brother. Hopefully." Kraze leans back in his chair, leaning his motorcycle booted feet up on the empty table next to them. He was just going to sit back and wait for her to come to him. It was his favorite game of cat and mouse.

What he didn't know was that he had just cast his line out for the feistiest mouse he would ever come across. And that she was going to love the game as much as him.

CHAPTER TWO:

"Why are you bothering me were-being?" Connor Kilcesh, King of the Elves, father to Bronton and his siblings, asked the wolf before him. He was a huge man, just like his goody-too-shoe brother, Kade, King of the Fae. He was a perfect match to Kade's build, only with silver-blonde hair.

"Your majesty, like I told your wife, I am here asking your help." Kevin Bokan was on one knee, hoping to show some respect before the dark stone dais. "I am hoping to exact some revenge on the same woman that gravely injured three of your children." Contrary to the beliefs of the Fae realm and the Big Sky Pack; Bronton, Tercel and Migra were not dead, only injured, and it would take months for them to heal fully. They couldn't travel between realms till they were well enough.

"And why should I help a dog?" Connor stands, quick as lightning, and he is in Kevin's face, his massive hand around his throat. The veins in his forearm bulge as he lifts Kevin into the air. "Why shouldn't I just eat you?" His white-blue eyes were boring holes in Kevin's soul, making him break a sweat trying to catch his breath.

"Because..." he chokes out, "I'm the...only one...who...can bring you justice." He just needed a little help in the area of magic.

A loud cackle rumbles from behind the men, making Connor turn to see his wife Sabra. Her long red hair touched the floor, contrasting nicely with her black gown. "Release him my husband."

Connor drops the wolf, taking his throne once more. Sabra joins him on his right, taking his hand in hers.

"Thank you my Queen," Kevin replies, rubbing his throat. He's glad he had left Shelley at the hunting cabin they had rented in the Pryor camping area. She wouldn't be strong enough to stand in the same room as these powerful creatures.

Waving his graciousness off with a sweep of her thin white hand, Sabra gazes down at this salt-and-pepper haired man. "What do you have planned for that little she-wolf?" She wasn't going to waste her powers on a thinly thought out plan.

"She is not a wolf! She is a mutt!" Kevin snaps, his fists balling at his sides. Reining in his temper, Kevin recalls his plan. "I planned to ask you for a most gracious gift of a Spirit Shadow." Well that caught the Kilcesh's attention. Only those that have delved into Dark Magic know about the Spirit Shadows.

Spirit Shadows were entities that had once been called the Dark Fae. Thousands of years ago there was a war in the Fae realm, resulting in the defeat of the Dark Fae. The magic lingered in the bodies of the fallen Dark Fae, allowing some of their souls to transcend into a Purgatory sort of realm. They were the things that caused possessions in humans; the spiritual world would like to call them 'demons'. They were nasty, blood thirsty, lust driven entities, and using them meant you really hated the person they would possess.

Sabra looked over at her husband, raising an eyebrow to his inquiring look. It would be a hell of a way to pay that little wolf back for what she had done to three of their children. Her poor Bronton couldn't talk because the bitch had bitten his tongue off. Looking back to this wolf man before her, she sends her powers leeching over him to see how strongly he was into Dark Magic. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was at least a 30 year veteran of the art, his power rimming in red of his aura. Smiling she giggles under her breath.

"And what do you plan on telling the Spirit Shadow to do to that mutt, should I gift one upon you?" Spirit Shadows could be commanded once, before entering the body of the cursed. After that, it was just a wait and see until the body drops dead from the exhaustion the possession puts on it. If your instruction were not clear, it could horribly backfire. She was not willing to risk that either.

"I plan on telling the Spirit Shadow to rip that mutt's marriage apart, piece by piece. I have some Berserkers that might come under my employment, so once the mutt's husband throws her out on her ass, taking her children from her. Then I'll have it bring her to me, so that I can exact my own revenge." The thought of this happening makes a horrible grin reach Kevin's ears. He would leave that little bitch in the hands of that Berserker Pack, and they were a horrible bunch.

"Hmmm..... And you only need one Spirit to do this?" Connor asks, his head tilting slightly. He likes this dog's plan, it was sure to deliver heartache and blood. This she-wolf had many friends, Connor knew of this, so why not make sure there are no potholes in the road with two Spirit Shadows.

"If you are willing to gift two, I know of another she-wolf that the mutt has met, she can be very useful in getting my way." The girl with the gold stilettos that had followed Siofra out of her therapy session, Kevin could make good use of her. He had seen her talking to the leaders of his Berserker Pack.

Rapping his long fingernails on the stone arm rest of his throne, Connor ponders this plan. He hadn't released a genuine Spirit Shadow in almost 300 years. Was a measly she-wolf worth all this trouble? His eldest son and heir had thought so, and he had gotten his tongue and throat torn to pieces. His wife squeezes his hand lightly making him turn his gaze to her porcelain perfect face. Her eyes are wide with the hope of revenge for her fallen children, and Sabra nods her head in encouragement.

"I'll give you two Spirit Shadows," Connor looks down at the kneeling wolf. "I'm assuming you know and have all the pertinent items to perform the calling spell and binding curse?" If this jackass didn't, Connor was going to eat him. Please say no, please say no! He hadn't had wolf in almost 200 years.

"Of course my King." Damn it! Connor thinks at the wolf's reply.

"Thank you my King," Kevin stands, bowing his head a little in respect. "I will not fail."

"Go now and prepare things. Give me three days and on the third night at exactly twelve past midnight, cast the calling spell." Waving his hand for Kevin to leave him in peace, Connor watches the wolf's backside make a hasty retreat.

"Oh! And dog!" Connor wants to make sure the terms are clear. Kevin whips around, facing the dais once more. Grinning Connor notes the thin line of fear coming from the wolf's face. "If you do fail," he can't keep the smile from his lips or voice, "we get you, and your pretty little wife." Connor can see the shock pass over the wolf's face.

His shoulders go rigid and his face releases all emotion. "Fine," Kevin answers, spinning on his heels and running from the stone throne room before he can be issued anymore terms involving his own death.

He wasn't going to fail, because even if by the grace of God Siofra survived, her life would be torn into little pieces. Pieces so small all the tape in the world couldn't bring them back together.

But Siofra wasn't going to live. Not with the Berserkers on Kevin's side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you guys coming over for the fight tonight?" Jason asked his co-workers as they took a break at the auto shop. Keaton and Roman nodded, both engrossed in the television and shoving potato chips in their mouths.

"Yeah," Jace adds slapping Jason on the shoulder, "Lil is going with Cassie and the girls to their normal once a month, Thursday movie night." He plops his grime covered, coveralled butt onto the old couch in between Jason and Conall, handing each a water bottle. "Guess my mom's gonna watch all the babies this time." When the girls went out, the older she-wolves took turns watching the 3 month old babies.

"Connie?" Jason leans forward a little, casting his glance on his younger brother. Everyone followed his lead, landing their gazes on Conall. Jason knew that Conall was still struggling with helping Siofra deal with the loss of their daughter. It had ripped Siofra apart, heck, it had been tough on their entire family and friends. There were days not long after that Conall would come into work and disappear, only for Jason to find him balled up, crying. It was hard to see his brother crying, broken, because Conall was always a strong man.

"Yeah," Conall half-heartedly replied, "Siofra has therapy tonight in Miles City, so the boys are going to be with mom, dad and Marcus." He leans forward, his elbows on his knees. These last six months had been hell for him and Siofra. He was hoping that this therapy would help her. His heart broke into a million pieces every time he saw tears in her eyes, every time he heard her crying in the spare bedroom downstairs.

Clearing his throat, he brought himself back to the present. "She should be stopping by pretty soon. Her therapy is at 7:30." Looking at the clock near the bay doors he notes that is five after six, and it took an hour and twenty minutes to get to Miles City.

Siofra coasted up to the closed bay door at the auto shop, pulling up on the parking brake, leaving the Chevelle to idle. She was planning on having some drinks with her new friend Nikki tonight after their therapy session, so she had showered before dropping the boys off with her in laws and father. She had her favorite jeans on, not too snug, but snug enough, her cowboy boots, a blue floral print tank with a white bolero, and her hair was gelled, bangs slightly pinned up and her hair falling to her shoulders, curly from the gel.

Opening the car door, her nerves suddenly shoot sky high, making her arms shake. She was about to go into the shop, when she hadn't really seen or talked to anyone besides Conall and their parents for the last 6 months. Slamming the door shut, she takes a deep breath in, sliding her sunglasses up to rest in her hair as she reaches the front door. Grabbing the long handle, she releases the breath, pushing down and in, hearing the normal chime of the bell signaling a customer had entered the shop.

Her heart is pounding and her hands are clammy. Her mind doesn't want her to take another step, but she does, letting the door slam shut behind her. Hearing the TV and no tools working, Siofra knows they are taking a break. Making her legs take her past the front desk and down the small hallway, she has to place her left palm on the wall to stop herself from teetering. The door to the work bays is right ahead and she can hear footsteps coming toward it. She holds her breath again as she sees the handle turning.

"Fry! Hey!" It was Kaeton, and his face is happy. Siofra releases the breath, but her heart doesn't give up on its frantic beat. Kaeton sees her looks of dismay, and comes to put an arm under her shoulder to hold her steady.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." she says, patting him on the chest. "Just.... a little nervous." she whispers. The thing that was worrying her the most was that she was going to be hearing the men's thoughts, the medicine that they had prescribed for her depression making it hard for her to shut people's thoughts out right after she took it. They came in loud and clear like a radio station. She could hear Kaeton voicing his concerns, so she decided to confide in him.

Standing up and shaking his grip off, she looks up into his steel grey eyes. "I can hear everything now," she whispers, looking at her feet in dismay. "I can't keep them out."

"Aw, Fry," his breath washes over her face as he grabs her in a quick embrace, squeezing her shoulders tight underneath his arms. "That's why you wouldn't see any of us."

Pushing away from his gently, she smooths out her tank. "One reason, yeah." Telling herself it was now or never, she pulls open the 'Employee Only' entrance. Four faces swung her way and she froze in her steps. Fear, loathing and anguish filled her to the brim and she couldn't stop her eyes from filling and spilling over. Damn it!!!!! She cursed herself as the tears spilled down her cheeks and the sniffles came.

She spun on her heels to turn and run, but ran into Kaeton's chest instead. His arms around her made her want to rip them off. "Don't run away Fry," he whispered down at her, turning her around to face Conall.

His green eyes washed over her, and she fell to pieces, grabbing at his dirty coveralls and pulling her face into his chest. His piney scent fills her, but it doesn't have the same calming effect that it once had. Her mind had blocked out the soothing nature of her husband's smell. His hands rubbing up and down her back sent her nerve endings blazing, a small desire edging and pulling at her sadness. Resting her forehead on his sternum, she wipes the tears from her face, tilting her head up to look at him.

"I'm sorry, I thought I could...." she whispers, shaking her head. His hands on her cheeks bring her face to his, capturing her lips in a sweet, passionate kiss. Releasing her and kissing her forehead, he turns to have her see the three men still seated before them.

"Can't believe she's here," "The therapy must have helped," "She's too thin," were some of the things she could hear coming from Jason, Jace and Roman. Roman was the first to stand, approaching her slowly, his eyes sad and peering at her. She could hear him think that he was happy she was here, but he stayed at arm's length, smiling at her.

"Hey Fry. Good to see ya," he says, a sweet grin on his lips. Siofra nods at him, trying to give him a smile back, but knowing that she failed at it.

"I've got to go," she says looking up at Conall. "I'm gonna have some drinks with the Nikki girl I told you about. I won't stay too late, 11 at the most." Her nerves were getting to her again being in front of her friends. She felt in her head that she was some sort of spectacle that they gawked at, talked about behind her back, and cursed under their breath.

"I've got to go," she pleads under her breath, standing on her tiptoes to be closer to his face.

"Okay love," he whispers back, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I'll walk you out."

Nodding at him, she settles back level, casting a sidelong glance at Jason and Jace. They were both standing, looking like they wanted to say something, but not sure of exactly what. Their minds were jumbles of happiness to see her and apprehension towards her mental state. She knew she needed to say something to them, anything.

"Hi," she whispers softly, wiggling her fingers in a meek wave. They both smile at her with crooked grins and give short, simple waves back. She can't help but smirk back as Conall takes her elbow, leading her to the bay door. Stopping him, Siofra turns to look at the two again. "Please tell Lil and Cass that I miss them very much," the tears were trying to make their way out again, and she fought against them. "But, that.... that I'm just not...ready yet." she whispers the last part, her eyes on the floor. A few tears make their way to her chin and she wipes them away.

"Well will, Fry, I promise ya," Jason chimes in, his mind full of heartfelt sympathy. She gives them a genuine smile that warms their hearts.

"We all miss ya Fry," Jace adds, and Siofra can see a little moisture on his lashes. "We'll wait for ya as long as it takes, just..." he pauses, searching for the right term. "Just get better."

"Thanks," Siofra adds, turning into Conall's side and exiting out of the shop. Her friends' faith in her was making her feel ten times better already, she had been wrong to shut them out all this time.

At the driver's door of the still idling Chevelle, Siofra turns into Conall's chest, standing on her tiptoes, nuzzling her nose into his neck. His warm, masculine piney scent worked its way into her lungs, and for the first time in 6 months, it actually hit her. The encouragement from the men inside must have flipped some switch inside of her. It warmed her soul, bringing a giggle to her lips. A sudden wave of desire took over and she captured Conall's mouth in a mind bending, heated display of everything she'd missed out on the last few months.

A soft growl rumbles in his chest and Siofra releases his mouth, lingering there, letting their breaths mingle. She nips his bottom lip, issuing a small whimper and finally pushes back on him gently. "I love you," she whispers looking up at him from lowered lashes.

Conall seems to puff out his chest a little, sighing into Siofra's hair. "I love you." Kissing her forehead, he lets her get into the car, shutting the door for her. "Have fun with your friend. Call me when you're headin home." He leans in through the open window, capturing his wife's lips one more time.

"I will. Have fun watching the fight." Siofra winked at him, releasing the e-brake and popping the stick shift into reverse. Making sure there is no one coming either way, Siofra pauses in the middle of the street, winking at Conall before popping the clutch, squealing the tires.

Conall just shook his head, smiling and waving at his departing wife. She was a pisser, and he loved her for it. Her mood made him feel a little better about forcing her to go to those therapy sessions. Hopefully those, and this new friend Nikki, would help Siofra come back into being her normal, happy, bubbly, stubborn, affectionate self. Conall was crossing his fingers as he entered the shop, a smile from ear to ear.

CHAPTER THREE:

"Alright ladies, quiet down, quiet down." Dr. Tallman tried to reign in the six women from their conversations. They quieted and she smiled, "Thank you Nancy for sharing your, um, enlightening story on how you and your husband, um, got your groove back I guess you could say after losing your baby." The way the doctor says it makes the group giggle, especially Siofra and Nikki.

"Ok," the doctor turns her gaze to Siofra. "Fry, would you like to share how your sex life has been affected by your loss." Siofra would've groaned out loud if she hadn't just listened to four other women tell their lurid, and sometimes, explicit stories about their sexual paths while trying to overcome their depression.

She fidgets a little in her seat and she can feel her face flush. "Well, um, I," what was she going to say? "We haven't had sex since before the accident," she rushes out. Moving her gaze from her feet she looks around her. Six semi-astonished faces meet her; even the older woman Nancy has her jaw agape a little.

"Not at all?" one of the other women, Holly, asks. "Not even, you know.... oral?" she whispers the last word as if they are in church. Siofra just shakes her head, the astonished looks deepening on the faces of the fellow women.

"Have you tried to be intimate?" Dr. Tallman asks with sincere worry in her voice. It makes Siofra feel as if she was sitting in an interrogation room.

"Tried. Yes," she looks at the were-panther therapist, "but we never got past light touching." The red deepened as Siofra started to feel as if she was discussing some porn video or something.

"What was it that you think stopped you?" The doctor had her pen poised above the paper under Siofra's name. Siofra knew that she took notes on them, but during their sex talk? Really? Siofra shifted uneasily in her seat a little more.

"Um, well." Siofra tried to think back to the few times her and Conall had tried to have sex. "I think it was the thought that if I got pregnant," even the word was hard to say, making Siofra's throat tighten, "...if I got pregnant, that I would cause something to happen that would make me lose it....again."

"Whoa, did you just say 'cause something to happen'?" Nikki interjects, pulling Siofra's attention to her. "Hun," she pats Siofra's knee, "it was a car accident. You couldn't have stopped it from happening if you had turned on the sun to melt all the snow on the road. Accidents happen." Siofra's eyes rimmed with tear looking at Nikki's sincere expression.

"I could've just hit that God damn wolf!" Anger boils out in Siofra's voice.

"Siofra," Dr. Tallman's smooth, calming voice breaks the slight tension in the room, pulling Fry's tear-rimmed eyes back to hers, "hitting a full grown werewolf would have caused just as much damage, if not more. You did what any sane, lucid person would have done." She stood and came to kneel in front of Siofra on the carpeted floor.

Grasping her hands, she looks Siofra in the face. "You need to know that it wasn't your fault." There it was, that key to Siofra's dam. Tears streamed down her face and she sobbed into the doctor's shoulder. She can feel Nikki's hands rubbing circles on her back, and she can hear the other women's voices issuing soothing condolences.

"He...he..," Siofra clambers, her voice hiccupping with her tears, "he blamed...m-m-me." When she was still in the hospital, she had tuned into Conall's thoughts, and had heard him think 'How could she be so careless?' It had broken her heart, and she still hadn't confronted him about it. She had tried her hardest to stay out of his head. On the upside, she liked to think that she had misunderstood him, that maybe he was thinking of something else at the time. But what else would a loving father be thinking of after losing his baby girl other than the cause of her death?

"No, Siofra." The doctor grasps her shoulders so that she can look Siofra in the face. "When grieving, people can say a lot of things they really don't mean." Wiping the tears away with her fingertips, Siofra looks back into the doctors honey-brown colored eyes.

"He didn't say it," Siofra sent out her powers to the doctor, getting a wide eyed response. Still holding out her powers, she waits for an answer.

"I see, well..., talk to him about it." The doctor thinks, giving Siofra a soft smile. "Just talk to him, clear the air." She stands, rubbing Siofra's arms, she returns to her seat. "What do I tell you ladies are always the best way to solve a problem?" She looks around the group.

"To talk about it," Nikki offers the answer, still rubbing Siofra's back, "with the person or people it involves." The doctor nods her head and the other women follow, looking around at each other.

"Thank you, Fry." Dr. Tallman says softly, "I know that was hard for you." Siofra just nods, still sniffling back the remaining sobs. "Okay, ladies it is that time again, please help yourselves to the coffee and donuts." The doctor takes her usual leave to the refreshment table first, followed by the group.

"The Doc is right," Nikki adds, handing Siofra a cup of coffee, "just talk with him. Make sure you guys are alone, in case things get heated." She waved her hand in a slicing motion by her throat, making a 'not good' face. "Don't want the kiddos around any yellin'."

"Yeah," Siofra contemplated the idea, but she wasn't sure how to not get so emotional. "I definitely need that drink now," she sighs, bumping her elbow into Nikki's.

"Yeah, let's get goin'. Hopefully this hottie that was there last time after session will be there." Siofra just sent Nikki a side long look as they walked out into the parking lot. "Oh don't look at me like that. He has a hot brother that can keep you occupied tonight."

"Whoa," Siofra stops, throwing her left hand up by her face and pointing to her ring finger, "married, remember?"

"Being married just means you can look at the menu, you just can't order." This euphemism makes Siofra crack up laughing; she had never heard it before. Unlocking the driver's door of the Chevelle, she still can't believe what Nikki had just said.

"Okay, okay. Talking is my 'looking at the menu', so don't expect me to dance or flirt with this guy." She wags her finger at Nikki through her open window. "Lead the way," she says, reversing and following Nikki out of the parking lot. A right on South Sewell Avenue takes them south, and then a right on Wilson Street brings Siofra into a parking space next to Nikki's Malibu.

It was a brick faced apartment building. Nikki waves her to follow, so she locks the Chevelle and follows her friend inside. "How many apartments are in here?" It wasn't too big of a building, so maybe four or five apartments Siofra thought.

"Two, two bedroom ones down here and the upstairs is a huge loft apartment." Nikki turns her key in the deadbolt, welcoming Siofra into the quaint two bedroom place. "Well this is it, look around; I'm gonna just grab my clutch." Siofra looked around, it had a nice size living room with a flat screen and surround sound, the kitchen was an eat-in with a small four person table, down a little hall she had a bathroom with a claw-foot tub, a small spare room across the hall and the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

"It's cute. I use to live in a small apartment like this." Siofra smiled at her friend, on her hands and knees reaching for something under her four-post bed. Nikki smiles when she grasps her clutch, coming back to standing and smoothing out her shirt.

They each checked their appearances in the mirror, adding more mascara or eye shadow, before heading the block down to Spruce Drive. It was a dead end street and this bar occupied the very middle of the end of the road. Motorcycles were lined up and down the street, mingling with old rust buckets and mint classics. Approaching the door, Siofra notes the name, 'The Wet Dog', and she chuckles under her breath.

A smoky haze billows out when Nikki opens the door. Were-being run establishments didn't always abide by laws, like no smoking in bars, because, well let's face it, cigarettes couldn't kill them. The smell of beer, fried food and leather meets Siofra's nose as she follows closely to Nikki's back, weaving their way to the bar.

Wolves, bears, tigers, cougars and panthers occupy the bar, their scents floating through the air. They were bikers, cowboys and factory workers. She could pick out a few humans too, females, most likely were-bangers, girls who like the thrill of being with those of the furry nature. They liked the danger of the situation.

Siofra comes back down to the here and now when Nikki gently elbows her, asking her what she wants to drink. "Jack with a Bud chaser," she pretty much hollers into Nikki's ear over the blaring jukebox. She can see Nikki scan the packed barroom after giving the middle aged male bartender their order.

"Those guys are here!" Nikki exclaims in her ear. She leans her face close to Siofra, pointing over into the corner of the room. It was dimly lit, but Siofra could see a bunch of guys sitting around a group of tables pushed together. Two of them were facing the bar, their backs to the wall, and Siofra could tell they were in charge. From here they looked like twins, both in motorcycle gear. "Here," Nikki nudges her again, handing Siofra her drink order; a rocks glass with Jack and a bottle of Budweiser; and leading the way to a small empty table.

Walking through the crowd, Siofra pauses, smelling something familiar. She rolls her head from side to side, taking in the steely, earthy scent. She can't place it, but it smells familiar. Looking around her, she doesn't see anyone she recognizes, so she just shakes it off, hopping into the high back stool next to Nikki at the small table. She feels eyes on her and she catches one of the twins from the corner table staring their way.

Tapping Nikki's arm, she nods in their direction. "Seems your eye candy is looking our way," and sure enough, he still was. Siofra saw him nudge his twin, and when Siofra's eyes met with the twins, she got a shock of excitement and desire that rocked her to the core. It literally made her feel like she had been shocked in the ass with an electric fence, her legs tingling. She had to force herself to look away to keep the heat from pooling between her legs.

"Ohhhh...," Nikki croons, "looks like his brother is eye fucking you." Siofra passed her an OMG look, followed by a blush. There was no better time to down her Jack, so Siofra throws it back, reveling in the heat it sends into her throat and chest. "Let's go over there," Nikki starts to get down, but Siofra snatches her wrist.

"No," she states, looking Nikki in her eyes. That whole shock thing she had just experienced just looking at the man in the corner was freaking her out. She could still feel the eyes on her, but she was afraid to turn and look. "Let's just sit here for a little while, please."

Nikki took her seat again, taking a sip from her Alabama Slamma'. "Okay, Fry. Okay," she can tell her new friend is offset by something, so she holds in her need to go see Kraze. God he was hot. She kept sneaking a peek in his direction, and he was always looking at her.

They sat and talked, finishing their drinks. They laughed about people around the bar, making up background stories and scenarios to keep themselves occupied. They had to shoo away some burly bikers that had come over asking them to dance, giggling about it afterwards. They hadn't ordered refills, so they were surprised when a plump, short, big-breasted blonde came up to their table with two dark drinks, setting them down on their table.

"We didn't order these," Nikki tells her. It didn't look like any kind of drink Siofra had seen before.

"A guy ordered them for you. It's a new house special; it's called 'Mucky Water'." The plump blonde chewed her gum like a cow and her boobs were on the verge of popping out. She was a were-bobcat; Siofra could smell the feline all over her.

"What guy?" Siofra asks, looking around the bar. The guys in the corner were absorbed in their own conversation, so it obviously wasn't them. They seemed like the guys to revel in their show of bar chivalry.

"Older guy, he left about 20 minutes ago," and the waitress was off, disappearing into the crowded room. Both girls shrug at each other, taking a glass each, putting it to their noses. It smelled like pomegranate, blueberry mixed with citrus. Siofra's mouth waters uncontrollably, and she licks her lips.

"Smells okay," Nikki says, leaning in. Siofra nods, still smelling the heavenly aroma. "On three then," Nikki holds up her fingers. One, Two, Three, and they both put it to their lips, taking a sip.

It tasted better than it smelled, lemony, sweet and refreshing. Taking the glass away, Siofra licks the remnants off her lips, looking to her friend. Nikki had the same kind of reaction on her face, her eyes wide and a satisfied smile on her lips. Siofra lightly taps her glass against her friends, cheering to this wonderful concoction.

They had both drank half of the glass full before even realizing it. Setting their glasses down, both girls look at each other, breaking out in a silly giggle. The alcohol seemed to be hitting Siofra already, like a freight train. She should've asked the waitress what kind of booze was in this 'Mucky Water' drink. Knowing her luck it was something crazy like Absinthe.

"Oh my god I feel funny," Nikki giggles, inadvertently slamming her glass on the table. They giggle some more, and Siofra starts to feel funny too. It's like her head is swimming, her vision getting a little blurry, here and there. She can feel her wolf on edge, growling and snapping, curled in the back of her mind.

Weird, she thinks. What could be making her wolf go crazy like this? The room was beginning to spin ever so slightly when she sees Nikki get out of her stool. "Where are you going?" she asks, grabbing her glass and hopping down herself.

"Over there," Nikki says, pointing to the group of tables occupied by the twins. Siofra glances at them and they are watching the girls, eyebrows raised and slight smirks on both of their faces. The desire shoots through Siofra when she locks eyes with the one twin, and it makes Siofra tremble and issue a slight whimper.

Whoa, she chastises herself, what the hell was that? She shakes her head, trying to come back to reality, but it just makes her dizzy. Her wolf stops growling for a second when she looks back at the twin, his eyes still on her. Siofra can feel her wolf whimper and whine, pawing at her mind, wanting her to go over to the man. Her emotions must be way out of whack, even her wolf is acting weird.

"Do you hear that, Fry?" Nikki puts her free arm around Siofra's shoulders, pulling her towards the grouped tables full of bad-ass looking men. Concentrating, Siofra does hear something.

"Hear us call you forth," Siofra hear in her mind. "What the hell?" She looked around the bar, but no one was close enough for her to hear that clearly except Nikki, and she was making googley eyes at the one twin. "Listen to our command...." then a bunch of stuff Siofra couldn't quite make out.

Shaking her head again, trying to get her bearings, Siofra makes her way, entwined with Nikki, towards the table with the twins. She can feel the heat from a pair of eyes, looking up; she sees yellow-gold eyes locked onto her approaching frame. What the hell was making her heart beat so fast? Spinning her wedding rings by rubbing her fingers together, she feels the need to go home. She'd just have to make sure Nikki got home safe first.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the parking lot of 'The Wet Dog', Kevin and Shelley Bokan sit patiently in their SUV, watching the front door of the bar. Kevin had spiked the two girls drinks, told the waitress were to deliver them, and bounced out about ten minutes ago. He had thought that Siofra had scented him when the girls were making their way to a table, but he had ducked behind some big bikers before she saw him.

"How long are we going to wait?" Shelley whined a little, her camera in hand with its telephoto lens attached. She could be so impatient, her whining getting to her husband a lot of the time. "We don't even know if they'll drink it."

"Oh they'll drink it," Kevin growls, giving his wife a sidelong glance. He had put elk blood into the herb poultice that he had made, dumping the poultice into the two repulsive drinks when the waitress wasn't looking. The elk blood would make it irresistible to the two girls, and it was a small enough amount that they wouldn't really recognize it in with all the citrus and liquor.

"And we're staying here till they come out," he yanked the camera out of her lap, leaning the lens on the dashboard to see through the windshield, "so keep the camera ready." Shelley just huffed, slouching a little in her seat. Her husband could be a huge asshole sometimes, why didn't he just do the stakeout himself.

They had already done the spell to activate the potion he put in their drinks. Now they just had to wait till twelve after twelve to do the calling and binding spells. The King of Elves, Connor, had gifted two vicious Spirit Shadows to the Bokans and the idea made Shelley's skin crawl with excitement.

The Shadows were sisters, Opru and Inu, and they were ruthless killers. Research revealed to Kevin that they were the reigning Queens of the Dark Fae when the war started, both being married to King Haruo. They had lured and seduced some of the Fae court into their chambers, beheading and disemboweling them behind closed doors. That was one of the reasons for the war starting, their insatiable blood lust, and they had killed some important members of the court. They had finally fallen to the Fae, being beheaded and burned with their husband.

They were lust driven entities, and Kevin couldn't have asked for two better gifts. They would work great making sure that Siofra tore her marriage apart, ripping her world down to its very core.

His victory made an evil grin caress his lips, and his wife sees it. "What's so funny Kev?"

"Was just thinking about our revenge my dear," he takes his wife's hand, lightly kissing her knuckles. "I can't wait to put our sons' souls at ease."

Smiling, Shelley leans in and kisses her husband lightly on the lips. "Me either," she whispers.

They sat in their SUV for two more hours, hunkering down every time someone came close to their vehicle. Finally, their target stumbled out of the seedy bar, arms entwined with her wasted friend. Kevin told Shelley to snap pictures non-stop, not wanting the chance of missing something they could black mail her with to pass them by. His Berserker friends were on the girls' heels, their hands on the girls' hips to steady them. Kevin's smile grew watching them walk from the parking lot, down the dead end and turning right out of sight.

His plan was working out nicely.

He couldn't wait to teach that little mutt bitch a lesson.

CHAPTER FOUR:

Siofra let go of Nikki, letting her drunken friend drop onto the couch in her little apartment. Turning, she almost head-butts Kraze in the chest, spinning around him to get Nikki's keys out of the door. The twin who was sending shocks throughout her being was Dyson, and he moved smoothly to her right before she shut the door. His scent washed over her and she relished in the briny, ocean scent he had. She guessed it was because they had grown up near the harbor.

"I can't believe you guys live upstairs," Nikki mumbles, stumbling into the kitchen. Hearing glasses being knocked over, Siofra rolls her eyes, moving so that she can see her friend in the kitchen.

"Yeah, it works for now," Kraze's smooth, deep, bourbon-like voice works its way over the room as he sits down on the couch, his weight making the cushion bow. Their conversations in the bar had informed Siofra that the boys were originally from South Boston, their parents were dead, and that they were rouges trying to find some land to claim. They had 12 followers, some of them bunked with them upstairs and others stayed in the small motel that was on the same street as the bar.

"I've got to get home Nikki," Siofra leans on the wall, watching her friend try and get a glass of water from the sink. She was still feeling a little tipsy herself, but the weird feeling she was getting being around Dyson was making her edgy. She needed to get home.

"Oh come on Fry," Kraze interjected, his voice mockingly pleading and playful, "stay and hangout. She does have a spare room after all." Siofra gave him a 'no thanks' kind of look, turning to Dyson. He just stood there, looking at her, his eyes roaming over every inch of her. Her wolf whined slightly, urging her to go to him, but she couldn't. What was up with her wolf?

Dyson knew the second he caught her scent as she walked into the bar that she was his mate. She smelled like cinnamon and autumn leaves, and her smile was as beautiful as a morning sunrise. She was already mated and married, but that didn't bother him. Back home in Boston, there were a few mated couples that had more than just the two partners. Usually it was two men mated to a woman, but he also knew of one case where it was two women and one man. Yes, the whole idea of coming in on an already bonded couple was intimidating, but this woman was supposed to be his as well as the other man's.

Their hands had brushed briefly while walking to the apartment building and Dyson could tell it had sent the same huge shock down Siofra's body as it did his. This was changing everything. He had to talk to his brother, letting him know the grave nature of their agreement with the Bokan man. He couldn't let anything happen to Siofra. Not before he let her know that he was joining with her and her mate was alright, it was fate.

"Okay, Fry," Nikki stumbles back into the living room, swinging her arm around Siofra's shoulders. "Drive safe my friend. And tell that damn husband of yours to stop being a blow hard." This last statement makes Nikki burst out in laughter, starting to fall over. Dyson catches her, his hands wrapping around Siofra's forearms as she tried to catch her friend. The pulse of desire fills them both, running out their finger tips and toes.

Siofra shakes his hold loose, letting Nikki settle into his arms. "I'll see ya later Nikki. I'll text ya tomorrow." She heard Nikki reply that that was cool as she shut the door hastily behind her, not sparing a glance at Dyson.

Yanking the smiley face keychain from her front pocket and her cell from her back, she shoots off the fastest text in the world:

"I'm leaving Miles now; I need to talk to you. Ask your mom if she can keep the boys. Hurry home after the fight. Love you."

She needed Conall. She needed his touch, his kiss, his passion to drive away these crazy feelings she was having about a stranger. The bad part was that the entire time she was feeling this, her wolf had agreed with it. Never once issuing a warning growl or snarl in Dyson's direction. She had heard stories of mated couples being more than two people, but she had never met one. The thought of it was just weird to her.

Cranking the car to life, she pops into reverse, whipping it around and heading east to get onto MT-59. She pushed the engine, glad it was a little after 10 p.m., the road was all but bare. Her head was swimming a little still, those voices still there with their bits and pieces of sentences. She turns up the radio, blaring the Brantley Gilbert hit, 'Country Must Be Country Wide'. Hitting 125 mph, she thinks she better slip on her high beams and slows it a little before a trooper has a chance to pull her over.

She rolls down Park Avenue at exactly 11p.m., past the cemetery and high school, slowing when she gets to the bar. She doesn't want a local ticket either. Turning right onto Holt, she guns the engine again, anxiety and confusion driving her foot to the floor. Glad that there is no one coming, she fishtails the Chevelle onto Moore Road, and then skids onto Fifth Street. Almost home. She closes her eyes as she goes over the slight crest where her accident unfolded.

The gravel in her driveway sprays to the left as she whips the car in, pulling up next to the garage under the car port. Her heart is racing, her palms sweating, her chest tightening. She needed to prove to herself that she loved Conall, that those feelings of desire towards Dyson were nothing. He would be home in about 30-45 minutes, the UFC fights ending at 11:15, the boys hanging out to discuss and finish the beer.

Siofra rolls up the windows, jumping out and slamming the door shut, bounding over the brick walkway to the front door. Turning on the hallway and kitchen lights, she lops up the stairs, striping off her clothes as she goes to take a quick shower. Leaving the clothes where she shed them, the hot water scalds the smells of 'The Wet Dog' bar off of her, washing the smoke and stink from her hair. Stepping out, she quickly dries, pulling a black teddy and robe from her drawers in the bedroom.

Tying the robe loosely, she rubs on some coconut lotion that Conall loves, and heads back down the stairs. Her head was starting to pound a little as an after effect from that damn concoction she had consumed at the bar. She just ignores it, going into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. She thinks she still has about ten minutes before Conall gets home, so she lights a few candles, placing them on the kitchen island. She can hear his Silverado with dual-exhaust only seconds before his headlights move from left to right across the living room and kitchen.

Siofra sucks in a breath, her nerves making her shake. She felt like it was her first time all over again, butterflies beating around in her stomach. His truck door slams and she lets go of the breath, turning her back to the island to watch the front door. She was starting to shake as she heard his footfalls on the bricks, his hand on the door handle, and the slight creak of the hinges as he pushes the door open.

His green eyes find her and he pauses mid-step, staring at her. Siofra's chest is heaving in and out, the robe moving to reveal pieces of what is underneath. His scent finds her and she can't help but let her head roll back, her wolf rolling and stretching in the piney musk. The door slams and when Siofra opens her eyes, Conall is two feet in front of her, his eyes ablaze. The neon green bathed her in desire and longing, making heat pool between her thighs. She can't hold it in anymore, the need boiling over and Siofra lets a whimper slip her lips.

"Love," Conall whispers, a slight question in his tone. His eyes are roaming over her as she stands before him, the silk robe slightly showing him her black teddy underneath. He can see her trembling and he hesitates to reach out and touch her, afraid that anything too quick will push her away.

Siofra can see the want in his eyes, and her own desire is making her eyes heavy and her legs tremble. "Please," she whispers, tiptoeing closer to him, "please Connie. I need you." The words are barely out before Conall wraps his arms around her, pulling her against him, locking his mouth onto hers. His lips were warm and soft, his taste was blissful, Siofra parts her lips slightly, allowing for his exploration.

Moving her shaky hands up his arms, across his shoulders and interlacing her fingers behind his neck, she pulls her legs up to wrap around his waist, Conall's hands go to her butt, holding her to him. A sensual growl rumbles in his chest and it makes Siofra moan into his mouth. Pulling his body even closer to hers, Siofra rubs her core against his waist, brushing against his already hard length. She needed him. Releasing his mouth, she whimpers into his ear, nipping at the lobe.

Placing her buttocks on the cool kitchen island top, Conall pulls the robe open, exposing the thin black lace to his touch. "Here my love?" he asks, sliding the robe over her shoulders, his fingertips setting her skin on fire. Trailing kisses from her cheek, down her neck, to those marking scars, he pauses, his hot breath making her skin tingle even more.

Tilting her head to the left, pushing her neck to his lips slightly, Siofra whispers, "Yes Connie." Reaching her hands down to the belt at his waist, Siofra unhooks it, unbuttoning the closure and pushing them down slightly, forcing them down more with her legs that are still wrapped around his hips. Conall growls softly when she grasps his length, teasing him with light fingertips and firm strokes. Hooking his index finger into the delicate lace panties, Conall pulls them, ripping them off her luscious hips, tossing them aside.

Grasping her buttocks in his hands, Conall lifts her slightly off the counter, brushing her core with his throbbing length. Wrapping her hands around his neck, Siofra pulls her face up to his, whispering, "Please".

Conall dashes into the living room, dropping to his knees and laying Siofra gently down on her back on the plush rug. On his knees, he looks down at his wife. She is flushed with passion, her eyes a soft glow of ice blue. He pulls his t-shirt over his head, discarding it without caring where it fell. Leaning down, resting his forearms on either side of Siofra's shoulders, Conall issues a low, sensual growl, kissing her earlobe and cheek.

"I love you," Siofra whispers into his ear, her hands roaming all over his chest, shoulders, sides and back. She nibbles lightly on the marking scars in the crook of his neck and Conall rumbles out a feral growl. Taking her mouth in his, he thrusts inside her warm and ready body, making Siofra let out a shocked moan into his mouth.

"I love you," he whispers releasing her mouth. His movements are slow and deep, Siofra guiding him with her hands on his buttocks. She wants this to last; she doesn't want to let him go yet. Her soft little moans of pleasure drive Conall wild as they are whispered into his ear, her warm breath and the smell of her coconut lotion wrapping around him.

It doesn't take long for her husband to send her over the edge, her climax rolling through her, making her scream Conall's name. Siofra wraps her legs tighter around Conall's hips, moving with his thrusts, grinding against him. She can tell he's trying not to finish yet, but he's close, his breath coming in pants. Pushing her hips up and over, she rolls him onto his back, pausing, as she stares down at him.

Sitting straight up, she grins down at him. Moving her hips just slightly, she can see the want in his eyes. The neon glow bathing her in green, Siofra moves her hips again, giving her husband a teasing smile, getting a growl to roll out of his chest. Gripping her hips with both hands, Conall thrusts upward, grinding Siofra's hips against his. It makes one of those lovely moans escape her perfect mouth, and Conall doesn't let up till her body is trembling in her second release. Pulling her close to him, he grunts into her hair with his own release, reveling in her clean cinnamon and leaves scent.

Nuzzling her face into Conall's neck, Siofra can feel the tears starting to well in her eyes. Her breath is starting to calm, but she can feel a tightness building in her throat. She whimpers softly as the first hot tears stream down her cheeks, falling to roll down Conall's neck.

Pulling her face up to his, Conall asks, "Love, did I hurt you?"

Shaking her head, Siofra wipes at the tears with her fingers. "No," she hiccups out. "I'm just so....so....sorry." She falls back to his chest, sobbing into his chest. She feels so bad for shutting him out the last 6 months, for ignoring him and his needs.

"Shhh love. No need to be sorry," Conall whispers, rubbing his hands on her back in circles. "I knew you needed time. Hell, you still need time. But I love you, and I'm willing to wait an eternity for you." His words make her weep even more, the sobs shaking her to the core.

They lay there, her sobs calming with Conall rubbing her back and kissing her softly. Conall gently coaxes her up, pulling her into his arms and carrying her up the stairs. Removing what is left of her teddy, Siofra slips into the cool bed beside Conall, snuggling up to his side. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulls her even closer, kissing the top of her head.

"Connie?" Siofra whispers, sleep heavy on her mind.

"Yeah love," Connie whispers back, his breath hot on her forehead.

"Thank you, for....for everything" she leans her face up, looking up at him.

"I told you that you never have to thank me," Conall says, peering down at those blue eyes. Capturing her lips, he kisses her passionately and slowly, making sure she whimpers before he releases her. "Go to sleep love," he snuggles her back to his side.

"Mmm," Siofra mumbles, drinking in Conall's scent and relaxing.

They both knew this was a step in the right direction. He knew it would still take time for her to totally come to term with their loss. Conall was willing to go through hell and high water to make sure Siofra was well again.

And he had to know what males scent was on her clothes that they passed coming up the stairs. Particularly, why it didn't make his wolf stand at attention?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We need to talk brother," Dyson turns to his twin, throwing their apartment keys onto the table beside the door. They had left Nikki, or Sparkles as she liked to be called, sprawled out on her couch, snoring off her alcohol. He could tell that Kraze was a little disappointed that he couldn't advance on his next conquest, but he'd get over it.

"Indeed we do," Kraze replied, plopping down on their hand-me-down couch and flicking on their ancient television. "I have found my mate!" he slaps his worn blue jean clad leg.

"What?!?" this stunned Dyson, enough so that he almost fell over. Looking at his tough as nails brother smirking back at him, Dyson couldn't help but smile. "Nikki?"

"Yes, I can't deny it any longer." Kraze had a different look in his eyes. Dyson had never seen it before. Dyson's expression changes a little to confusion and doubt, so Kraze inquires, "What is it?"

"I found mine too," Dyson almost whispers. Looking up at his almost mirror image, Dyson can feel the red creeping into his face, "It's Fry." His brother's jaw goes agape, his eyes wide and his limbs stiff. They stand in awkward silence, just staring at each other.

"Well. That does change things," Kraze finally breaks the silence, leaning back heavily rubbing his hands over his face. They very well couldn't fulfill their end of the bargain with that Bokan fellow if the target was Dyson's mate. "What should we do?"

"What ya bros talkin bout?" Casey's voice comes from the curtained off sleeping area. His surfer blond hair is crazy from sleep and he rubs his eyes in the lamp light. He shuffles past Dyson, slapping him on the shoulder and grabbing the jug of milk from the fridge, drinking right from the carton.

"Yeah, you guys are loud as hell," another one of their Pack mates comes from behind the curtain were they all shared the floor space with sleeping bags, blow up mattresses, a couple futons and a pull out couch. This 6'11" monster of a man was Rick Garrison, originally from New Orleans. They had met up with him while in Salt Lake City, and they had almost come to blows before Dyson talked the giant down, eventually making friends with him.

"Don't you assholes know its midnight," Rick complained, ripping the milk jug from Casey and sucking down the rest. His massive hands could crush any ones skull, so Casey just stands there letting the bigger man win. Rick's shaggy black hair, scruffy facial hair and piercing hazel eyes are striking and fear inducing even to the toughest biker or wolf they have come across.

Turning back to his brother, Dyson shrugs his shoulders, "If you wanna know what I want to do," seeing his brother nod, he continues, "I want to go down to Broadus and help these people against this Bokan jerk." Sitting down next to Kraze, Dyson rubs his chin with his palm. He needed to shave. "You know whatever this joker has planned is bad, and it probably involves Nikki now."

Kraze just nods his head. When they had been down in Nikki's apartment, he had realized that whatever happened to Fry would involve Nikki in some way. They had become fast friends, and whether or not Nikki herself got hurt, she would be hurt by losing her friend.

"You're right," Kraze slaps Dyson on the back, standing and stretching, "like always." He touched the ceiling, getting all the kinks out before settling in for sleep on his air mattress. "Let's get some sleep and then gather the guys tomorrow. We'll enter Broadus as a group."

"Did you guys meet some special ladies?" Rick jokes, batting his eyes at them. He quickly straightens up when he sees the cross looks the twins are giving him. Even though he's bigger and taller than the brothers, he still follows them, obeying them as his Alphas.

"It seems complicated bro," Casey says, slapping the giant on the shoulder.

"Very complicated," Dyson mumbles. He can't help but think about Siofra and her beautiful blue eyes. She was small and curvy, just the way he liked it. She had spirit, but Dyson also knew that she was a little damaged after losing her baby, being informed of this by Nikki's big drunk mouth. "Let's get some sleep, it's almost quarter-after," he says, stretching beside his brother and nodding towards the sleeping area.

All four men were making their way behind the curtain when they were frozen in place by a glass breaking scream. They all look at each other, silently contemplating what to do. Another painful, screeching, ear drum piercing scream thrums through the air, jolting their wolves to the surface.

"NIKKI", Kraze screams, bounding for the door, shifting into his Berserker form, the other three men on his heels. Her screams were echoing off of the walls as they bounded down the stairs and burst through her door.

CHAPTER FIVE:

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG?" Conall yelled, jumping out of bed trying to encircle his screaming wife in his arms. Siofra had woken up from a sound sleep screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. She was staggering around the room, clutching her head and face.

"SIOFRA, talk to ME!" He grabbed her right arm, pulling her into his chest. Her screams and tears were heart wrenching, and he held her tight, muffling her cries against his chest. "Please, say something."

"HELLLPPP MMMEEE!" she screams, writhing and wriggling from Conall's grasp. It felt like there was someone in her head. She could hear a woman's voice telling her to give up and surrender to the dark.

"You're mine little dog," it whispers and Siofra can see a grey haze in her mind, it filters out the sight of her upset husband. The haze turns into a thin, pale woman with waist length brown hair, blood red lips, pointy ears and nose, and white-blue eyes. The woman smiles at Siofra, flashing sharp jagged teeth. "You belong to us now."

"Noooooo..." Siofra cries, covering her face with her hands. "I will NEVER be yours!" She can feel the evil in this presence and the white-blue eyes are too much like Bronton's to ignore. Her vision is still blacked out only showing her the sinister woman, so she screams, "CONNIE!!! Where are YOU?"

"I'm right here love," he grabs her shoulders, shaking her. "Look at me Siofra," he pulls her hands away from her eyes and he gasps at the sight. Siofra's normally sky blue eyes are gone. The ones staring back at Conall are black, all black, no white at all. "Oh God, Siofra," he mutters, wrapping his left arm around her. Dragging her with him, he reaches his cell, scrolling and selecting the only person he think can help.

"Hel..hello?" the sleepy voice answers on the other end.

"Lilith, you need to get Shamus to my house RIGHT NOW!" Conall tells her, struggling to keep Siofra still. Her screams have turned to disembodied moans, her body arching and falling, sickening pops and cracks coming from her bones.

Lilith can hear her half-sisters moans on the other end; she sits straight up in bed. Conall has her full attention. "What's wrong?" she shakes Jace awake, motioning to her phone, mouthing the word emergency to him.

"I don't know," Conall struggles to get out between fighting to keep his hold on his wife. "Her eyes are black Lil. All black. She's been screamin' and cryin." He was on the verge of tears himself, feeling the vertebrae in Siofra's back pop and rearrange. "She said that they'll never have her or somethin like that."

"Alright, I'll get father, he'll be there soon" and she hung up. Conall struggled to pull on some sleep shorts and tank onto Siofra since she was still naked, and pulled some shorts on himself. Her moans were still mixing with cries, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Please hurry Shamus," Conall whispers, pulling Siofra tight against his chest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siofra was in a mental battle with a Queen Elf that was thousands of years old. She swung and kicked but all that she caught was the smoky haze, the woman laughing at her. She could feel the woman pulling her somewhere, she clawed and tried to get her grip but she was sliding in a black hole.

"My descendants will treat you and your little friend well doggy," the woman's cackle of a voice left her, her laugh fading away. It felt like she slipped and she was falling, fast, nothing around her except for blackness. Even her screams fade in the speed of her descent.

Slamming to a sudden halt, crumpling to her knees with pain from the fall shooting up her hips and back, Siofra falls to a cold, wet floor. Her right hip feels broken and she lets out a whimper as she tries to get up. Looking around she is in some sort of cell, the ground being earth with water dripping somewhere. It was dark, and the left side of her face felt swollen, her eye would only open halfway.

"HELLOOOO," she yells, her voice echoing around her. Siofra tries to drag herself to the bars, the pain in her hip shooting through her leg and up her spine. Digging her hands into the dirt, she grits her teeth, pulling herself closer to the bars. "Helllloooooo," she screams again, tears running down her cheeks.

Grabbing the cold, shale-like bars, Siofra pulls her face up to the space between, trying to get a glimpse of anything beyond. She can see a little light, coming from down where an entrance must be, the slight beams reflecting and bouncing off of the stone walls. Her hands and arms were shaking from fear and the magic in her body trying to heal her wounds. She knew they wouldn't heal right if the bones weren't set, but she was more worried about staying alive.

"ANNYYBBOODDYY," she screams into the space beyond the bars. The sobs hit her, the fear of not seeing her children or husband breaking her emotional dam that she had come accustomed to keeping up. She let out an aggravated scream, turning her back to the bars and sinking a little closer to the dirt floor.

"Fry?" she hears the meek whisper. "Fry, is that you?"

Sitting up fast enough to make pain flash through her body, Siofra whips her head around but sees nothing but blackness. It was Nikki's voice, "Nikki where are you?"

"I'm in the room to your right, I can see you," Siofra can see a small candle light to her right, and the shadow reveled Nikki's tear streaked face. "My arm and shoulder are pretty busted up. You?"

"My hip and maybe my thigh bone, I can't tell," Siofra tried to pull herself towards the wall where her friends face peers at her. "Where did you get the candle?"

"It was here, you have one too. There is a hay bed right below where I am," Siofra can see Nikki reach her hand through, pointing below her. "Can you make it there?"

"I'm tryin," Siofra dug her hands into the dirt deeper, grunting through the sharp pains, finally reaching the edge of the stone slab with hay hanging over the edge.

"You might wanna cover your ears, I gotta lift myself up." Seeing Nikki nod and retreat a little back into her cell, Siofra places her palms on the hay, pressing down quick and strong, hoping to throw herself onto the bed. It almost works, but she hits her hip on the edge, making a feral scream escape her lips. She franticly rolls herself onto her back, her chest heaving with the adrenaline her body used to get her through the pain.

Nikki pops her head back into view, right above Siofra and the light from her candle casts an eerie glow across the hay bed. "Your candle is by your head," Siofra looks and feels by her head, finding the slim wax object, leaving it snuggled up against the stone wall. She can see the concern in her friend's eyes.

"Where are we?" Nikki says with her voice edged in emotion. She had been sitting in her cell for at least twenty minutes before she heard Siofra's "umph" when she came in.

"I don't know," Siofra mumbled through a grunt, rearranging herself to a semi-sitting position, "we could be anywhere. Nikki, did you happen to see anyone before you ended up here?" She would have a good idea where they were if Nikki had seen the white-blue eyed woman.

"Yeah," she answers, "she had long blond hair, pointy ears, nose and crazy white-blue eyes. She said that I belonged to them and that my 'mutt' friend and I would have fun with their great grandsons." Siofra groaned in dismay. She had dragged innocent Nikki into her mess.

They had all been wrong. The Elvin Princes weren't killed by the Pack. They must have just been injured. Great.

A loud, scratchy throat clearing pulls both girls attentions to the bars in Siofra's cell. Siofra releases a low scream of horror as she stares into the lamp lighted faces of Bronton and his brother Tercel. Her heart starts to race and she grips at the hay, pulling herself more against the stone wall, pain shooting throughout her lower body.

"My Little Elf," Bronton whispers, his voice raspy and hoarse, still healing from the bite that Siofra had delivered a year ago. "Come back to play have you?" His sharp jagged teeth are on display in a wide grin, his eyes locking on her astonished face. This was going to be fun.

This was going to be so much, bloody fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How long has she been like this?" Shamus glares at Conall, sitting with his back against the headboard, his arms still encircling Siofra's writhing and moaning body.

"Maybe ten minutes," Conall really hadn't kept track, most of the time passing before Conall even called Lilith. Shamus showed up not even a minute after Conall hung up with Siofra's half-sister. "Look at her eyes," he whispered, nodding for Shamus to come closer.

"Get out from behind her," Shamus looks Conall in the face, seeing his raised eyebrow he says, "Just do what I say."

Conall slides out from behind Siofra, releasing his hold and letting her head rest on the pillow. He can hear the front door open and rushed steps, Lilith and Jace swinging open the bedroom door.

"Father?!" Lilith asks, emotion high in her voice.

"Shh, child. Let me look at your sister in silence," he holds his finger to his lips, turning back to face the lying figure of his daughter. Sitting down gently beside her, he grasps Siofra's slightly trembling arms in his big hands. He can sense the dark power within her, and he releases his grip, moving his hands to her face. Peeling her eyelids up, he sees that they have been consumed by the black demon like Spirit Shadow within her.

Grabbing her shoulders roughly, he shakes her, pulling her up so that her face is in front of his. "WHO ARE YOU?" he roars, his voice booming off of the walls in the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Conall says, moving to push Shamus away, but Jace stops him. His friend pulls him back, nodding for him to let Shamus do his thing. Conall resigns to stand next to his best friend, clenching and un-clenching his fists in anger.

Staring intently at the face of Siofra, Shamus's chest heaves in and out in anger. "WHO. ARE. YOU?" he roars again, his power rolling out and around the room.

Siofra's eyes pop open, black as night, peering right at Shamus. The Spirit Shadow recognizes the Druid and a feral smile caresses its lips. A hysterical laugh rumbles out of Siofra's throat, making everyone's hair stand on end. The Spirit Shadow of Innu laughed at the puny people surrounding her.

"I am Inu," she growls, looking around the room, "and I am the Queen of the Dark Fae. But you knew that already, didn't you Druid?" She looks at the black and silver haired man with anger in his eyes, smiling ear to ear at him. Oh, she was going to love messing with Shamus. She struggles against his grip, but his power is great and holds her firm. She would need days to get her powers to full strength in this mortal body.

"Leave this woman!" Shamus shouts, shaking the demon who has taken over his daughter's body. Throwing her head back, Inu just laughs at the Druid, and it was a ghostly sound.

"Oh, please Druid," she hisses, coming within an inch of his face, "you know I am far too powerful for even you to destroy." She was, it would take the likes of Siobhan and Kade to drive her from Siofra's body, and even then it wouldn't guarantee that Siofra would live.

"Besides," she rolls her head to the side, "I like this body. She's got great power that she doesn't even realize." Snapping her head back to Shamus, she rises and eyebrow, noting the concern on the man's brow. "Why do you defend this dog?"

"That's none of your concern bitch," Lilith interjects. Her anger was mounting and she felt like reaching down Inu's throat and ripping her out, but that would kill her sister. Shamus gives her a sharp look and she steps back to Jace's side, letting his arm wrap around her shoulder.

"Ohhh, I know why now Druid," Inu snaps her head back to Shamus's face. "She's of your blood," this interesting tidbit explains a lot to the Queen. That's why she had so much buried power inside of her; she had no training in how to harness it. She lets a triumphant laugh roll out of her.

"Oh, this will be fun," Inu stares in his eyes. "Where is my sister? She was called forth with me."

As if on cue, Siofra's cell phone rings, making everyone in the room jump. Going around the bed, his eyes on his wife's body the entire time. Conall picks up the phone, seeing that the caller was Nikki "Sparkles".

"Hello?" he says sternly into the speaker.

"Where's Fry?" a man's voice questions, making Conall's eyes widen. This man's voice seemed familiar, and it didn't make Conall's senses stand on end. Which raised a question of why any male should be calling his wife's phone.

"She's sick," Conall can hear slight moans in the background on the other end, "What's wrong?"

"Nikki seems possessed," the man says and Conall turns to Shamus. Shamus seems to know what was said and he just nods his head.

"Bring her here," Conall issues, his voice edged in a growl. "Who is this?" he needed to know who he was blindly inviting to his house.

"My name is Dyson Killian and we are already on our way to your house." As soon as they had scooped Nikki up, Dyson, Kraze, Rich and Casey packed into her Malibu, headed for Broadus. "We should be there in about thirty minutes. And Conall," he had learned her husband's name from Nikki earlier at the bar.

"Yeah?" Conall replies, still stunned how he can be carrying on a calm conversation with a male who called his wife's phone.

"You and I need to talk man to man," Dyson said calmly before shutting his phone. Looking in the rearview mirror he can see his twin cradling the still moaning Nikki.

What the hell had they gotten themselves into?

Hell, that didn't matter. All that mattered was figuring out what was wrong with his, and his brother's mate. He slammed the gas pedal to the floor, accelerating past 100 mph, rushing to get to his mate's side.

CHAPTER SIX:

"SISTER!" Inu screamed as some burly wolves carried Opru into this strange house. The Druid and the mutt's husband had brought her downstairs, tying her to a chair. She fidgeted and pulled at the ropes, trying to get a better look at her sister. They hadn't been together in centuries, and she missed her sister's corn silk hair.

Her sisters possessed body snaps its head up, her black eyes locking onto Inu. "SISTER," she screeches, kicking and swinging at the tattooed man carrying her. "I have missed you."

Kraze struggles to keep his hold on the Nikki's struggling figure. Looking around the room at the questioning and angry faces, he sees a big man with black and silver hair point to the chair next to the tied up Fry, so he plops Nikki down into it. Helping the big man tie her up, he turns back to his companions.

"I'm Kraze Killian," he extends his hand to Jace, sensing his power and authority. Wolves can tell who's in charge, their power radiating off of them. It would be rude not to address the most powerful one in the room first.

Taking his offered hand Jace says, "I'm Jace, Beta of the Big Sky Pack," turning to Conall he says, "and this is Conall, Siofra's husband and Theta."

Conall just gives the tattooed Kraze a cold look, shaking his offered hand. Turning to the other three men he notices that one of the others must be a twin to Kraze. Conall gets a strange but familiar feeling from the twin. It almost feels like he has known him before.

Seeing Conall's gaze, Kraze keeps up with the introductions, "This is my brother, Dyson," who shakes hands with Jace and moves closer to Conall. Conall locks hands with the man who had said they needed to talk, and the man's touch makes him feel somewhat calm. Nodding at the man, he releases his grip, waiting for the other two to be introduced.

"These two are our Pack mates, Rich and Casey," the men shake hands and offer hellos, all very stiff and robotic. They were still all confused at what was going on.

"How do you know my wife and Nikki," Conall asks, getting right to the point. Jace had called Mike, so he was on his way over to do his Alpha duties and see if these men were a threat. Conall just needed to clear the air and see why these men were so concerned for Siofra and Nikki.

"We should talk about that in private," Dyson offered, making Conall give him a killer look.

"What the fuck does that mean?" His emotions were on edge and he didn't want to deal with some asshole dicking him around. "Just spit it out asshole!"

"Whoa, bro. Calm down on the 'roids," Casey stepped in between Conall and Dyson, putting his hands up.

Conall issues a warning growl, pushing the annoying wolfs hands away from him. His eyes were locked on Dyson's figure, a little taller than him, but that didn't matter. Conall could tell he could take the man in a fight, it might go ten rounds, but he could take him. His growls roll through his chest, his eyes rimming in neon green, until Jace's hand settles on his shoulder.

"Cut the shit," Jace orders, "this is not the time or the place for a dick measuirin' contest." Turning back to Shamus, Jace sees the concerned look on both his and Lilith's faces. "What do we do now?"

"We have to find whoever put the binding spell together," Shamus muttered, kneeling in front of Siofra's body. Inu and Opru were engrossed in conversation, and he just sat there watching them. This was bad, and if he didn't kill the person responsible soon, both of these girls would die from the stress on the body from the Spirit Shadows.

"If we wait too long, "Lilith turns to Conall, a saddened look on her face, "they'll both die."

"WHAT?" Kraze huffs out, his eyes turning immediately to Nikki's seated form, tied to a chair. He couldn't let his mate go right after finding her. "How long?"

"There's no way to tell exactly," Shamus stands, turning to the group of wolves. Rubbing his hands across his face, he knows what he is going to say next is going to rehash a lot of horrible memories for Conall, and the entire Pack.

"It all depends on long the girls souls can hang on. They have been shoved out, imprisoned in another realm." Looking at Conall's confused look, Shamus tries to soothe him with a hand on his shoulder. "These two 'women' are the ancestors of the Elves." Conall's eyes widen. "I think the girls are being held somewhere in the Dark Realm."

"What is going to happen to them there?" Dyson can't hide the emotion in his voice being this close to his mate and not being able to touch her. He had to talk to Conall, to let him know what was going on.

"Best not think about that son," Shamus adds, turning back to the girls. "Let's just try and think about who would do this to them."

"I know," Rich's deep Southern drawl echoes in the room and all eyes turn to him. They wait, all looking at him with expectancy. "That Bokan guy that came to see us. I heard him chanting some shit the one night when we were still in Canada."

Kraze and Dyson look at each other. This was their fault. They had brought two innocent girls into the grips of hell. Well, now they had to make it right.

"Call Kaeton," Conall growled out. Turning and walking to the glass sliding door, he steps out into the cool night air. His face to the sky he sends all of his mental concentration to his wife, wherever she might be.

"Love, hold on. We're coming for you," but he hears nothing in reply. Please be okay, he thinks. Please, I can't do this again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Have you missed me?" the scratchy voice echoes through the silent, damp stone cell. Bronton was seated on the edge of the stone slab bed, Siofra trying to cuddle as close to the wall as possible. Her right hip was still trying to heal and it wasn't going so well. Every time she moved she could hear the bones crack and the pain was beginning to be unbearable. Bronton reached his long bony fingers toward her face, and she tried to angle it away as much as she could.

"Keep your hands off her, asshole," Nikki yelled through the little window above Siofra's bed. She had been standing on her own bed, peering through the window at the two strange men approaching her friend. She felt like squeezing through the bars and cracking their heads together, but that was impossible.

Tercel hisses at Nikki, jumping on Siofra's bed and smacking the bars as Nikki disappears. "Keep your mouth shut dog," he yells through the bars.

"Ah, brother, leave the she-wolf alone," Bronton lightly laughs, returning his gaze to Siofra's terrified face. "Little Elf, I have so much to tell you, and to show you." He had plenty of things planned for her to show his discontent for her actions in his injuries.

"Why didn't you die," Siofra whimpers, her arms and legs shaking from the pain radiating throughout her body. Her hip was hurting beyond anything else she had ever experienced, even the silver bite and the broken ankle. She felt like melting into the stone to get away from Bronton's touch, but his warm bony fingers stroke the side of her cheek, making her skin crawl.

Laughing, Bronton grabs her hair pulling her face to his, "Because a silly little creature like you cannot kill me." He laughs again, his warm breath washing over Siofra's face. He smelled like fresh strawberries with sugar sprinkled on them and like grass after a light rain. Siofra had to fight with all of her might to not sigh and nuzzle her face into his neck.

Tugging on her hair, he makes her eyes snap open again. Bronton smiles down at her, his jagged teeth hidden in magic. "Oh Little Elf," his whisper is sensual and erotic, making Siofra feel like she's in the arms of a lover, "you could have so much pleasure at my hands. Let me show you."

Siofra couldn't fight it any longer and she sighs, leaning into his chest and ignoring the pain of her shifting body. His scent washed over and she relaxed into his chest, his fingers caressing her arms and face.

"That's it, little Elf," his scratchy whisper lingers in her ear, his lips lightly brushing against her forehead. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifts Siofra off of the hay bed, heading for the cell door.

"Where are you taking her?" Nikki questions, tears running down her cheeks at the sight of her friend in the clutches of evil. "Siofra?!?" she whimpers, hoping to guilt some sense into her friend.

"Your friend," Bronton turns, Siofra in his arms, to face the shielded face of the other wolf, "is going to my bed. If you're lucky enough, my brother will show mercy and take you to his." Bronton gives Nikki an evil smirk, turning and disappearing into the darkness.

Tercel remains behind for a split second, pondering taking the she-wolf with him. Peering at her through the small bars in the little window, he winks. He can hear her shudder and he is satisfied, locking the cell door and following his brothers waning footfalls.

Nikki's sobs fall on empty walls, tears streaming down her face. "Siofra!" she cries, fearing for her friend. She slumps down onto the hay bed with her back against the stone wall. Her fear for herself was shadowed by the thought of what that blonde man was going to do to her friend.

"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!" she screams, hoping like hell anyone will hear her.

At the end of the long hallway of cells Bronton pauses in front of the first dark hole of a cell. Giving a sideways glance into the damp room, he peers at their longest serving prisoner. This soul had been theirs for eleven years now. Her blue eyes come up from her huddled figure and the two lock gazes.

Bronton twists his torso to show the prisoner his new prize, Siofra snuggled into his shoulder. The woman's eyes go wide and she starts to get to her feet.

Giving her an evil, jagged tooth smile, Bronton quickly exits, Tercel on his heels, slamming the door behind them. He can hear the woman's questioning and frantic screams as he heads to his chambers.

"This will be fun," he whispers into Siofra's hair, pulling her closer to his chest, smiling to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My King!" Siobhan's voice echoed thru the sunlit throne room as she rushed from the meadow. She had seen something bad coming in her visions and it had to do with Siofra. She had a soft spot for the mortal she-wolf, and she had sworn to protect her.

"My wife, what is the matter?" Kade's strong, deep voice came to meet her, his face lifting from a proclamation he was signing in the hands of a servant. He shoos the servant away with a swat, pulling his full attention to his flustered wife. Her floor length orange hair was mussed and her cheeks were flushed, not a normal look for the well-kept Queen.

"It's Siofra," she huffs out, her breath still heavy from the scene she had been showed at the pond. There was a battle in the Dark Realm and she had watched Siofra fall off of a cliff, two sets of male hands reaching unsuccessfully for her and she descended into the darkness. She couldn't let her die, she was too important.

Calming her breaths, she grasps her husband's shoulders, staring intently into his white-blue eyes. "Spirit Shadows," was all she had to whisper to get Kade to jump to his feet. They had beaten down the last Spirit Shadows centuries ago, keeping them from entering the human realm.

Kade hated the vile creatures, having fought in the Fae War beside his father and brothers; he had seen how the Dark ones carried themselves. They killed and dismembered, without care to what side their victims were on or who their victims were.

Standing and stretching to his full height, he towers over his wife, grasping her shoulders in his massive hands. "Where are the Druids?" They were the three men who could help defeat these evil beings. Besides, Siofra was of their blood, and they had sworn to protect her. Her children had gifts bestowed upon them too, and they would need their mother there to guide them in life. Siofra was more important than Kade thinks she even realizes.

"We need to have Cameron call them," Siobhan pulled herself into her husband's chest, trying to hide some of her concern. She knew this was going to be bad, and she was upset that she hadn't seen it coming. "You need to summon him my husband," she whispers into his chest.

Their son had been off gallivanting in the human realm, so Kade would have to summon him back home. Kissing the top of Siobhan's hair, he sets her into her throne, turning to leave through the back of the throne room,

His wife was distraught and she knew something that she wasn't telling him. He knew Siofra meant a lot to Siobhan, so he will do anything to keep her safe, therefore keeping his wife happy.

First he needed to get his son to gather the Druids. They needed to gather an army and prepare for war. There would be no survivors this time; Kade would make sure of it.

CHAPTER SEVEN:

"I don't know where they are," Kaeton offered to the people seated around the table. His Alpha, Mike Johnson, Conall, Jace, Jason, Trey Rainwater, Clyde and Marcus Sr. all sit, listening to him. The rogues Kraze, Dyson, Rich and Casey were in the other room, keeping an eye on the still restrained Siofra and Nikki. Shamus and Lilith had been summoned to the Fae King and Queen.

Kaeton felt horrible, he was starting to take the responsibility for this horrible action on himself. He knew that it had to be his parents; the rogues had described them to a "T". His own dabbling in Black Magic had been learned from his father, Kevin Sr. practicing the macabre art in their basement.

"Marcus and his team are trying to find them," Marcus Sr. chimes in, his normally stern face creased with worry lines. His daughter had been through so much, he just wanted a normal happy life for her. He had called his eldest son the second after Conall had hung up with him this morning at three a.m... The government agency his son worked for specialized in supernatural cases and they were the best of the best.

"How do we keep the girls safe?" Clyde asks, looking to his eldest son, Mike, the one he had bequeathed the title of Alpha to.

"Shamus said to keep watch over them twenty four-seven, making sure they are securely tied till he returns." Mike yawned into his shoulder, trying not to show his family and friends that their Alpha was tired. He rapped his fingers on the table, looking at all the tired faces around him.

A disembodied, evil, cackle of a laugh emanates from the den where Siofra and Nikki are being watched by the rogues Kraze and Dyson, and all of the men turn their heads in the direction of the sound. They can all hear the brothers trying to quiet the two women, their voices being drowned out by the sinister laughs and mumbles.

Conall can barely stand the thought of his Siofra being held somewhere while her body is here being abused by some centuries old demon. He pushes his chair back, standing and stretching, leaning up against the door jam facing the glass sliding door. The sun is still low in the sky, being only nine in the morning. The boys would have loved to go for a walk in the woods this morning, but they were still with Susan. Keeping them as far away from this as possible was the best answer for now.

He would love to make breakfast for his wife on a morning like this. They could eat out on the back porch, still lounging in their pajamas, sipping coffee and talking about the plans for the day. Siofra would sit on his lap, whispering in his ear till he couldn't take it anymore. He would sweep her up and carry her in the house, ravaging her on the living room floor like he had the night before.

His thoughts are interrupted by a hand on his shoulder and Conall turns to face Dyson. The big man looks just as tired as the rest of them. "Can we talk?" he asks Conall, nodding towards the back porch. He needed to let Conall know how he was attached to Siofra, even if she wasn't attached to him.

"Yeah, I guess," Conall says, opening the sliding door, letting the cool morning air into the kitchen. He can feel the other men's eyes on the pair as he walks through, Dyson shutting the door behind him. The porch was covered in a thin mist of dew, the wooden picnic table cold to sit on.

"I just need to tell you," Dyson started out, then pauses seeing the pissed off look on Conall's face. He wasn't going to take this very well, but Dyson couldn't help who his wolf picked. Clearing his throat, he starts again, staring intently into those green eyes of Conall's. "I just needed to tell you that, um.... I've bonded with Siofra's wolf. She is my mate, as well."

There, it was out. Dyson doesn't think he's ever felt more vulnerable in his entire life as he did at that moment. Standing there on the back porch of this man's house, telling him that he was bonded to his wife. Well he felt like he was telling some joker that he had been boning his wife. Conall was just sitting there, leaning his back against the railing, staring at Dyson. His eyebrows were the only thing that was moving for a while, but finally he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well," Conall sits forward, his elbows on his knees, "that explains why I don't want to rip your throat out right now." It was true; his wolf was extremely calm at a time like this. He should be raging, wanting to bathe in this joker's blood, but he was just calm, even friendly feeling. He had heard of multiple matings in stories from other Packs, but he doesn't think that there has been one in the Big Sky Pack.

"You and Siofra didn't," Conall says, waving his hand slightly in the air as a 'you know' gesture. He didn't know how he would feel if his wife had already mated with another and not told him.

"No, no," Dyson shakes his head, taking a seat beside Conall, leaning his back against the same railing facing the glass door. "I don't think she realized what was going on between us." He remembers how scared she looked when he had grabbed her hands while trying to steady Nikki.

"She's gonna be scared at first, when we get her back," Conall looks over at the dirty blonde haired man with golden eyes. He couldn't help but feel like this man was a best friend, their wolves were already bonding. He could feel it sitting this close to him.

He also couldn't help but feel a little jealousy. He would have to share his wife with someone now.

"Yeah," Dyson mumbled his eyes on his worn motorcycle boots, "so am I." He had never been in this kind of situation. Sure, he's been the 'other guy' once or twice before, but he'd never been in the threesome type of situation with him and another dude. He couldn't help but let his heart go out and try and find Siofra somewhere nearby, but it was only the shell of her body, infested with that demon.

"Let's not worry about it now," Conall slaps Dyson's knee, standing and reaching for the door. "Come on; let's focus on getting our mate back home safe." He gives Dyson a crooked smile, nodding for him to come in.

Nodding, Dyson moves quickly to the door. It looks like he wasn't going to have as hard a time with this as he thought. He was going to do everything in his power to bring his mate home.

Not only for him, but for the family she already had here. The one, that hopefully one day, he would be a part of too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rich and Casey sat facing the two tied women, their backs against the wall. Casey could tell Rich was starting to fall asleep. He could see the big man's head bobbing down towards his chest. Kraze had gone out into the other room were all the other men were gathered. The smells of bacon and coffee were wafting in through the cracked door, making Casey's mouth water.

Looking at the two women, he notes that they've been quiet with their eyes closed for the last ten minutes, so he decides to get up and get some food. Sparing a glance at the snoring Rich and again at the two women, Casey slowly opens the door, quietly pulling it almost closed behind him.

"Finally, sister," Inu whispers, raising her head to peer at the sleeping man, "we can get out of here." Wiggling her hands, the ropes, that had bound her, fall effortlessly away. She stands, shaking the tight muscles of Siofra's body, losing her shoulders and neck. "These dogs are so stupid." Why had they thought rope could bind these powerful spirits? Inu had waited for the perfect opportunity to break free and with the Druid Shamus gone and most of the men occupied, this was their chance.

"They are dogs after all, sister," Opru giggles. Letting her sister untie her hands, she stands, stretching Nikki's arms towards the ceiling. She bends over, getting her face close to the sleeping Rich, her black eyes roaming over his massive body. Leaning over into her sister's ear, Opru whispers, "How are we getting out without this one waking up?"

"Well," Inu smiles grasping her sister's shoulders, "we are going to test this Siofra's untapped powers. She is more powerful than she knows." Interlacing their fingers, the two women face each other, smiles wide and bright.

"Hey Rich," Casey's voice makes the women whip their heads towards the door, seeing him kick the door in with both hands carrying plates in each. His head is down at first, not noticing the escape attempt. "Hey I got you a...." he stops, finally noticing the standing women, his eyes going wide. Rich's eyes snap open at Casey's noisy arrival, his face rising to stare directly at Inu's black eyes.

"HEY!" he yells, trying to launch himself off of the couch, Casey dropping the plates of food, launching himself across the room. Inu issues a crackling hiss before focusing all her energy on being somewhere else. The sisters disappear right as Casey reaches them, his launched body falling to the floor with a loud thud.

The magic within Siofra's being is wild and untamed, swirling around the sisters as Inu tries to focus it in on a certain destination. Even her thousands of years, as a powerful-being, doesn't prepare her for the amount of wild power within Siofra. Just trying to wrangle it in, she pops them into the dining room of the home they are trying to escape.

The sisters automatically go into a defensive back-to-back stance, crouching and hissing at the men around them. Conall, Mike, Kaeton, Jace, Clyde and Marcus Sr. move around the women, trying to coral them.

Inu decides to play with the dogs a little, standing straight, staring into the green eyes of her body's mate. "Poor puppy," she mocks, pouting her lips and furrowing her brow, "Miss your mate do you?"

"Be. Quiet. Demon," Conall bites out as his eyes start to glow. He stepped closer to Inu, watching Dyson and Kraze moving in towards Nikki. He wasn't going to let this Spirit Shadow take off in his wife's body, knowing very well that if she got away, he'd probably never see Siofra again.

"Where the hell is Shamus?" Mike asks, taking a place at Conall's right side.

"Oh, please," Opru scoffs, grasping Inu's hand, "that old Druid couldn't help you if he had the entire Fae Court behind him." The sisters lock arms, the magic swirling in the room.

"GRAB THEM!" Dyson yells, the air in the room getting hot and thick. Kaeton is the first to launch himself at the two women, hitting the swirl of magic, yipping and being tossed back hitting the wall. Sliding to the floor, he takes in a ragged breath, noting five broken ribs.

"Goodbye dogs," Inu laughs, focusing her energy into sending them to a safe place. She giggles at the male dogs, throwing themselves into her swirl of magic, getting tossed like rag dolls into the room.

"My body's house, sister," Opru whispers and Inu closes her eyes. It was far enough away to give them some time to do something fun. It was a great idea.

The two women vanish, leaving Conall and Siofra's dining room in shambles. The men look around at each other, their own magic pulsing to heal their wounds suffered at the hands of the whirlpool of energy. Pictures, chairs and random decorations are scattered and broken.

Conall's anger is boiling and he lets an angry, hostile howl roll from his chest, making the walls shake. Bringing his fist down onto the floor in front of his kneeling figure, he smashes a picture that had been tossed to the floor. Turning the broken frame over, his chest still heaving in anger, his eyes go wide and instantly rim in tears when he sees the picture.

It's the one of their wedding day. Siofra's smile is beaming at him from behind the broken glass. His heart was breaking when he can feel his father's arms going around him. He can't hear his own screams and sobs, he can only feel the hurt ripping through his chest.

CHAPTER EIGHT:

"WHERE ARE THE KILLIANS?" Kevin screams into the trashed loft apartment. Four of Kraze and Dyson's Pack mates are standing before him, anger rolling off of them towards the raging older man. He had broken in about two hours ago, tossing the place looking for any clues as to where the twins were.

Peter "Red" Blackbird is the first to open his mouth, staring down at the Bokan patriarch from his towering 6'11" stature. "We don't know," he grinds out, stepping closer to the fuming Kevin. "They left last night." Red's an intimidating sight to Kevin, but the older, shorter man doesn't back down from him.

Res was a thirty-something, African-American, Alabama born badass. His light mocha shade skin, light maple colored eyes and tattoo-covered, muscle-bulging arms make him soft on the eyes. He was a wonderful piece of man that ladies loved to stare at. He was also a force to be reckoned with when angry.

"Yeah man, if you wanna talk to them so bad, call them your own damn self!" Thomas Simmons piped in, pulling his shoulder length light brown hair back and wrapping a rubber band around it at the nape of his neck. He was ready to rip this old man limb from limb for trashing their loft. Kevin was lucky Red had stopped his Pack mates from tearing him apart.

"You listen to me," Kevin pokes Thomas in the chest. He wasn't going to let these four know he was afraid. Thomas was a bulky 20-something, being average height at 5'10", but he looked like a lumberjack. Massive shoulders, arms, chest and legs, with cold blue green eyes.

"You listen to me," Kevin says again, "your Alpha's made a deal with me that has consequences for all of you."

Backing his way towards the open door, Kevin keeps his eyes on the four men. "So, it's in your best interest to find Dyson and Kraze as soon as possible." Grabbing the door jam with his right hand, he pauses before walking away. Turning his gray eyes on the angry group, he gives them a cynical smile. "I would suggest not making me wait too long." Then he was gone, no fading footsteps, no shadow, no closing of doors. Just gone.

"What the fuck did they get us into?" Bryan Ruwaine looks to the other three men. Bryan was the youngest member of their Pack, being only 18. He was thin and shorter than most of the men, being 5'5", but he was a hell of a fighter. His lightly tanned skin was covered in various scars from fights he had been in since joining the Berserkers. He kept his blonde hair buzzed short and his dark brown eyes were rimmed in long eyelashes, making girls call him adorable.

"Try Dyson's cell again," Red tells Tom, tossing him his Balckberry. They had tried at least twenty times since last night, but every time it had gone to voicemail. He had a bad feeling about the older Bokan man; he made Red's skin crawl.

"No answer," Tom says, tossing him back his phone. "We need to get the guys and get outta here." Something bad was coming, Tom could feel it. They needed to regroup and wait for Kraze and Dyson to contact them.

Hearing a woman's laugh from downstairs, the four men stop and listen. The only woman that lived in the building was Nikki, and it sounded like she might have her little friend with her from the bar. They hear her apartment door shut and more laughter under their feet as the two women move further into the living room.

"Let's go see if they know where the boys are," Red issues, having the three men follow him down the stairs. The last one out of the trashed loft was their silent Pack mate, Wayne Thorn. He was a massive man, but he was also mute. Silent but deadly the brothers always joked.

Stopping just outside the door for apartment 1, Red grabs Bryan by the shoulders pushing him in front. Nodding for him to knock, he whispers, "You'll win them over with your charm," instead of scaring them with Red's towering figure. Nodding quickly, Bryan raps loudly four times on the door.

The women's voices quiet, and the four men can hear them move closer to the door. The door swings open to two unfamiliar women staring at the four sort of shocked men.

"Nikki?" Bryan asks, cocking his head to the side. It was Nikki, but her magenta hair was bleached platinum blonde. Her normal run-way type fashion was replaced by cut off jean shorts topped with a very tight, very revealing corset type neon pink top, her bare feet showing off a new tattoo on her left foot. Bryan looks over his shoulder, noting the astonished looks on his companion's faces.

"Who is it sister?" the familiar voice of Fry comes from behind the door, but the person that comes into view is so different there is an audible gasp from their mute friend Wayne. Her short curvy frame is adorned with a barely there, mini frayed jean skirt, the same type of corset top, only hers has straps and is dark blue, revealing a lot of her chest and stomach. Her normally shoulder length brown hair had been chopped into a dramatic bob and dyed black, and when she angles her head towards Nikki, the men get a glimpse of a fresh half-moon tattoo on the back of her neck right below her hairline.

"What the hell did you girls do to yourselves?" Tom says, turning disbelieving eyes to the other men.

"Oh the doggy doesn't like it?" Siofra says, and the comment catches the men off guard. She gives them a killer smile and its then that the men realize that black colored eyeballs replace the girls' normal ones.

Grabbing Siofra by the arm, Red pulls her close to him and she releases an ear ringing hiss. "What is wrong with you and where are Kraze and Dyson?" he yells at her, his breath washing over the struggling woman.

Wayne moves past Bryan and grabs Nikki's arms, holding her tight against his chest. Even though he couldn't say it, his face showed the other men that he too knew something was wrong. Red's Blackberry chooses that moment to ring, having no free hands he nods to Thomas and he fishes it out of his back pocket.

Noting the caller ID, Thomas couldn't be happier. "Dyson," he answers, "there's something wrong with Nikki, where in the hell are you?"

"You have Nikki?" Kraze's frantic voice comes across, "What about Fry?" Thomas can tell he's in a car, he can hear the background noise.

"Yeah, they're like fucked up on something," Thomas has to move into the apartment with the other men to try and keep the noise of the women's hisses and screams contained.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM?" Kraze yells into the phone, his Alpha tone making Thomas tingle in fear. Tom doesn't say anything for a moment, letting Kraze calm down a little. "Where are you?" he hears Kraze grind out.

"In Nikki's apartment," Tom slides the locks on the doors and moves around the rooms, shutting the blinds and curtains.

"We'll be there in about 20 minutes," Kraze says, covering the receiver and speaking with someone else. "And Tom," catching the man's attention again.

"Yeah Kraze," he replies, fearing the use of his Alpha tone.

"Tie them up separately and keep your eyes on them. A man named Shamus will be there sooner than we will. Do everything he says," he needed to make this last thing clear, using his Alpha voice again.

"Will do Kraze," Tom replied pressing the END button. Turning to his two Pack mates, Red and Wayne who held the two struggling women, Tom looks around the room. Snagging two silk scarves from a chair, he wraps one around each woman's mouth, quieting their sounds to less than screeching.

"Tie them up, Alpha's orders," Tom orders Bryan and the younger wolf nods, grabbing two of the dining table chairs, plopping them down next to one another on the carpeted living room floor.

Picking up one of the chairs, Tom moves it to the other side of the room. "Make sure they are facing away from each other."

Nodding, Bryan goes into the different rooms in the apartment, looking for anything to tie these girls up with. He finds nylon stocking thrown on the bedroom floor and some knee high socks that will work.

Inu grunts and struggles against her captor. She had depleted Siofra's magic reserve during their teleport here; the sisters had planned on resting in the apartment till it had rebuilt itself. She can hear Opru struggling and her muffled screams, and feels bad for her weaker sibling.

What Inu knew was that the man that had called and bonded them to these women was close, she could feel his magic. It was dark, thick and surprisingly strong with evil undertones. It tasted good as she took it in. She had to wonder though, what was he waiting for? She struggled all the way into that wooden chair as the lumberjack of a man tied her arms with stretched out nylons.

Kevin and Shelley Bokan could hear the struggle in the apartment as they sat outside on the street in their SUV. Well this was turning out better than Kevin could have hoped. The mutt's family was coming to him.

"What now Kev?" Shelley meekly asks. The women's screams and yells had shaken her a little and she couldn't help but let a shudder out at what her husband had planned. She wanted the revenge on the mutt just as much as he did, but she was having second thoughts about the type of punishment.

"Well, my wife," Kevin gave her a grin laced with evil, "we wait till the mutt's husband and hopefully her father get here. Then we'll finish what we came here to do. We'll kill them all and hand Siofra over to the Elvin Court." He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in excitement. "Since those damn Berserkers don't have back bones."

"The brothers fell in love Kev, you can't bla..." Shelley's statement was cut short when Kevin brought the back of his right hand across her mouth. Her eyes rimmed in tears, she clutched her face and looks up into her husband's glowing red eyes, her body trembling in fear.

"Watch what you say," he hoarsely whispers, "or I'll leave you behind and find a younger mate." She knows he means it, so Shelley just sinks against the passenger seat, her tears rolling and dripping down onto the leather.

Kevin had grown annoyed with his wife in the last couple of days. When this business with the mutt was over, he'd have to find another mate. A tougher, less whiny one.

Maybe he could just keep Siofra.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Grandma....Grandma....GRANDMA!" Roan tugged on Susan's pant leg. He had been playing in the den with his brothers, cousins and Pack mates, but he had had a vision and the 'Angels' in his vision had told him to tell his Grandmother what he had seen.

"Grandma!" he shouted, yanking on her shirt.

"What is it Roan, Grandma is talking to Auntie Cassie," Susan looks down and immediately notices the redness in her grandsons face. Scooping him up, she sits him on the counter. "What is it?"

"The Angels tol' me mommy needs ta forgive herself," Roan placed his little hands on Susan's shoulders, "then she be able to come home." He gave her a crooked, lady-killer grin that she knew would melt girl's hearts when he gets older. "Can I have some candy?"

She can't help but laugh at him a little. Glancing at Cassie standing to her left, Susan sees the concern on her daughter-in-laws face. She had baby Veronica on her hip, holding a bottle in her mouth and gently bouncing her. Cassie had been heartbroken for Siofra when she had lost the baby and even more afterwards when Siofra broke ties with pretty much everyone.

"Did the Angels tell you anything else?" Susan asks Roan, handing him a Hershey kiss. He eagerly unwraps it and pops it in his mouth, chewing away nosily. The boy had his mother's love of chocolate that was for sure.

"Ta come tell ya Gamma," he mumbles through the chocolate, grinning at Cassie. "Down now Gamma," he holds him arms up and Susan sets him down. He hugs her legs and then Cassie's before bounding out of the kitchen back into the den.

"Call Jason," Susan calmly says to Cassie. Cassie nods and fishes her cell out of the pocket of her jeans, pressing two and then send, her speed dial calling Jason. Susan went into the living room where she found Sylvia, Francie and Michelle Trapper, all sitting on the floor and playing with their babies.

"Roan had a vision," she says to the women, getting all of their attention right away, "Michelle, where is Leon?"

"He's with Sebastian and Edvard. They were working on their cellar today." The two male vampires and female vampire Victoria had decided to move to the outskirts of Broadus, leaving New Orleans after Victoria had her baby in March. They had bought a three bedroom house on the other end of Conall and Siofra's road, and they were working on finishing the basement so they would have a light-tight place to rest and recuperate.

"Call him, tell them all to come here," Susan tried not to sound anxious, but she could see she wasn't being very successful at the looks on the women's faces, "I have a bad feeling."

Susan had had the same type of feeling Christmas Eve when she had left Siofra and Conall to lock up the bar. She knew she should've insisted that Siofra leave the Jeep and ride home with Conall, but she had kept her mouth shut. When she had answered her frantic son's phone call at quarter to three that morning, she knew it wasn't going to be good.

All Susan could do was make sure the children and women in her home would be safe. Peering around the door into the den, she spots Roan building blocks with his almost 2 year-old twin brothers, Clyde and Markie.

She says a silent prayer as Cassie joins her, saying she relayed the message to Jason. She wanted everyone home safe. She needed everyone home safe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Wake up my Little Elf," Siofra can hear Bronton whisper, his breath hot on her ear. She was incredibly warm and she doesn't want to open her eyes, knowing that she'll find herself in his bed. She can feel his lips on her ear, trailing down her cheek to the left side of her neck.

"I know you're awake," he whispers against her neck. Siofra can feel his fingertips running down her arm, tracing designs down her ribcage and stopping on her hip.

Opening her sleep heavy eyes, Siofra takes in Bronton's handsome and naked body. He's perfect in every way. Sculpted muscles, flawless skin (accept for his still healing throat), and a handsome, irresistible face. She doesn't want to be here, but something inside of her won't let her get up and run away. His smell hypnotizes her every time she feels like leaving, keeping her locked in place.

Shifting to lay on her back, Siofra whimpers a little, her still healing hip sending needles of pain throughout her body. She also catches a glimpse at the bruises riddling her sides and hips, the hand impressions seemingly burned into her sides. Sitting up slowly, she grips the bed sheet to her chest.

"I need to see Nikki," she says meekly, her throat sore and tight from crying herself to sleep the last three nights. Looking down into Bronton's white-blue eyes, she sees him frown and hears him give a frustrated sigh. "Please," she begs.

"Okay!" he shouts, whipping the blanket away from his hips. Siofra has to look away to keep a blush from running through her face, but Bronton catches the light red creeping across her cheeks. A slight smirk caresses his lips as he stands at the edge of the bed, wrapping a robe around his body.

"Oh, please Little Elf," he whispers, leaning towards her, placing his hands on either side of her hips, "you've stared at me for three days and nights." He pulls her closer to the edge of the bed with his hands on her hips. "You've screamed my name," he places a kiss below her right ear, "don't be embarrassed to look at me."

"I'm not embarrassed," Siofra says, meeting his eyes with her tear rimmed ones, "I'm ashamed." She cursed her body for falling into this evil creature's arms. She felt like flinging herself off of a cliff rather than having to tell her husband, (if she ever gets to see him again), that she let this man defile her, and that she had enjoyed it.

She can see a flash of anger roll through his eyes and Bronton grabs her upper arms, yanking her from the bed. Siofra's hips flares with pain and she cries out when her right foot hits the stone floor throwing weight on it. Crumpling to the floor, still holding the bed sheet to her chest, Siofra's tears fall onto the cold stone floor.

"Get dressed. You'll have two minutes with your dog friend," Bronton throws a black slip-like dress at her, turns and leaves her on the floor. Grabbing the side of the bed, Siofra pulls herself to sit on the edge, pulling the dress over her head. The bruises on her arms and shoulders sicken her, and she can only imagine what her face and hair look like.

Using the bed to steady herself, she straightens, the pain filling her right leg and lower back. Biting back the tears, she wobbles to the stone doorway, bumping into Bronton's chest. Seeing her struggle, Bronton lets a laugh roll from his gut, filling the quiet room with the harsh, scratchy sound. Swinging her up in his arms elicits another whimper from her, and he pulls her close, making his scent waft over her as they walk towards the cells.

"Damn you," she whispers into his collar bone, cursing his intoxicating scent. He just chuckles into her hair, kissing the top of her head as he nods to the guard Troll.

Hearing keys turn in ancient locks, Siofra raises her head to meet the tear streaked, dirty face of Nikki. Bronton set her down on a wooden stool near the bars. "Two minutes," he glares at her as he steps back, letting the ugly Troll re-lock the bars, "anymore and I'll kill you both." He pulled the Troll out of sight.

"Siofra," Nikki gasps, rushing to her friend and wrapping her arms around her, squeezing tightly. Feeling her friend's touch, Siofra breaks down, sobs making her chest ache. Pushing her friend back to get a good look at her, Nikki is horrified at the bruises and bite marks over Siofra's arms, shoulders and neck. She can only imagine what the ones she can't see look like.

"Oh Siofra," she gasps, taking her friends face in her hands to meet her eyes, "what did he do to you?"

Siofra was full of regret and disgust at herself, unable to reply to her friend, she just buries her face into Nikki's hair, gripping her shoulders tight to her. Being in her friend's presence made what she had done real, it wasn't a dream this time. It made her stomach twist, thinking that she had let that monster touch her; she had let him roam his lips over her body. She had screamed his name as he drove her to climax over and over again. Siofra hated herself.

"ONE MINUTE," she hears Bronton's harsh voice echo from around the corner. Pulling herself from her friend, Siofra gazes into Nikki's red rimmed blue eyes. Her face is dirty and her hair is mussed.

"You need to get out of here," she whispers, "and when you get home, tell them I'm with Bronton." Nikki starts to shake her head and Siofra places her hands on either cheek, stilling her face.

"You will go and you will tell Shamus," she was focusing all of her energy on sending Nikki to her apartment. The first night in bed with him, Bronton had let slip that she had the power of teleportation, so why not try it out? She wasn't sure if what Bronton had told her was true, but she had never tried to do this, so at a time like this she was going to give it her all.

"You WILL go," she harshly whispers into Nikki's ear, moving her face so that she is nose to nose with her sobbing friend, "and you will tell Shamus to get Kade." She didn't know if they could save her in time, but she could make sure they are ready in case this spills out into the human world.

The room starts to swirl and Siofra focuses even harder, sending the air faster and hotter around them. "Go Nikki," she whispers, tears rolling down onto her friend's hair, "and tell everyone I'm sorry." Sending every last ounce of strength she can muster, Siofra feels her magic pulse and then Nikki was gone. She can't hold herself in the stool any longer and she crumples to the cold, dirty floor.

Siofra can't help but let a small smile crease her lips as she hears Bronton's roar of anger at the sight of the missing prisoner. Hopefully she got Nikki to the right destination. Hopefully they would all be okay.

Siofra says a silent prayer to herself as she feels Bronton's cold fingers tighten around her neck.

CHAPTER NINE:

Kaeton sat in his black Trailblazer, down the street from Nikki's apartment. Even before he turned onto the street he could sense that his parents were close. His father's magic was powerful and dark, leaving heavy footprints wherever he goes. When he had sensed it he had pulled over immediately, telling Mike, Conall and Jace what he was feeling. They understood that it would be better for them if he stayed out of sight, so they had walked down the street, following the Escalade that held Kraze, Dyson, Jason and the others.

They had been inside for about thirty minutes before Kaeton saw the movement in the SUV across the street from the apartment building. He had called and maintained an open phone line with Conall, just in case something went down in a hurry. He could see his father's salt and pepper hair bobbing around the driver's seat, presumably trying to get a look at what was going on inside the apartment.

"Kaeton are you still there?" Conall's voice comes in loud and clear through the blue-tooth system hooked into Kaeton's car audio.

"Yeah Connie," he says, his eyes still locked on the black SUV up the street. He had the urge to walk right up to it and punch his father in the face. Not just for what he was doing now, but for his entire childhood that his father had poisoned with the practice of Black Magic. He was the reason his older brothers had turned to Berserkers. He had torn Kaeton's life apart from the beginning.

"Marcus will be here within ten minutes with a caravan of five Tahoes," the urgency in Conall's voice was putting Kaeton on edge even more than he already was, "and you needed to lead them here, blocking the door with the Blazer."

"Will do," Kaeton replies, starting the engine.

"Shamus is gonna try the ritual now, so be ready," Kaeton could hear Conall set the phone down and all the other voices in the room. He grips the steering wheel, leaning forward so he can see the end of the street where Marcus and the government caravan would be coming from. He was ready to face his father and to defend his new family and Pack.

In the tiny apartment the Berserkers and the Big Sky Pack mill around nervously as Shamus, one of his Druid brothers and Penton prepare to try and rid the women of the Spirit Shadows. Penton was a member of the Fae Court and a former Elvin Prince, older brother to Bronton. He had saved Siofra one year before from Bronton's silver filled bite. The apartment was getting warm with all of the body heat inside, but they didn't want to open a window, chancing the escape of the Spirit Shadows or the women.

"The caller is near, Shamus," Penton says nervously. He can feel the old and evil magic seeping around the building. He was also nervous because if the ritual didn't work, he was the only one who could enter the Dark Realm to get the women's spirits out. Penton was ready to face his family, to bury all the demons in his past.

"I can feel it too, Penton," Shamus says sternly, wrapping a sage wreath around Inu/Siofra's neck. The silk scarf was still gagging her so her screams and obscenities were at a minimum. Siofra's physical appearance was shocking. Inu had chopped her hair and gotten a tattoo.

A whiff of wild magic filled the room, raising the temperature at least ten degrees. Shamus and Penton look at each other, then at the suddenly shrieking Opru. The Spirit Shadow was fighting against something, the magic whirling around the room at a sickening speed. Inu was shrieking against the gag, trying to kick free of her restraints, but her strength was still gone.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Kraze shouts, his voice fading quickly in the magic whirlpool.

All Shamus can do is join hands with his Druid brother, Mikal, and Penton, forming a triangle around the struggling Opru/Nikki. The three men are engulfed in the storming magic, their clothes being pulled and lifted up. Mixing their magic into the whirlwind makes it rage faster as they chant their practiced words:

"Infinite Light; Take this Darkness; Banish it to the depths where it belongs; Bless its vessel so that she may serve Thee; We THREE are of the Light and with this request with offer power for payment."

The air goes thick like smog and it seems like time freezes around the three men and the seated Opru/Nikki. Gazing down at her Shamus can see her eyes go normal again, the black Spirit Shadow slowly seeping out of her body rising into the air above all four of them.

Opru screamed and screeched, fighting against the Light pulling at her. Windows shattered, scattering glass all around them. The magic lifted, Opru dissolved and the three men fell to their knees. Seeing Nikki's tear streaked face, Shamus reaches up pulling the scarf from her mouth.

"YOU HAVE TO HELP SIOFRA," she screams at him, struggling to get free of the chair. Penton quickly draws a knife, releasing her from the nylons. Grasping Shamus's face hard enough to cause a slapping sound, she pulls his face to hers, the tears flowing down her cheeks. "He HAS her, you HAVE to save her." Shamus catches her as she falls from the chair, sweeping her up and handing her off to an anxious Kraze.

Turning back to Penton, he nods over to the still struggling Inu/Siofra. "We need to get to her now; it was her magic that brought Nikki back." Nodding, understanding the grave situation, Penton turns and pulls the seated Inu over towards them.

The screech of tires and sirens make every ones heads turn toward the front window and door. Shouts and gun shots ring out, making them all duck down. Two black wolves burst through the front window, spilling into the living room filled with men and the still sobbing Nikki.

They were snapping and biting, rolling on the floor. Shamus can see that they both have red glowing eyes and one was the man who called the Spirit Shadows, the flow of Dark Magic filling the room. They released each other long enough for the entire group to get a good look at them, and they all noticed that one had silver tipped ears. Kaeton was all black, so the other must be his father.

"Stay here with Siofra," he tells Penton and the young Berserker, Bryan. He could hear the roars of Trolls from beyond the window and he knew that Bronton and Tercel would not be far behind. Utilizing his long legs, Shamus strides to the two black wolves, booting the silver-tip eared one right back through the broken window, yips filling the air.

Turning back to the wolves all on the edge of transformation he sees Conall and Dyson, the magic pulsing around them. "Bronton has Siofra," he nods for them to follow him, "let's get her back." A resounding howl meets him for an answer and they follow him through the broken window out onto the small lawn.

Gun shots are still ringing out, striking the Trolls, Marcus and his men trying to keep the Trolls at bay. Marcus Jr. had his back against his government issued black Tahoe, using it block the thrown rocks and logs [pretty much anything the Trolls could pick up] and he was reloading both of his fully automatic 9mm Desert Eagles with silver rounds when he sees the group of wolves and Shamus emerge through the broken apartment window.

"Elves?" he shouts to Shamus, firing off a few rounds before ducking down again to face the Druid. A rock the size of a basketball strikes the front windshield of his vehicle, spraying glass over his head and face. Shaking the fragments off, Marcus looks back up at the massive man.

"You got it," Shamus answered. "You're better off having your men transform, it'll protect any civilians in the area from stray gunfire." He had a point, so Marcus issued the order to drop their weapons and shift.

The men obeyed instantly, they viewed Marcus as their Alpha. His group of 25 men consisted not only of 15 of wolves, but also of two mountain lions, three black panthers, a bear, two Bengal tigers and two African lions. It was like the Brooklyn Zoo had been released on the small streets of Miles City, Montana, mixed with Lord of the Rings. Trolls and Weres clashed in the middle of the street, roars and howls filling the normally quiet air.

Conall and Dyson teamed up, Dyson in his Berserker form, taking down Trolls left and right. Conall thought that Dyson's Berserker form was impressive, and after ripping a Trolls throat out, he spares Dyson a bloody grin. Seeing a flash of black, Conall spots Kevin Bokan going after Jason and Jace. Leaping off of the dead Troll, Conall slips around his Pack mates, Dyson on his heels.

He sees Kevin latch onto Jace's hind leg and Conall launches himself toward the black wolf. His front legs hit the older wolf in the shoulders, making him release his hold on Jace's hind leg. The force of the impact spins Kevin around, Dyson scooping him up with his elongated, hairy clawed hand and tossing him 30 feet across the road.

Hitting the pavement, Kevin yips and shifts back into human form in a flash. Holding his side he stands, surveying the fighting going on around him. Dark clouds roll in and he can feel the approach of Evil. Lightening fills the sky, blinding everyone for a split second, touching down in the middle of the skirmish.

Stunned, all of the creatures stop fighting. The Trolls begin to fall back to the edge of the road. When his vision clears and the smoke caused by the lightening dissipates, Kevin can see the Elvin Princes, the blonde one with his hand around the throat of Siofra.

A massive howl rips through Conall's chest as he leaps towards his captive wife. Tercel throws a burst of magic his way, sending him tumbling back to the feet of his brother. The magic makes Conall seize and uncontrollably change back to human form, gasping for breath. A harsh cackle like laugh fills the now silent street as the Weres shift back to human form.

Siofra's back was held up against Bronton's front, his grip tight around her throat. She couldn't look at Conall. She knows he'd be able to see what she did, what she let Bronton do to her. She kept her eyes on the ground as she heard Bronton clear his throat to address the crowd.

"Where is this mutt's body?" he shakes Siofra's neck, making her whimper out loud. He has strangled her to the point of blackout four or five times after she sent Nikki back. Siofra's throat and neck were raw and sore from the pressure and screaming. "Bring it to me, or she dies right here!" Bronton pushes her out, knocking her to her knees and pulling her hair back.

Siofra screamed at the pain shooting through her knees and right hip, "CONNIE!!" Her voice was harsh, making Dyson and Conall rush to the front of the group of Weres. Siofra looks into their concerned faces, feeling the pull of Dyson's wolf on her heart. All she can do is cry when she sees Conall, his clothes ripped and bloody, his green eyes boring into her with the same passion and love as the first time that he had laid eyes on her.

Leaning down so that his lips lightly touch her right ear, Bronton addresses the two men, "Bring. Me. Her. Body..... NOW!" Placing his foot on her right buttocks he pulls back on her hair and out with his leg, hearing the cracking of her hip bone puts a wide evil grin on Bronton's lips.

"She's in the building brother," Tercel chimes in, stepping up next to the kneeling Siofra. "Let's see if I can bring her out," sending his magic out and over the Weres, Tercel finds the mutt's body tied to a chair. It starts to pull Inu, chair and all, out of the apartment. Bryan and Penton try and keep it in, pulling and placing their bodies in front of it.

Penton can hear his younger brother's laughs as the chair is pulled out through the broken window and onto the grass with him in tow. Shamus and Mikal come to his aid, but the Elvin Prince's magic over powers them all, yanking the chair from their grasps and into the air. The chair shatters on the pavement, freeing Inu at the feet of her great grandsons.

Pulling her to her feet and removing the gag, Tercel grins at his great grandmother. "It's good to see you again," he kisses her cheek.

She gives him a terrible grin, cupping his face. "I've been waiting for you boys," she cackles, smiling at Bronton and his prisoner. Moving to stand in front of Siofra, Inu gives her a good look at what she did to her body, spinning around and shaking her short hair. "Do you like it dog?"

Siofra scoffs at her, swinging her right arm at her possessed body. Inu sidesteps the feeble blow, laughing along with her kin. Looking at Bronton, Inu offers, "I am ready my child. Please set me free."

She could feel that her kin had an awful plan for this dog. Inu was pleased as long as the wolf suffered, so she was willing to give up her hold on Siofra to her great grandsons.

Nodding, Bronton makes Siofra stand, pulling her into his chest so that her face is in his chest. Nodding to Tercel, he grips Siofra's face with his right hand, making her look him in the eyes. "This will hurt," he smiles at her, his jagged teeth filling her sight.

Tercel places a hand on each of Inu's shoulders. Sending his magic through her at the same time Bronton sends his through Siofra, Tercel watches his great grandmothers Spirit Shadow leave the Weres' body and Siofra's disappear from his brother's arms.

Siofra's spirit fills her physical body, her hip breaking and cracking. The skanky clothes the demon had dressed her in are replaced by the dress Bronton had given her, her hair growing a little longer but not much, still staying in a short bob that the demon had fashioned. Her skin fills with the bruises and bite marks left by Bronton, sending pain throughout her limbs. Tercel wraps his arms around her chest to keep her from falling and she screams out, struggling against his grip.

Pulling her up so that her ear is next to his brothers mouth, Tercel hears Bronton whisper into the mutt's ear. "You're all mine now, Little Elf." Both men's laughs fill the air.

Mixed in with the ear piercing laughs are the sounds of thunder and howls. Both sounds drowning out Siofra's screams of dismay.

Sending her powers out, she asks for help. "Siobhan, PLEASE, help us!"

"We're coming my child. Hold on," she hears in reply, the musical voice of the Fae Queen echoing in her mind.

CHAPTER TEN:

"LET HER GO," Shamus yells, his voice booming over the thunder and howls from the wolves at his sides. He steps between Dyson and Conall, engulfed in their magic pulsating in anger. Penton and Mikal join him on either side of Dyson and Conall, readying for anything.

"Oh please Druid," Bronton scoffs, gathering Siofra in his arms, holding her back tight against his chest. Her moans of pain fill him with delight, making a smile caress his lips, "you are no match for me even with all of your doggies." He squeezes his right arm tight under Siofra's breasts, squeezing the air and a high scream from her lungs.

"Your doggies, kitties and teddy bears can't hold a flame to us, Druid." Tercel chimes in, pulling Siofra's wrist up to his mouth and grazing his jagged teeth over her already bruised flesh. Her back arches against his brother, a soft moan escaping her lips when a shot of desire flows through her, making a smile reach from ear to ear on Tercel's face.

"Besides," Bronton chuckles at his brother's grin, "your daughter likes what we have to offer. Her screams of pleasure that have filled my chambers the last three nights are evidence enough of that," he runs his right hand down her stomach, making her arch even more into him. Her body was betraying her in front of her husband, filling Siofra with hatred once more.

"Please," she whimpers, looking into Shamus's eyes, "help me."

"You hear that?" Bronton yells, pulling her tight against him again. "She's begging for it."

Tornado-like winds kick dirt and debris into the air, making it swirl around the Weres and Druids. It whips Siofra's shortened hair against her face and she can feel a warm hand on her face, caressing her bruised cheek, but it's only air around her.

Bronton and Tercel hiss and back up, Tercel bumping right into Kevin Bokan. He had kept his distance, trying to feel out the situation before approaching the evil beings. Tercel grabs Kevin's shirt collar, pulling him in front of the two brothers.

"This is your fault dog," Tercel hisses into Kevin's ear, "You can be our shield."

The wind forms two small funnels and one large one, whipping through the Weres, making them gather in small groups to keep out of the way. Kevin sees figures materializing from the wind; an army of blonde, orange and black haired, pointy eared magical creature's files in with the Weres. The two smaller funnels produce a giant of a man with short black hair and a beautiful woman with orange hair flowing down to the ground.

The man looked an awful lot like Connor, the Elvin King, and Kevin could feel the magic rolling off of the man, filling the area with swirling power. The man's white-blue eyes are bearing down on the Bokan patriarch, Kade's chest heaving in anger. Kevin starts to tremble in his presence, putting his hands up in front of him in a placating measure.

"YOU," Kade's voice booms out over Kevin, making him fall to his knees in the dirt, "YOU are the reason for all of this?!" Kade is dressed for war, his long sword draped over his back and a scabbard at his waist. His broad shoulders were adorned with polished gold armor, sun bursts embossed on each pectoral plate.

"Give us Siofra and we will let you crawl back to your holes," Siobhan issues to Bronton, lifting her hand and motioning for them to hand her over. "You know she is under our protection."

"That only makes her more valuable," Bronton hisses, stepping back from his aunt and uncle, Tercel on his left side. The air starts to crackle around them, sending them back to their Realm, but it's halted by Kade's hand, his power smashing to feeble escape attempt.

Bronton wraps his hands around Siofra's neck, "I'll kill her, right now, unless you let us leave with her." Nodding his head towards the kneeling, whimpering Kevin Bokan, he says, "You have the caller, kill him and the spell will be broken."

"Do you think we are blind, nephew?" Kade mocks, furrowing his brow at the scrambling nuisance. "I can see the bites and bruises. You've marked her, she may want to leave you, but her body won't let her."

"What? Just kill the bastards!" Dyson shouts, his hands and legs shifting into Berserker form. Conall's hand on his arm keeps him in place, Conall shaking his head at the angry energy.

"THAT'S RIGHT," Bronton shouts overtop of Siofra's hair, "your little mutt loves to feel my tongue all over body. She screams my name into the night, writhing in the pleasure I give her." Bronton laughs at the angry growls and yips from the crowd.

"Give us Siofra," Siobhan states, pulling Kade's long sword from his back, its bright metal glinting even in the clouded environment, "and you'll die an honorable death."

"I thought you said you'd let us leave," Tercel scoffs, grinning at his aunt. She was just a woman, how much damage could she do.

"It was a onetime offer," Penton steps to Kade's right hand, drawing his own long sword, "it has expired and now it is only death for you brothers."

Kevin Bokan is still kneeling, hysterical laughs spilling from his chest. "You can't kill them," he chokes out between hiccupping laughs, "they are immortal."

Kaeton comes up beside Penton, taking the long sword from his hand, stepping into the space between the two sides only occupied by his father, and raises it above his head.

"You have said enough, father," bringing the sword down, he plunges the end of it down into his father's chest, piercing his black heart. Leaning down to his father's ear, he whispers, "Now you will burn in hell where you belong," Kaeton pulls the blade free, kicking his father's still gurgling body to the side.

"K-K-Kaeton," the man chokes out, blood spilling over his chin, making Kaeton spare him a second look, "I-I-I.... did this for-for y-yo-you." he gets out, laying his head on the pavement. Reaching his blood soaked hand towards his youngest son, Kevin wishes he would come closer, to touch his son one last time.

"No, dad," Kaeton gives him a sorrow filled look; "you did this for yourself." Turning back, he hands Penton his bloody sword, disappearing into the group of Weres, out of his father's sight.

The final breath leaves Kevin's body, setting Siofra's soul free. It feels like a weight is lifted off of her chest, bringing her through the pain and desire caused by the Elvin Princes, back into the present situation. She struggles against Bronton's grip, kicking at his shins and scratching at his arms.

His mouth is close to her ear, his hot breath washing over her neck, hypnotizing her to stop. Her arms fall to her sides and she can hear a scratchy chuckle roll through Bronton's chest. Curse my body she thinks.

"Don't fret child," she hears Siobhan's voice, bringing her eyes to the woman's beautiful face, "you must let it all go." Siobhan's face shows a little pain seeing the tears fill Siofra's eyes. "You've got to free yourself from all of the pain."

"Why?" Siofra cries out, a few tears spilling down her cheeks. Anger and sadness were whirling around in her emotions, making her struggle against Bronton's hold again. Her newly discovered magic swirled around her captors, fierce with her emotions, then dies down as it drains her energy.

"Be QUIET!" Bronton screams into her ear, his scratchy voice sending shivers down Siofra's spine and he drags her back with him, towards the small wood line across from Nikki's apartment building. "TROLLS! Do your job!"

The Trolls roar in reply, rushing into the group of Weres and Fae. Their heavy clubs are swung without care, knocking wolves out of their way. The steel of the Fae's swords bites into their flesh, sending them reeling and roaring. The Fae warriors have no fear of the ugly creatures, working with the Weres to bring them down to their knees and decapitating them.

"SIOFRA!" Dyson and Conall roar into the air amongst the melee. They were fighting their way through the Trolls, and they could see Kade not far in front of them fighting Trolls of his own.

"Please Siofra," she hears Siobhan's voice again in her head, but the woman is lost in the sea of Trolls, Weres and Fae, "let it go."

Siofra couldn't run from her pain anymore. She couldn't wallow in it either. She had been weak and it had brought her friends and family, once more into danger. It was her fault, but she had to make it right.

Siobhan skillfully threw Kade his long sword, feeling that Siofra was on the brink of doing what she needed to do to be free. Snapping her wrists down, she produces a long metal spear, its head made of limestone dug from the Pryor Mountains. Limestone would burn the Elvin Princes skin. Dodging Trolls, she weaves her way until she can see the retreating Bronton and Tercel.

Pulling the spear back by her ear, Siobhan lets it fly. It makes an unforgettable whistling sound as it zeroes in on its targets. It seems like slow motion to those watching the path of the spear, everything slowing down as it nears its destination.

Hearing the whistle, Bronton spins, Siofra still tight to his chest facing away from him. She sees the glint of the spear as it descends from its path, heading for Tercel who is in front of her.

It pierces Tercel's right shoulder, making a sickening sizzling sound and passing clean through. Siofra thinks she screams out but she doesn't hear any sound come out as she sees the spear head coming for her.

The sharpened limestone punches through her left shoulder, just above her breast, and she can feel it lodge into Bronton's ribcage. His roar of fury fills her ears making her wince. Pulling her down to the ground with him, Siofra can feel Bronton's blood running down the back of her shirt mixing with her own.

The sizzling sound continues and she can see smoke rising from Tercel's shoulder. The pain is radiating throughout her chest, her left arm feeling useless. Siofra can feel Bronton pushing at her body trying to dislodge the spear from himself.

"This isn't over mutt," Bronton whispers in her ear, pain filling her like lava when he shoves her hard away from him. She feels a heat like pulse, blinded by a sudden flash of lightening and then the brothers are gone.

The limestone spear head makes a 'ting'ing sound as she falls and it hits the pavement. The sky opens up and rain pours down, thinning out the blood pouring from Siofra's shoulder, making it run and pool all around her.

She can see Siobhan's orange hair through the rain, rushing to her side. She can hear the victorious howls and roars of her friends and family. Then the screams come through, piercing the cloudy sky.

"Nikki," Siofra whispers, her head hitting the pavement.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

The brothers roared in pain as they descended into the cold throne room. Their father jumped to his feet at the sudden flash of lightening.

"WHAT?!?" Connor shouted, taking the bleeding Tercel by the shoulders looking over his wounds. His anger was rolling in huge waves, seeing his sons in the condition they were in. It was like last year ago all over again, when that mutt had ripped Bronton's throat out.

"Kade and his woman stepped into our quarrel," Bronton grinds out, sitting cautiously on his throne, favoring his left side where the limestone wound was still smoking. The mention of his uncle's name made a roar rumble through his father's chest, the walls and floors shaking in its wake.

"MY SONS," their mother cried out as she rushes into the dark throne room. Her long red hair was braided to the side, striking against the black long sleeved dress she wore.

Grasping Tercel's face, she hovers her hands over his shoulder wound, finally helping him to sit down. Sabra clapped her hands sharply three times, summoning her Healers to appear before the dais.

The Healers were decrepit looking creatures. Their skin was grey and sagging on their bent over forms. Their spines were curved due to thousands of years of carrying heavy medicine baskets. The Healers eyes were a cloudy blue, making them look blind, but their vision was as sharp as a hawks. Their long, bony fingers poke and prod at Bronton and Tercel, pulling herbs and ointments from the baskets now at their feet. The tattered rags they wore as clothing stank of decay and death, most of their work being done with the already dead or dying.

"My lovely brother did this to our sons, my wife," Connor grinds out, turning his blazing white-blue eyes to her porcelain face. He sees the fire ignite behind her eyes and it makes his pride flourish.

Sabra throws her head back, releasing a loud, shrill scream. Her healers wince at the sound, falling to their knees. She had always hated Kade and his bitch of a wife, Siobhan. They always acted so righteous and mighty. When they had been made King and Queen, Sabra's blood ran cold and her heart ceased to beat.

"Kill them all," she hisses, turning a horrifying face to her husband. She had had enough of the Fae intervening where they weren't needed. They needed to pay for this intrusion. Sabra would rip Siobhan's throat out and dance in her blood.

Plus, she'd bring that mutt back here so that her eldest son could play with her. She was intriguing after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rain felt good on Siofra's face, cooling her boiling skin. Siobhan knelt in front of her, her beautiful porcelain face and white-blue eyes looking over Siofra's wounded body. Her shoulder burnt like acid was running through it.

The crowd gathered around the two women, Nikki's cries filling the air. Conall and Dyson stand beside Kade and Penton, their eyes intently watching their mate.

"Why don't you pull it out already?" Dyson shouts at Siobhan over the pounding of the rain. His stomach was turning at the sight of her blood mixing with the rain on the pavement. The bile rose in his throat, threatening to spew onto the ground at his feet. He had to be strong.

"Shut up wolf and let my wife do her job," Kade hisses, glaring in Dyson's direction.

An angry, possessive growl rips through both Dyson and Conall, the pair coming toe to toe with Kade and one of his guards. The anger rolled off of the men, the Fae soldiers gathering behind their King. Grinning and letting a horrific laugh roll from his chest, Kade sets a blazing stare into the glowing yellow eyes of Dyson.

"STOP IT," the meek voice chokes out behind them. Conall whips around to see Siobhan cradling Siofra's head in her lap. His wife's hair was matted from the rain and from her blood, the red staining Siobhan's white gown. Her face is bruised and he can't help but let his eyes go wide seeing the bite marks and bruises filling every bare inch of her skin that he could see.

Stepping towards them, he's halted by Siobhan's raised hand telling him to stay away. His heart aches for Siofra. He wants to hold her and tell her that everything will be okay, but was that true?

Siofra can see the pain in Conall's pine green eyes. Siobhan's gentle touch caresses her face and left arm, the spear still protruding out. Siobhan's orange hair sweeps in front of Siofra's face as the Queen leans her face near Siofra's ear.

"You need to let go of the pain," she whispers, her hot breath washing over Siofra's chilled skin. "There are things you cannot change." Her musical voice tried to lull Siofra's mind while her petite yet strong hand wrapped around the spear shaft, ready to pull if free. The pain and guilt that Siofra was holding onto was like a black cloud surrounding her soul. Letting it go would help to free her from evil.

"I don't think so bitch," the hiss comes from the huddled women's right, making them both turn their heads. The smoky fog figure looms in the rain, its brown hair and porcelain face standing out against the black mass. The Spirit Shadow was still bonded to Siofra's soul and she wanted another piece of the wolf's magic.

"Inu," Siobhan hisses, making a move for the dagger on her hip. Siofra had too much turmoil going on within her. Siobhan would have to take drastic measures to ensure that her soul was finally free. She could not let someone of her blood be consumed by the darkness.

Turning her back to the Spirit Shadow, Siobhan raises the dagger in the rain filled air above Siofra's chest. Roars, howls and screams find her, but she ignores them all, bringing the dagger down towards the wounded woman's body. She would send Siofra to the Fae realm to heal as she had before, away from the evil and pain of her mortal life.

Siobhan's action is halted by a sudden and hot flash of lightening. She is thrown into the air, bowling into the stunned figures of Dyson and her husband Kade. Siofra's head smacks the wet pavement with the sudden loss of support, making her cry out.

White spots from the bright flash of light start to fade as she rolls herself to her right side, her hip cracking and shooting white hot pain throughout her leg. She comes face to face with a massive man down on one knee. His short silver blonde hair striking against his black clothing. His perfectly shaped face lifts to meet Siofra's stare with a look of absolute hatred, his white-blue eyes glowing.

Trying to get as far away from him as possible, Siofra scoots herself backwards, her back bumping into someone's legs. The spear is still lodged in her shoulder, making movement to look up at the owner of those legs impossible, so she freezes, unsure of what to do. Panic and fear flood her heart as she sees the man in black clothing stand, towering over her, his glowing eyes still locked onto her being.

"Do NOT touch her Sabra," Kade rumbles, stepping into the small circle that was etched out by the lightning strike. The smell of burnt hair and the Weres pulsing magic filled the air and made Kade's nostrils flare. The dark magic that rolled off of his brother and sister-in-law nipped at Kade's feet, causing him to grimace from the heavy feeling.

Sabra cocked her head to the side, peering at her brother and sister-in-law, a feral grin filling her face. She could feel the mutt's body heat against her calf muscles, the limestone spear head brushing against her dress. Sidestepping to come around to Siofra's front, Sabra grins down at the battered and bruised mutt.

Sabra is surprised at how striking to wolf is, even wet from the rain and her face twisted in pain. The mutt's blue eyes are stunning and her petite figure beckons to be held. No wonder her son was so infatuated with this dog.

"Why do you protect her so?" her words directed at Siobhan, letting out a small giggle seeing the dismay on Siofra's face. Crouching down to be eye level with the bleeding woman, Sabra grips the spear shaft soliciting a sharp cry from the mutt. Running her left index finger through the wolf's blood seeping from her shoulder she makes sure to get a good amount covering it.

Putting the bloodied finger in her mouth, Sabra rolls it around her tongue. The taste and magic make her eyes go wide, getting a soft moan to rumble from her throat. She tasted like autumn; crunchy leaves, pumpkins, the smell of damp earth ruminating throughout Sabra's mouth. Her magic is powerful, probably more than the mutt even knows. It's intriguing and it makes Sabra issue Siofra an evil grin.

"What is it my Queen?" Connor asks, coming to stand beside her, his long and short swords in hand. He issues his brother Kade a sideways smile, happy to see that his presence was unwelcome.

"She's of Fae blood," Sabra almost whispers, looking up at Connor. The magic she tasted in Siofra's blood was magnificent and wild. It was so wild that it sent an invigorating shiver throughout her entire body.

"Get your hands OFF OF HER!" Shamus breaks from behind Penton, gathering his energy by rolling his wrists over and over again. Thrusting his hands outwards he pushes the sphere of power towards the Elvin King and Queen, the red glow and swirl breaking through the pounding rain.

Kade pushes the Druids power away with one swipe of his hand. Giving the man an evil grin, he now knows why they protect her. "Guess we found the reason why they risk their lives for a mutt."

"Hmm...Very interesting," Sabra mumbles, locking eyes with Siobhan. Wrapping her right hand around the spear shaft, she tugs on it, causing Siofra's body to jostle forward and a whimper to escape her lips. Grinning wide enough to show Siofra her jagged teeth, Siobhan leans in closer seeing that the mutt is about to say something.

"What. Do. You. Want from...me," Siofra grinds out, the pain from her shoulder making her see white spots in the corner of her vision. She was so weak; she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Well," Sabra cocks her head, giving the mutt a quizzical look, "I'm not quite sure, but I think it's best if you come with us."

"NO," Dyson growls, stepping closer to the Elvin King and Queen hovering over his mate. His advance is met with a wall of magic, pulsing through the crowd of Weres.

Connor wraps his magic around the angry, tattooed dog and drags him closer. Dyson is unable to move his limbs and his motorcycle boots drag on the pavement. He tries to shift into his Berserker form, but the magic surrounding him tamps it down, angering him even more.

Enraged howls and yips fill the area, echoing through the rain. Conall and his Pack mates attempt to follow but are tossed back though the air by an invisible force, landing thirty feet from where they had stood. Trolls appear and become the barricade between them and Siofra, drool and stink rolling off of the vile creatures.

Pulling Dyson to be nose to nose with him, Connor takes in the dog. His hormones signal that he had bonded with the mutt and it makes Connor chuckle a little into the rain. The dog is trying his hardest to fight against the magic binding him; it's valiant, but unfruitful. Wrapping his massive hand around the dog's meaty neck, Connor displays his jagged teeth, issuing a menacing hiss.

"Be careful dog," he whispers, tightening his grip around Dyson's throat making him gag and choke, "or I'll rip your precious mutt's throat out in front of you and make you dance in her blood." Tossing the wolf back a few feet, Connor nods to his wife to bring the mutt to her feet.

Grinning, Sabra pulls upwards on the spear, yanking Siofra to her feet amidst her cries from the pain. Tears spill down Siofra's cheek as the Queen pulls her to stand between her and Connor, facing Dyson and the rest of the Weres behind the Trolls.

Her wolf goes out to Dyson, searching to make sure he is okay. The magic wrapping around him, keeping his limbs from moving, is dark and thick, making her wolf recoil. The magic tasted like dirt in her mouth, it burnt her tongue like acid and it made her gag, almost falling to the ground heaving up the invisible force.

"She can never be one of you," Shamus grinds out, drawing his long sword. He helped Conall and some of his Pack mates to their feet, nodding to them in silent confirmation to get ready to attack. Looking to Kade and Siobhan, he notes the fierce sadness adorning the beautiful Queens face. She knew something that she wasn't telling; and Shamus needed to find it out.

"Please," Siofra pleads, still gagging from the Elvin Kings magic, "leave them alone." She raises her face to find Conall, his pine green eyes locking onto her teary ones.

"Now why would we leave all these tasty morsels behind?" Sabra coos, shaking the shaft of the spear making Siofra wince and her right leg buckle. Connor keeps her on her feet by holding up the left side of her body, letting his wife play with their toy.

Planting her right foot, Sabra grips the spear shaft, twisting it to the right and pulling it away from Siofra's body; she yanks the spear head free. It does more damage, the pain searing Siofra's soul and making her scream, gripping onto Connor's arm mindlessly leaning into his shoulder. Gasping for breath, she can feel the blood running freely down her chest and arm, mixing with the wetness on her dress from the rain.

"Because," Siofra gasps, her voice more like a croak, "I'll go with you."

"NO," Siobhan screams, snapping her wrists and making another spear appear in her hands. Striking down the first Troll in her sight, she ignites the flame of battle once more. The Weres and soldiers begin roaring to life behind and beside her. Darting between men and beasts, she stands beside the still bound Dyson.

"You cannot do this Siofra," she pleads, meeting the woman's pain filled eyes, "you are meant to do great things." She had a prophecy set out before her that they had yet to discuss, as it was only beginning to unfold.

"Great things, ha right," Siofra scoffs, shifting her weight to try and alleviate some of the pain. "I've already ruined everything. I've cheated on my husband with evil and my wolf has bonded with a second man," she nods to Dyson, finally acknowledging their bond. It wasn't in happiness, but with a twinge of disgust, making Dyson recoil emotionally.

Siobhan gasps at the thought of her blood bedding with Bronton, but the Prince was persuasive, especially with Weres. Siobhan herself had almost fallen prey to him before she was married to Kade, so she knew his charms well. The actions of her body must be killing her inside and Siobhan can't help but feel sorry for Siofra.

"Your mating with Dyson is meant to happen," she keeps her voice level and musical, trying to pull Siofra back into a happy state of mind; "he is another piece to your puzzle. Together, you will make a great impact on this world."

Ignoring Siobhan's pleas, Siofra peers her rain-streaked face up at Connors blazing white-blue eyes. "Will you leave this place, never returning to hurt the Big Sky Pack, my family or any of Broadus, Miles City or for that matter, all of the people I care about, if I come with you?"

Looking at his wife, Connor sees the smile on her beautiful lips. This mutt was a rare find, bringing her home with them would bring power and magic back into their realm. He sees Sabra nod gently, squeezing in close on Siofra's right side.

"Yes," he grins at the mutt, taking his short sword and holding his opposite hand in front of Siofra. Sabra pulls up Siofra's right hand gripping her wrist to hold it next to her husbands upturned palm and Connor makes a quick gash on both. Their blood spills to the ground, mixing in with the rain.

"By the blood," he whispers, summoning all of his power to him. The wind swirls, pelting everyone with rain, thunder and lightning filling the sky.

Dyson drops to his knees, his arms and legs finally free, just as a white hot bolt of lightning fills the sky and circle where his mate had been standing. His hair prickles at the surge of energy in the air.

Conall lunges at a Troll, only to have it disappear in the bright flash of lightening, and he comes to land near Shamus. Laying on the rain covered street, covering his eyes he can feel the Druid praying, his magic pulsing towards the source of the light. He can hear Siobhan's frantic and Banshee like screams, but all that he can feel is his heart ripping from his chest as the light fades.

Only smoke remains where Siofra had stood.

Smoke and three little rings, spinning in the puddle of bloody water. They land perfectly on top of one another, as if they had been stacked carefully.

Her mother's Claddagh ring, her engagement ring and her rose and white gold wedding band; coming to a rest in a mixture of good and evil

CHAPTER TWELEVE:

The ride back south to Broadus had been filled with silence. The Big Sky and Berserker Pack vehicles were flanked by the government issued black Tahoe's of Marcus and his men, their sirens blaring the entire time.

Conall sat in the passenger seat of Kaeton's Trailblazer, leaning his head against the window, staring blindly out the windshield. The rain had lightened to a mist by the time they passed the cemetery just north of town on Park Avenue.

No radio. No conversation. Just the sirens, the hum of the tires on the wet pavement and the swish-swish of the windshield wipers.

The caravan sped through town, not stopping at the one red light and the two stop signs, turning onto Airport Road. Gravel sprayed, brakes screeched and doors flew open as the vehicles poured into the Johnson family driveway. The back and front porch lights went on simultaneously as Conall opened his door, folding himself out of the vehicle, still numb.

Susan flings the sliding glass door at the top of the back porch open as the men approach, still silent. Her face is etched with worry and Conall can see his mother's eyes begin to water as they looked at his face. He couldn't hold his shields anymore as he ascended those familiar steps, tears and sobs wracking his body as he wrapped his arms around his mother.

"Oh no," she cries, burying her face into her sons shoulder. "What, what happened?" she whimpers, pushing him back so that she can see his face.

Mike, Jace and Jason move into the house to tell the females present to put all the children to bed, now. They helped usher them upstairs while all of the other men and Nikki file into the dining room and kitchen. They were all soaked, stripping of their wet shoes and coats, leaving them in the tiny mud room off of the dining room.

Helping her son to sit, Susan looks around at all the solemn faces, searching for some answers. Finally her eyes fall on Shamus, his strong jaw sagging in sorrow.

"What happened?" she questions him, getting right into his line of sight, standing stock still so that he can't ignore her. "Where is Siofra?"

Heaving in a breath to calm himself, Shamus looks down at the fifty-something she wolf, sorrow and pain all over his features.

"She gave herself to the Elves in trade for all of our safety," his white-blue eyes looming over Susan's shocked expression. He was defeated. He hadn't been able to protect his own flesh and blood from evil and it was his fault that she hadn't been prepared for this.

"We need to go after her," Roman grinds out, plopping down into a chair next to his twin Ronald. They each swung an arm over the others shoulder in show of support. Siofra was like the sister they had never had. She had brought Ronald back from the dead when she had sacrificed herself to stop Bronton the first time. Their hearts broke for Conall and they hated to see him sitting across from them, hunched over the table with his face in his hands.

"You cannot go," Penton adds, taking a seat next to Nikki and Kraze. They were cuddled into each other, Nikki still sobbing lightly into Kraze's shoulder.

"Fuck you fairy," Dyson growled, shooting to his feet, "we'll go after her and there ain't a damn thang you can do bout it."

"Shut up Dyson," Mike growls, issuing his Alpha voice. Dyson resists at first, but takes his seat, fuming, in respect to this Alpha.

Sylvia and Cassie join the group having put the children to bed, the other she-wolves gathering in the den, waiting for news. Sylvia fills the tea pot with water, setting it on the stove to boil, while Cassie takes mugs and tea leaves from the cabinets. They each pause in their tasks to place a hand on Susan's hunched shoulders, their eyes tearing, feeling and absorbing the woman's pain.

"Penton is the only one who can go," Shamus adds, sitting next to the former Elvin Prince. He knows it will be hard, but Penton is a great warrior, greater even than his father, Connor.

"Why?" Conall chokes out, raising his face to peer blurry eyed at Shamus. Marcus Sr. pulls a chair next to his son-in-law, resting his arm across the man's shoulders. The man's strength fills Conall with courage, enough to straighten his shoulders and sit with his back against the rails of the chair instead of hunched over.

"Because," Penton begins, looking at all of the angry, sorrow filled faces around him, "I am Bronton's older brother."

Stunned silence looms over the room, faces turning to look at one another. Susan gasps, tears falling from her eyes as she covers her sobs rolling from her with her hands. Clyde stands, wrapping his wife tight to his chest, whispering into her hair reassuring words.

Cassie and Sylvia, still facing away from the men, grab tight to the others hand, squeezing. Siofra was their sister, not only by marriage, but by spirit. They had bonded to the point where they swore they could hear her thoughts, as they knew she could hear theirs if she wanted to. Neither of the women could bare the thought of losing Siofra, and they squeezed each other's hands again, tightly. Tears slide down their cheeks.

Nikki raises her puffy, red face from Kraze's shoulder, wiping the tears away with her shaking fingers. "You're one of them?" she asks, her tone accusatory. How could this seemingly calm man sitting at the end of the table be from the same evil as the man who had hurt her friend?

She had spent three nights and days locked in that dark, damp cell, worrying about her friend. She could hear faint cries, echoing off of the stone walls, the voice of Siofra crying out for help against the onslaught of bites and beatings.

"I was," Penton nods, meeting the teary gaze of Nikki, "but no longer." So many things had led him to abandon his family, all topped off when his brother had killed his love, Helen.

He rested his forearms on the wooden table, confidently looking at the men around him. He knew his heart was pure now, no darkness lingered there. He had taken the oath of Light, giving his life to Kade and Siobhan.

'You can bring her back?" Conall says, running his hand over his face and through his short, soaked, dark hair. He looked over at Dyson and he bet that it was a reflection of himself.

Dyson's t-shirt was ripped and bloody, his face had smears of mud dotting it. The man's huge hands had his face buried in it, his body shaking slightly, vibrating the table. Conall could feel Dyson's rage and heartache tying with his own, their bond through Siofra strengthening their connection.

Feeling eyes on him, Dyson raises his to meet with Conalls'. That man had become a brother to him within hours, their wolves in sync with each other during battle. They were tied together through one being, one love, one woman. They needed their Siofra back and this man to his right said he could get her.

"Can you?" Dyson turns in his chair to face Shamus and Penton, straightening his back, crossing his ankles out in front of him.

Penton nods slightly, eyeing Shamus. "I am going to try," he sees Shamus bristle at the word try, but he wasn't going to plant false hope. Pulling his shoulders back trying to broadcast a sense of confidence to the Weres.

"I will strike down every member of my family if I have to, to bring Siofra home alive." His statement is met with growls of agreement, reverberating throughout the room.

"We will wait here for Kade and Siobhan, if that is acceptable?" Shamus asks Mike, his palm upturned on the table top in question.

Looking from his father and mother to his brothers, Pack mates and Marcus's government men, Mike gets nods in reply. "When will they be back?"

"Once they have massed an army large enough to eradicate the Elves for good. A few days," Shamus nods and looks at Penton who agrees with his statement, "Penton's departure from the Dark Realm with Siofra will undoubtedly bring the Elves to us, so we need to be prepared."

Looking to his second in command, Jace Smithe, Mike adds, "Gather the men. We need to prepare."

Penton stays quiet, lost in his thoughts. He hadn't been home in hundreds of years. He had sworn that he never would.

But Siofra needed him. She was important to everyone who was important to him. She had a destiny and it wasn't in the arms of his younger brother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siofra kneeled in front of the cold stone dais, shivering and still bleeding from her shoulder and palm. Her black dress was ripped to shreds, baring a lot of her body to prying eyes. She was flanked by three Trolls; one on each side and one behind. Their stink rolled around her, making bile rise in her throat.

She had her eyes on the floor, watching the water drip from her hair. It pooled on the slate beneath her knees, trailing down to soak into her dress. Her wolf's magic was pulsing like mad trying to heal her wounds. Her hip was still fractured, aching and throbbing.

"Look at me mutt," Connor rumbled from his throne. Siofra kept her eyes on the floor, ignoring his order. It angered him that this weak woman would still show defiance, even at his feet.

"LOOK AT ME," he roared, slamming his hand on the stone arm of his throne. Flinging a shock of power at her, he makes Siofra writhe in pain, her head rolling back and her screams echoed throughout the dim room. Her body crumples to the floor, still shaking with spasm from his power, her gags, dry heaves and sobs meeting the slate.

It makes a smile cross his lips. Motioning to the Troll behind her, Connor shifts so that his elbows are resting on his knees.

Yanking her by her hair, his fists entangled in the shortened locks at the back of her head, the Troll yanks Siofra back to her knees, her face upturned to look at Connor. She rakes her fingers at the Trolls hand, hitting and slapping to get him to let go.

"That's better doggie," Connor grins down at her, rising to his feet.

Siofra gathers what strength she has left and starts to pull her magic towards her. The air starts to swirl and rises in temperature. Utilizing his long legs, Connor descends the dais, gripping Siofra's shoulders and halting her escape attempt with his own magic.

"Ah,ah,ah, little doggie," he grins, bringing her face inches from his, "you can't leave before we get to the fun part." Releasing his grip on her shoulders, Connor lets Siofra fall once more to the stone floor, motioning to one of his slaves to bring in the Healers.

Throbbing in her head from where the Troll had yanked her hair joins Siofra's pain filled body as she lifts her head to watch the approaching figures. They are hideous and she gasps in fear, trying to scoot backwards away from them. One of them carried a shiny metal collar in its long, bone thin, clawed finger.

"To keep you compliant," Connor almost sings at her, grabbing her retreating wrist, "I've had my Healers make a collar for you." Yanking on her wrist he pulls her forward, bracing Siofra against his chest.

"NO," Siofra screams, pushing her palms against his chest. Connor's arms tighten and Siofra sees the wretched figures move to his sides.

"Come now, father. We will help you," the hoarse, scratchy voice fills the space at Siofra's back, making her muscles go rigid. Connor turns her around, sending pain throughout her right hip, hearing it crack and grind, to face Bronton and Tercel.

Siofra releases a whimper of defeat, her knees going weak. She sags into Connor's arms when Bronton reaches out for her, making a smile caress his lips. His ribs were bandaged, dark black blood seeping through.

"My little Elf," he whispers close to her ear, his strawberry scent washing over her, "hold still and this won't hurt....too much."

She releases an ear piercing scream as Bronton grips her left arm and Tercel grips her right, their fingers biting into her flesh. The wrinkly, rag clothed Healer comes into view in front of her, the silver collar in hand.

Siofra can smell the silver as the Healer brings it closer to her throat, and she sees the creature unhook the lock, opening the collar to slip around her throat. She cries out, pulling against Bronton and Tercel's holds, their nails drawing blood. She closes her eyes as the Healer brings the collar to her neck, the cold metal causing her skin to scream out, and she hears the lock click into place at the back of her neck.

"There you go doggie," Connor whispers into her ear, releasing his hold on her.

The silver drains at her energy, making her knees buckle. She opens her eyes as Bronton swings her falling form into his arms, sweeping her off her feet. Her head bounces lightly against his shoulder, making Siofra grunt in frustration.

"Oh don't worry, little Elf," Tercel remarks snidely, releasing Siofra's arm, "the silver won't bother you too much. It is enchanted metal, made to bind and weaken, not kill."

"Yes, we can't have you dying," Connor exclaims, making all three men laugh heartily. The sounds make Siofra shiver and she can feel Bronton's grip tighten all around her.

Turning to head to his chambers, Bronton adds, "At least not before I get a son out of her!" All three men laugh again. The hollow sound bounces off of the slate, the Trolls joining in with their own harsh laughs.

Siofra can't help but let her tears burn her cheek. They run down her neck and she can feel them slip behind the collar binding her to this world.

This fate was going to be painful.

My family is safe, she thinks as she hears the door to Bronton's chamber creak open. They are safe and that's all that matters.

Sending her powers out towards Shamus, she reaches and reaches till white rims in her vision from strain.

PLEASE, stay away! My life is not worth any of yours. STAY AWAY!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

It was the second night after Siofra had traded herself to the Elves, and the Big Sky Pack was gathered in the back yard of Conall and Siofra's home. They were joined by the Berserker Pack members, were-mountain lion, Leon Sullivan, and vampires, Sebastian and Edvard. Most of the wolves under twenty years old were sent to the Alpha house to stay with the women and children who were gathered there.

Shamus, Penton, and Mikal were joined by Shamus's son Darmin in the task of training the Weres in the art of battle against magical beings. The majority of the Big Sky Pack had been through this before, the encounter from last summer still fresh in their memories. They did their Pack duties, no questions asked, because without Pack, they had nothing.

Anxiety was building within Penton, thinking about his pending travels, as he sat at the edge of the pond looking out over it towards the woods. He would have to face his parents, his sisters and his brothers to bring Siofra home. Yes, he resented them for what they were, how they treated other creatures and their lust for power, but he also remembered all of the innocent times from when he was a child. Before the darkness had crept into their blood.

Closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, Penton leans his head back to face the sky. The air was warm, smelling like fresh cut grass and wild roses. The crickets were chirping away, joined by the faraway hoot of an owl. He can sense the approaching wolf before he can hear his footsteps.

Opening his eyes, he takes in the orange and red sky, turning his face to the left, resting his chin on his shoulder watching Conall walk towards him. Penton's heart goes out to the wolf, seeing his disheveled appearance.

Conall's pine green eyes are dull and lifeless, purple half-moons looming underneath. His normally clean shaven face is covered with almost four days worth of growth, the dark hair on his head un-kept and sticking up all over. Penton sees the man rub his hand over his chin, back of his neck and through his hair as he walks down the dock towards him.

Conall sits with a grunt next to the former Elvin Prince, his anxiety, heartache and pain washing over the magical being. The two men connect with sideways glances, locking eyes for a mere second, then staring out over the pond.

"I'm going to do my best," Penton calmly says, stretching his arms out in front of him. His elbows and wrists crack and pop, the strain of training with the strong Weres making its presence known.

"That's all we ask," Conall almost whispers, his gaze diverted to the water beneath them. It was calm with not even one ripple. He rolled his head side to side, cracking his neck and stretching his shoulders. He hadn't slept much in the last couple of nights; the empty spot next to him on the bed was like a buzzing alarm on his heart.

"There is one thing you should, um, well," Penton stammers and shifts a little, his palms on the wooden planks, "come to terms with." He sets his white-blue eyes on the broken wolf, straightening his back.

"And what is that?" Conall bites out, his anger raising. He can see the Fae give him a 'let me explain' look, but he knows what is coming. More bad news. More upsetting news. He had almost had his fill of bad news.

"My brother has had his way with Siofra," Penton says matter of factley, leaving emotions behind. Conall and Dyson needed to face the fact that Siofra might already be carrying an Elvin offspring, magic in the Dark Realm speeding gestation. What normally took nine months only took three weeks in the Darkness.

The anger rolls off of Conall as he stands quickly, his chest heaving in and out. His fists are clenched at his sides and he turns to make his way back to his home, making the dock shake and ripples fill the pond.

"Conall," Penton pleads, standing to meet the man's stride. They both stop at the beginning of the wooden walkway, facing each other. "She isn't able to resist."

Conall's rage boils over into a horrific howl, leaning his head back and echoing his anger into the waning light of day. His pine green eyes glow into neon green, coming nose to nose with Penton. His breath comes out in short, rapid bursts, his chest heaving in and out. His wolf is pacing, the magic pulsing around him for the change.

"Calm down, I' just trying to..." Penton tries to reason with him, his pleas cut off by the sudden appearance of Shamus at his side.

Seeing the pending altercation, Shamus puts his hand on Conall's shoulder to try and calm him, but it's just shrugged off. The air around his son-in-law is throbbing with magic, his wolf just under the surface of his skin, begging to get out and fight.

"CONALL!" the breathless yell of Mike rumbles towards the three men at the edge of the pond. The Alpha of the Big Sky Pack is followed close at his heels by Jace, Jason, Dyson, Roman, Kraze, Ronald and Trey, their running figures coming to a skidding halt surrounding the three men.

"HE said MY Siofra is sleeping with THAT piece of shit!" Conall growls out, bumping his heaving chest into that of Penton, pushing the Fae back with a hard shove of his hands on Penton's chest.

"He's implying that she would be pregnant with HIS baby by the time we get her back." Conall's voice is cracking and immediately Penton regrets his words. He should've waited to talk about this.

"Penton?" Shamus turns to face him, a shocked expression across his strong, stern face. His eyes search Penton's to see that it's a lie, but they find only truth, causing the hurt to grow in his chest. "Nooo..." he steps back, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," Penton issues, looking at all of the men surrounding Shamus, Conall and himself.

"He was only trying to help Shamus," the musical voice breaks through the thick tension, making all of the men turn to face the pond.

Out in the middle of the water, seemingly hovering on top of the surface stands Kade and Siobhan, flanked by three of their Fae guards. Making their way, hand in hand, to the small group of Weres, Siobhan and Kade walk on the cool ponds surface. Each of their steps sends ripples out around their feet, filling the pond with moving water. They seem to glide across the wooden dock, coming to stand before the raging Conall.

Taking the broken wolf into her arms, Siobhan holds him close, her magic filling his heart replacing the anger and hurt. She can feel the calm come over him, his breath evening out. She releases him into the hands of his younger twin brothers, giving a sweet smile to her one time companion Ronald.

"Please," Kade says to Mike, "send all of your men home to be with their families. As a family, all of you need to hear what we have to tell you." Putting his hand on the small of Siobhan's back, Kade leads her past the group of Weres towards the back porch, Penton, Shamus and their guards close behind.

Ronald and Roman lead Conall behind their friends and brothers, all of the men silent. Dyson falls back into line with them, throwing his arm around the shoulders of Conall, letting the man lean into him. If what Conall said is true, both men will be shattered by the news. Dyson only hopes that Kade and Siobhan have some good news.

Mike, Jace and Jason mill around their Pack mates, telling everyone except Clyde, Bubba and Marcus Sr., that they should go home, that they would call them in the morning. They oblige, but not without many throwing skeptical looks at the Fae ascending the back steps and entering the home.

Ron pulled a chair up for Conall at the head of his dining table, facing the sliding glass door as Roman pulled beers out of the fridge, unscrewing each one and placing them on the table. Clyde Johnson, Bubba Smithe and Marcus O'Hana Sr. were the next to take their seats at the kitchen island, taking the offered beers from Roman straight from the fridge.

Kade and Siobhan sat at the middle of the long table, their guards standing behind and Penton and Shamus flanking them. Kade's big stature made it so that his knees came up to the edge of the table, making it impossible for him to sit more than arm's length from it while his wife's dainty figure graced the cherry wood chair next to him.

Mike, Jace, Jason, Trey and Kraze join them, closing the screen door behind them, letting the slight breeze flow throughout the warm house. Kraze takes a beer and stands behind his twin, leaning against the burnt orange colored walls. Chairs are filled and beers are swigged as the men settle in for what the Fae have to tell them.

Looking to his wife, Kade gets a nod from her, signaling that he may begin their conversation. Clearing his throat, he shifts a little in his chair, making the wood creak and groan with his weight.

"What Penton said is true," he says quietly, directing his gaze from Shamus to Conall and Dyson, "but it's because of the Elvin magic that Siofra has given into him. Her, her wolf, and, her spirit if you will," he continues, looking at all the faces around him, "still fights to be free. She may have made the choice to sacrifice herself to save you all, but her prophecy is too important to let her succumb to the Darkness."

"It would be very grave for Siofra if she is with child when she returns to us," Kade scans the room, seeing that most of the men won't meet his gaze. They are afraid for their Pack mate, some more afraid for Conall. "But it is all part of the prophecy; it will unfold as it will."

Kade's strong, masculine, hypnotizing voice reverberates through the room, resonating in the minds of the wolves in attendance minutes after he has stopped talking, and silence stretching out in the group. They all keep to themselves, contemplating the consequences of what the Fae King just said. Roman is the first to break the silence.

"What is the prophecy?" He said what everyone was thinking, but most were too scared to ask. The Fae King and Queen look over their shoulders at the tall and lanky wolf, a smile creeping into their lips. He was smart and inquisitive like his brother and they liked him already.

"Siofra is very powerful," Siobhan's lulling, musical voice fills the men's hearts with calm as she turns back to address those at the table around her. "She is even more powerful than she realizes and it is our fault that she was not prepared for this," she bows her head a little in shame only for a second, "but her survival is key to ours." She motions to her husband and her guards.

"Why didn't you tell me," Shamus asks, putting his face in his hands, his elbows on the table top. He rubs his face vigorously, turning to face his Queen. "She's my flesh. My blood. I have the right to know."

"She's MY daughter," Marcus roars at Shamus, standing from his stool. Clyde puts his hand on the man's shoulder to push him back down as Siobhan throws up one of her dainty hands to silence the angry wolf.

She had no time for their manly games; she needed to make sure Siofra was going to come home safe. Turning her eyes to her Druid, Siobhan sees the hurt on his face. He had never shown emotion like this before and it shocks the Fae Queen.

"You would have coddled her," Siobhan chides her Druid, looking to him with pity and sorrow. "You would have tried to stop the inevitable from happening, therefore sealing her fate to die."

The statement seared Shamus's soul like a hot iron, sending lightening hot pain up his spine. He shot up from his seat, knocking it back to bang off of the floor. He had been Kade and Siobhan's right hand man for over six hundred years, doing whatever they had asked of him.

The one thing that he had asked of them, when Cecilia had told him to back out of Siofra's life when she was five, was to tell him whenever she would be in danger so that he could keep her safe. They had warned his about Kyle and Kevin Bokan, and Shamus had kept his eye on her, knowing that Conall would save her. They had also alerted him to the blood bond that Kaeton Bokan had made with the Elves, threatening Siofra once more, and Shamus had intervened.

But from the very start, since they had known he was fathering a child, they had known of her prophecy and hadn't told him. He stood facing the blackened back yard through the glass door, his chest heaving in and out, his breathing in short ragged bursts.

"Calm down Shamus," Kade's strong voice issues the command, his power attempting to wrap around the Druid. He had wanted to tell the man when they had discovered the prophecy from a Teller, but Siobhan had forbid it.

"Tell. Me. The. Rest," he bites out in short angry bursts, turning to face the room, his eyes locking onto Siobhan. She had always had an unusual high interest in Siofra and Shamus knew now why that had been.

"Siofra and her mates will banish the Dark; leaving the Light to live in peace. She will make a sacrifice out of love to vanquish the Darkness," Siobhan looked to Dyson and then Conall, but their eyes were both hidden in their hands, "the sacrifice of a child." She almost whispers the last word, but it is heard throughout the room, causing all the men to take in sharp breaths.

"My wife already lost a child," Conall mumbles towards the table, his face still in his hands, "our daughter died almost seven months ago." Casting a peeking glance at Penton, seeing the man's indifferent emotion, Conall quickly slams his open palms on the table, the loud slapping sound making everyone jump in their seats.

"Your daughter was not supposed to die," Kade looks Conall in the eyes, his magic trying to fill the angry wolf, "but the man responsible for her death is in this room. You should have him make his amends before the Pack Alpha," Kade nods towards Mike, and all the men look at each other. "His confession will bring closure and the healing for his mistake can begin, because, he is vital to the survival of this Pack now."

"Who?" Jason asks, his eyes searching the room. Everyone here was family, and none were the silver and white wolf that Siofra had claimed to have seen in the road that night. His gaze falls on the Killian brothers. The other men following his look.

Seeing the questioning eyes on Kraze and him, Dyson puts his hands out in a staying motion. "Hold on a minute, we didn't hurt Siofra." He looks over his shoulder and his brother's posture is shocking. He can read the guilt all over his face, making Dyson jump to his feet, wrapping his hand around his brother's throat.

Kraze answers with a right fist across Dyson's jaw, but his brother holds on, pinning him to the wall, his hand squeezing Kraze's throat. Growling and snapping fill the dining room, all of the wolves on their feet. The air immediately surrounding the Killian brothers is filled with pulsing magic, their wolves on the edge of coming through. Coming nose to nose with Kraze, Dyson issues a low, horrifying growl, showing his brother his enlarged teeth.

"Tell me!!" he roars into Kraze's face, pushing harder against his throat, making his face turn beet red. His hands were starting to change into his Berserker form and he releases his brother's throat, letting him fall to his knees as Dyson backs away to the table. His chest is heaving, his fists clenching and unclenching, fighting the change.

Coughing and choking, Kraze turns watering eyes to his twin, slowly getting to his knees. "I was scouting the town... like, like the Bokan man told us to do," he coughs, clearing his throat and trying to catch his breath. "It was Christmas Eve and you were still in Miles City, setting up the apartment and bank accounts."

The tension in the room is rolling, making the room fill with heat from all the wolves' magic combining and bouncing off of one another. Rubbing his neck, Kraze looks to his brother, seeing the rage flowing freely.

"She caught me by surprise when I was checking out the town. I knew it was the girl that Bokan told us about because of her eyes, sky blue. I ran off when Wayne signaled from his post at the auto shop. I had her scent and I decided to follow it through town, when I got to the field up the road from here." Kraze looked his twin in the eyes, backing himself into the corner of the wall he had been leaning on. The attack felt imminent, but he deserved it for not telling his brother once he realized she was the woman and that Dyson had bonded with her.

"I saw one vehicle pass and because of the snow I couldn't tell that it wasn't the Jeep I had cornered her next to, so I decided to make my way across the road. When the Jeep crested that slight hill and its headlights hit me, I knew it wasn't going to be good. She should've just hit me," he almost whispers, his gaze falling to his feet, waiting for the first strike.

It never came, but was replaced with an angry, yet sorrowful howl issued by both Dyson and Conall. They both pushed through the room, slamming the screen door aside and bounding off of the porch, shifting in midair and hitting the grass as wolves. Conall's midnight black coat vanishing into the dark of night as Dyson's silver and white coat traced their path to the woods.

The Johnson brothers start to head after their brother, but are halted by Shamus. "Let them go," he puts a hand on Jason and Mike's shoulders, "they'll be back."

"A good run will help those two," Kade reassures them, leaning back in his chair, making it creak and groan again. His guards had been on edge and the King's relaxed demeanor calms them, each of them sheathing their swords.

Turning to Kraze with glowing light brown eyes, Mike issues a low growl. "You'll answer for what you've done." He knew they had bigger things to worry about, so he just left it at that, turning and leaving the room to sit on the back porch.

Leveling her eyes onto the wolf responsible for Siofra's accident, Siobhan sighs, knowing he is already paying a little on the inside. Kraze had broken his brother's trust, knowing that the revelation would cut to the bone he had wanted to tell Dyson in private. He'd never have the chance to tell his twin how the knowledge that he had hurt Dyson's mate had ripped him to shreds.

"Some wounds take longer to heal, wolf," she says, her white-blue eyes locking onto Kraze's tearing ones.

Kraze gets up off of the floor, wiping that back of his hand across his nose and eyes. Straightening his shirt, he glances around at all of the men. They all had anger seeping from them like stink on a skunk.

Grabbing his sweatshirt, he stomps out the front door, pulling his Harley key from his jean pocket. He needed some fresh air. He needed time to wallow in his guilt.

Conall and Dyson bounded through the dark woods, pushing themselves faster and faster. Their tongues were hanging out, catching fireflies and junebugs in their open mouths. Their paws padded through the damp dirt, over ferns and over wild rose bushes. They ran and ran and ran, never knowing if the hurt in each of their chests was ever going to stop.

Stopping at a small stream by the secluded tractor road at the very back of Conall's property, both wolves take a cooling drink. Conall issues a loud howl, his voice cracking against the cool night air.

The roaring to life of a Harley perks Dyson's ears, bringing his head up to face back towards the house. The popping of the choppers exhaust fills the calm night air, giving away the drivers escape route towards the center of town were the rest of their Berserker Pack was staying at the Inn. Kraze was leaving.

It was okay. Dyson needed his time to think.

He didn't want to do anything he would later regret.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

Siofra sat on the edge of the soft bed, the sheets pulled up around her to stay off the chill. She pulled and yanked at the collar around her neck, trying to find a weak spot or kink in the lock, but nothing had worked. The metal irritated her hands, but not as bad as she would have thought. She pulled one last time against the object, releasing it with a grunt of frustration.

The dark, cold bedroom was empty besides her. Bronton had left her to her tears after he had been satiated with playing with her. Tentatively, Siofra places her bare feet on the cold slate floor, pulling the bed sheet with her to search for something to wear. Soreness finds her limbs as she slowly makes her way around the bed, making her groan in dismay.

She had fallen under Bronton's spell, giving him all of her. Bruises and bite marks covered her skin. Tears threaten to fall as she recalls screaming his name at the point of falling over the edge of her climax. She was disgusted to the point that when she gripped the edge of the wooden trunk by the door, she suffered a spasm of dry heaves.

The blood dotted bed sheet falls away as Siofra crumples to her knees, her tears flowing as she rests her cheek against the old wooden trunk. Gripping its edges, she lets out an ear piercing scream, letting her frustration and horror fill the sound, the force of it making her throat raw and hot. Her forehead meets the musty smelling wood and she pounds her fists down on the top, making the wood creak and pop with the force.

How could I do this? She kicks herself mentally, letting another scream roll from her chest. HOW COULD I??!!??

The door to the chamber creaks open and Siofra pulls the sheet up around her naked body, scooting into the nearest corner by the trunk. Hastily wiping the tears from her eyes, she braces herself against the cold wet wall, waiting for the figure to come into the room.

"Here doggie doggie," the feminine voice echoes from the doorway, Sabra's pale face peeking around the door. "There you are," a vile smile caresses her lips as she motions to Siofra with one boney finger to come to her. Her fire red hair is astonishing against her porcelain skin and black clothing.

The magic that was forged into her collar forces Siofra to her feet, making her legs carry her to face the Elvin Queen. Her arms go slack to her sides, making her drop the bed sheet and stand naked for the Queens prying eyes. Siofra shivers as Sabra's eyes loom over her, looking her up and down.

Sabra leans in, her nose close to Siofra's neck and she inhales deeply, closing her eyes. The Queen snaps her body back to straight posture and Siofra can see a little disappointment crossing her features.

"I brought you this," Sabra holds out her arm, draped in a black lace dress, "I can't have you looking like a vagabond in front of the entire council." She shakes the dress, her eyes widening at Siofra. "Well take it dog!" her voice rises a little and Siofra snatches the dress, hugging it to herself.

"I see my son has been having quite some fun with you," she smirks, her long dress and floor length hair following her path as she walks around Siofra, inspecting the bites and bruises. Her cold, long fingers rest on a set of hand prints, one on each of Siofra's hips, and Sabra pulls Siofra's back to her front, her lips close to Siofra's ear.

Trembles rack Siofra's body at the Queens touch; fear and loathing making tears rim her lashes. She can feel Sabra's breath on her ear and neck and she can hear the woman inhaling her scent. The Queen's cold, smooth hands trace the bruises, coming to rest just over Siofra's belly button, her fingers interlacing.

"My son's seed grows inside you, doggie," Sabra hisses into her ear, squeezing Siofra's stomach with her interlaced hands. "My grandchild will bring ruin to the Human Realm, making way for our kind to RULE!"

Siofra whimpers at the Queen's words, tears streaming down her cheeks. "NOOO," she thinks, screaming in her mind, "This can't be happening!!"

"Oh but it is doggie," Sabra releases her hold on Siofra, stopping her exit to turn back at the doorway, giving Siofra an evil smile. "You should be excited to give me my first grandchild. And if you're a good doggie, my son might keep you alive to see the child grow up." She leaves Siofra, closing the chamber door behind her.

Siofra releases another scream, running to the bed and burying her face into the pillow. She drops the black lace dress Sabra had brought her, the dainty material floating to the cold floor. They'll have to forcefully dress her if they want her to exit this room. She could care less if they beat or torture her. She wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of a grandchild. Even if she had to die to accomplish it.

It felt like a lifetime passed her by as Siofra lay on that bed, listening to the rain and wind outside of the window. She had run out of tears hours before, resigned to screaming into the empty room, her voice echoing and booming off of the walls. Hurried, heavy footsteps come to the chamber door as it violently swings open, forcing Siofra to sit straight up in the bed.

"Get dressed," Bronton hisses, his white-blue eyes glowing in the dark of the room. His long legs let him cross the room in a split second, his cold hard grip enclosing around Siofra's left wrist, pulling her to the floor by the dress she had discarded. "NOW," he issues, the magic pulsing in the collar, forcing Siofra's limbs to comply, pulling the dress over her head.

Her back is to Bronton and she can feel his fingers lacing the ties up the back of her dress, his breathing uneven and quick. Tying the last ribbon at the back of her neck, she feels his hands smooth the material over her hips, moving to encircle her stomach were only hours before his mother had placed hers.

Pulling Siofra's back to his front, Bronton brushes his lips over her neck above the collar. She can't help but lean back into him, a small moan escaping her lips. Moving his hands up and over her breasts then back down, Siofra can feel the embers of desire ignite inside, causing heat to pool in her stomach.

"Come now my little Elf," he whispers gently, kissing her ear and taking her hand, "you must meet the High Council." He interlaces their fingers, pulling her towards the door.

Siofra slowly opens her eyes as they pass a mirror to the left of the open bedroom door. She is astonished to see her hair is flowing beautifully and her face is adorned with simple, yet elegant makeup. Touching her face, she pauses for a second in awe. It scared her that she liked it.

Bronton gives her a sly smile, squeezing her hand, making her start to follow him out the door once more. She couldn't do anything but follow him, dread and fear encroaching on her heart.

The hallways are lit by oil sconces mounted on the walls, Bronton pulling Siofra into him to ward off her shivers. They walk in silence till they approach the thirty foot high, closed stone doors that lead into the throne room. Pulling her to stand slightly in front of him, Bronton places his left arm around her waist, resting his hand on her hip, squeezing it gently with his long fingers.

"Try not to show fear," he whispers, kissing her right ear, trailing light kisses down her neck, "or they will eat you alive." Siofra's back goes pin straight at his warning, his right arm pushing the doors in front of them open slowly.

The doors creaked and groaned, revealing a well-lit throne room, making Siofra squint, her eyes use to the darkness. With slight prodding from Bronton, Siofra follows at his side, her bare feet shocked by the change in temperature of the slate floor as they enter the throne room. The warm feeling makes her toes tingle, making her stutter step and trip on her dress slightly, Bronton's arm still around her waist holding her up, hopefully making her trip up unnoticeable.

Six new faces joined Connor and Sabra on the dais, three sitting in ornate chairs and three standing regally to their sides. Four men and two women watch as Siofra is escorted to the center of the room, Bronton's arm still around her waist and their hands entwined. Their gazes filled Siofra with terror and she couldn't meet their eyes. She stared straight ahead at the familiar eyes of Sabra and Connor, grins on both of their faces.

Bronton releases his hold on Siofra, giving her a sly smile as his long blonde hair flowed behind his form up onto the dais. He sat to his father's right with a nod and tremendous fear crept into Siofra's soul, being left alone in the middle of the expansive stone floor.

"Kneel doggie," Sabra hisses with a heart wrenching smile on her innocent looking face. She looked like a doll sitting upon her throne. Her flaming red hair was flowing, adorned by a crown of black and silver flames with crystals suspended within the metal. Her dress was a tight corset style, showing off her ample, pale breasts, flowing fully at her hips with lace and tulle. The skirt was black, red and silver, reminding Siofra of a Halloween costume.

The magic pulsed in the collar at her neck and Siofra fell, hard, to her knees, the delicate lace of her dress tearing in tiny spots were her knees scraped on the stone. She tried not to wince, instead looked straight ahead at the mocking smiles of Connor, Bronton and Tercel. She could feel the new eyes in the room on her, but Siofra didn't want to give them the chance to scare her before she knew who they were.

Connor tilted his head, giving Siofra a devious smile. He was dressed in his normal black. A silk looking shirt, the top buttons left open to let his perfectly toned chest peek out, the candle light seemingly dancing on his pale skin. His tight trousers were adorned with silver and red embroidery, boots coming up to his knees covered in the same pattern. The crown he wore was a match to Sabra's, only bigger and more menacing looking. Skulls and bones were weaved in with the flames bent out of metal.

"My prestigious council," Connor's deep voice booms off of the stone walls, quieting the slight chatter that had accompanied Siofra's entry, "I'm pleased to introduce you to Siofra. She is carrying our first grandchild." The smile that graced his lips made Siofra want to release all of the bile that crept into the back of her throat, but this was not a time for weakness.

"Please," Sabra stood and leaned so that the group of newcomers could see her sweeping gesture towards Siofra, "inspect her at your pleasure."

Finally turning her gaze to the Council, Siofra has to stifle a gasp looking at the strange creatures.

The first to rise were a man and a woman, both ten feet tall it seemed like, thin but with muscular builds. Their skin was a dark gray twinge and their eyes were a blazing red color, with black pupils. Siofra couldn't drop her gaze from that of the woman approaching her.

The woman had on a flowing red dress, similar to Siofra's, only more elegant. She had floor length white hair that was braided and adorned with jewels. She placed two long, warm fingers on Siofra's right shoulder as she swept her tall, thin frame around her kneeling figure.

She smelled like smoke and ash, visions of a burning battlefield passed through Siofra's mind. Siofra spotted a long bow slung over her back as the woman completed the circle around her. Siofra was captivated by the real life flame crown that swayed and crackled at the top of the woman's head, the red flame matching her eyes.

The woman came to stand next to the man in front of Siofra, both of them staring down at her. The man had coal black hair that ended at his waist, in a single braid like the woman's. His sleeveless shirt revealed white swirls and tribal markings tattooing his skin, standing out against his gray tone. The red flames swayed lively above his head as well, cracking and popping as if it was a hearth fire. The long, curved sword on his belt reflected the candle light in the room, sending shivers down Siofra's spine.

"Do you know who we are, dog?" The man's voice was harsh and deep, making Siofra think of how scorched wood felt under her fingertips. She tentatively met the man's gaze and slowly shook her head. This pair struck fear in heart, but somehow she felt as if they wouldn't hurt her.

"Don't be RUDE dog," Sabra's voice hisses from her throne, making Siofra's skin crawl, "address them."

Grinding her teeth, trying to keep her mouth shut in defiance, Siofra meets the red eyes before her, lifting her chin. "No," she grinds out, "I'm sorry; I don't know who you are."

The woman's brow furrows as she looks at the trembling wolf. "I am Senga," her voice is soft and billowy, a total deception from her appearance, "this is my husband, Tristan. We are the King and Queen of the Ogres."

Ogres? Siofra thinks, like Shrek? What the hell else could there be. Swamp things? The Loch Ness Monster? There was apparently no black and white in the supernatural world.

All Siofra can do is nod slightly at the couple before her, Senga's red eyes still purveying pity. She fights a few tears back as the Ogre King and Queen turn and take their positions again, Tristan sitting and Senga standing to his right, slightly behind him.

Siofra feels a wave of hatred and repulsion wash over as the next couple stands to approach her. She can tell as she looks at the man that they are related to Connor and Kade. This man looks like a slightly older version of them, his gray hair a mixture of Connor's silver blonde and Kade's midnight black. It is kept back behind his pointed ears, his white-blue eyes trying to bore a huge hole into Siofra.

The woman oozed regality, her waist length white hair in flowing ringlets, a black pearl crown sitting atop. Her sheer, form fitting silver gown showed off her trim figure, and it caught Siofra's eye as the woman bent at the waist to inspect Siofra's face. Her long, thin finger traced Siofra's jaw line from right to left as the woman circled around her just as Senga had. The woman's touch was cold, and Siofra couldn't help but jerk her head from the feeling, a gasp filling the room as she did.

"Your doggie knows not who she insults," the white haired woman hisses into Siofra's ear. She can feel the woman's finger entwining in her hair, a sharp pain filling her head as it is yanked back, exposing her throat.

"Mother," Connor's boom of a voice brings Siofra's eyes open to see the woman's open mouth looming over her, jagged teeth bared. The grip on her hair is released with a growl and Siofra sees Connor and his sons standing on the dais, ready to fight.

The older man laughs, gazing down at Siofra in front of him. "Little doggie," he grins, pulling the woman to his side, "we are Earnan and Rhona. And you are carrying our great-grandchild. It would do you well to learn some respect."

All Siofra can do is nod slowly at their retreating figures, casting her gaze to the floor. She can't do this; she can't sit here listening to these vile creatures talking about how she is pregnant with that monster's child.

She quickly pushes herself off of her knees, with her hands on the slate, teetering on her aching legs. Her vision spots with the rush of blood, causing her to sway, her bare feet stepping on the lace of her dress. She can hear the orders issued for her to kneel, or sit making the collar at her neck pulse and send shocks throughout her limbs, but her weight has been thrown off balance and she can't keep herself from falling to the slate floor.

Siofra's right cheek bounced off of the warm floor, sending a loud crack echoing off of the walls. Tears spilled from her tightly closed eyes as she lay there, a knife-like pain shooting through her stomach and back, making her scream out. It was muffled against Bronton's shoulder as he swept her up, and Siofra could feel a warm wet sensation run from between her legs, down her thigh.

She groaned into Bronton's shoulder, feeling him carrying her across the room. Raising her bruised cheek from his now blood stained shirt, Siofra wipes away the tears, her vision focusing on the fury filled faces of Connor and Sabra. Bronton sets her on her feet, mere inches from his father's throne, and the warm sensation returns to run down her thigh, knee and pooling at her left foot, making Siofra squirm.

"Please," she whispers, another shot of pain filling her stomach, "I'm bleeding."

Connor's anger filled, blazing eyes find the pool of bright red blood at her feet, and his eyebrow rises. "Take her back to your chamber, son. I'll send a Healer." He waves a hand passively at them as Bronton swings her up in his arms once more, hastily exiting the room.

Was it horrible of her that she was wishing that this was the end of her pregnancy? Was it so wrong that she wanted this to all be a nightmare, one that she died and left this life of pain behind her?

She gripped onto Bronton's shoulder with her right hand, pushing her face harder into his shoulder, letting the tears soak his shirt. All she could think of was Conall and the tears in his eyes the morning she had woken up after her accident, when he had told her their daughter hadn't made it.

But how would he feel if she had another man's child? Especially if it was Bronton's?

She hoped she wouldn't have to find out.

Back in the throne room Earnan grinned at his son, placing his massive hand on the seated King. "Well she is a prize, son," he remarks and the other council members agree in nods and low chatter.

"Yes," Tristan agreed with a sly smile, "but didn't you yourself have a doggie just like that one, Connor?" He gave the Elvin King a raised eyebrow, stroking Senga's hand on his shoulder.

"Actually," Connor said with a chuckle, "my doggie is still here." Motioning to some of his personal Trolls to come forward from the shadows, a slow smile creeps to his face.

Two bulky, smelly, chain adorned Trolls huff into the light with a slender woman in between them. She had a similar collar around her neck, chains on her wrists and ankles. Her blue eyes squinted in the candle light; they were used to her dark cell where she had spent the last eleven years. Her curly brown hair was un-kept, swaying at her waist, tangles and snarls mangling the normally beautiful locks.

"My dog," Connor smiles at the woman's distraught face, "is Bronton's dog's mother."

Laughter fills the throne room, bouncing off of the cold slate walls. The hollow echoes and menacing sounds bore into Cecilia's heart.

She had watched from the shadows, flanked by her two captors, as her daughter was paraded in front of these vile creatures. Her heart had broken that day when Bronton had walked past her cell, pausing at the door to flaunt Siofra in front of her.

Rage filled her heart and tears flowed down her cheeks as the laughter rumbled around her.

They would pay for what they had done. She would save her daughter from the torture she had endured.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

The smell of blood awoke Penton from his troubled sleep, his groggy eyes finding him still out on the back porch of Conall and Siofra's home. The smell made his heart race because it wasn't just any blood, it was Siofra's blood.

She had been there in his dream, dressed in a flowing black dress, standing at the edge of a cliff near Devil's Canyon. Fighting was all around him. Fae and Weres against Trolls, Ogres and his own family, the Elves. Growls, roars and the sounds of clanging metal filled the air, fueling the need for battle within all of those involved.

He had been close enough to Siofra to reach out and grab her. He could see the tears staining her face, the blood on her hands as she looked to him for mercy. His sword was lowered, approaching her teetering figure.

"Please," Siofra had begged him, gripping his shoulders. He was so thrown off by her that he hadn't noticed her left hand grabbing his sword by the blade, forcing it into her slightly rounded belly as she pulled him toward her.

The gasping sound that found his ears, he can still hear even now, being awake. He had pulled his sword free, covered with Siofra's blood. Looking into her face with astonishment, Penton only found grace and thanks, a sweet smile caressing her lips.

She had kissed him lightly on the cheek, releasing his shoulder and falling off of the side of the cliff, her dress slipping through Penton's still shocked fingers. He had screamed and scrambled to catch her, but she fell away, into a swirling black cloud.

He was sweating, even in the cool summer night air. He sat up on the swinging love seat, placing his bare feet on the damp wooden planks beneath him. He had to make his move now, before it was too late.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Penton stands, opening the sliding glass door. There were sleeping bags dotting the living room, dining room and den of Conall's home. His brothers and friends and even Shamus had opted to stay here. Dyson and some of his Pack were in the upstairs family room, Penton could pick out the mute wolf Wayne's loud snore.

Searching the rooms, stepping over the sleeping men, Penton finds Shamus in the living room. He stifles a laugh as he stares at the seven foot man, curled up in the fetal position, stuffing himself onto the loveseat. The ancient and powerful Druid looked so childlike with his face turned up, snores following his heavy breathing.

Clearing his throat loudly, Penton stifles another laugh as Shamus jumps, practically falling off of the small loveseat. Shamus whips his silver and black hair off of his face, peering at Penton with an anger filled expression.

"Wha...what, what is wrong? Are they here?" Shamus jumps to his feet, pulling his black jeans off of the chair next to him, hurriedly putting them on. He calms when Penton puts a hand on his shoulder.

"No, I just," Penton stammers, still dealing with the image of Siofra's blood on his sword and hands, "I must go now. Please help me wake the others."

Shamus just nods, seeing the hurt and anxiety in Penton's face. Something troubled this strong warrior to the point where he was emanating a sense of urgency, panic, and trepidation. Rising, he follows Penton into the dining room, shaking shoulders as he passed. Climbing the stairs while Penton goes into the den, Shamus enters the family room first.

Dyson was sprawled out on the pull out sofa, his tall figure barely covered by the SpongeBob blanket that was thrown over him. Bryan, Red and Wayne are dotting the floor, snoring away as Shamus makes his way to shake Dyson's shoulder.

Dyson jumps at the Druid's touch, his dirty blonde hair mussed and sticking up as he turns sleepy golden eyes on Shamus. Anxiety immediately fills the room and Shamus can tell that the wolf had been having a nightmare.

"What?" he harshly whispers, stirring his Pack mates out of their slumber.

"All of you get dressed, quickly," Shamus orders, leaving the room to get Conall.

He didn't have to go into the bedroom as Conall swung the door open just as Shamus reached for the door handle. He was pulling a worn out Chevy Camaro t-shirt over his head; his dark hair sticking out at all angles, as Shamus stood there. His facial hair was grown in, longer than Shamus had ever seen before and he could tell the wolf hadn't been sleeping much.

"What's wrong?" Conall's voice was harsh with fatigue, purple bags hung below his normally vibrant green eyes.

"Penton will be departing. We need to be on our toes," Shamus heads back down the stairs, Conall and the Berserkers on his heels.

The smells of coffee, bacon and eggs was already filling the kitchen, Trey and Jace at the helm, as Conall entered, noting that the time was only 3:30 a.m. Mike, Jason, Roman and Ron were seated at the table, all yawning and still half asleep.

Penton emerged from the back porch, his sword belted on his right hip, adjusting his leather jacket that held some of his magical tricks and weapons. He looked around at the distraught wolves, his gaze falling on Dyson and Conall, side by side. The flash of Siofra falling off the cliff flew through his mind, making him wince and blink hard, fighting it out.

"I'm sorry to wake you all so early," Penton nods in apology, adjusting his sword belt, "but I'll be leaving through the portal in the woods. Everyone needs to be alert; I'm not sure how long it will take me to get her back here."

Rubbing his face vigorously, Roman turns his sleep laden eyes on the Fae warrior standing at the sliding door. "What should we do?"

"We'll stay here, on alert for anything," Shamus announces, taking an offered cup of coffee from Jace. "We'll work shifts on guard, some by the woods, the rest here on the porch." The men nod in agreement, Mike taking out his cell phone to call some more Pack members.

Penton was filled with anxiety, his hands starting to shake. He was afraid that he couldn't save Siofra, that he wouldn't be enough to bring her back. "I've got to go," he whispers towards Shamus, putting his hand on the door.

"Alright, let's follow him out, go over the plan," Conall stretches up out of his chair, reaching his palms to the ceiling. Everyone files out behind him, following Penton off the porch, making his way to the tree line.

"Where is the portal?" Dyson asks his voice still raspy with sleep. A nightmare of cradling a bloody Siofra had plagued him mercilessly tonight, the image of blood gurgling from the side of her lips burned in his brain.

"By the old tractor road," Penton pointed through the woods, his sword glinting in the slim moonlight. Stopping at the edge of the woods, he turns to face the wolves before him.

"Those who take their shift here need to keep their ears and noses open," his white-blue eyes make sure everyone is paying attention, "when I make it back through, I'll make sure to issue a howl like this," leaning his head back he let out a heart breaking howl, making the men around him answer his call with their own.

"If Trolls or Ogres make it through before me, you'll be able to smell them, so be sharp," the wolves nod at him, fully awake from their howl. Turning to Shamus, he extends his arm.

"I know you can save her," Shamus says, taking Penton's arm in a strong shake. He was showing Penton the emotional side, his human side, that he kept hidden most of his seven hundred years. It was heart breaking to Penton.

Nodding, he releases Shamus's arm, looking to all the wolves around him. They had hope in him; he could feel it all around him like a light mist on the wind. It made him feel good, it lightened his chest. Nodding to Conall and Dyson, Penton turns and heads into the woods.

Getting far enough into the trees where he knows the wolves can't see him, Penton stops, taking a ragged breath. His family would know as soon as he passed over into the Dark Realm, so he had to be prepared. Running at full speed, dodging trees and jumping bushes, Penton stops before the portal, drawing his sword and pulling his limestone dagger from his boot.

Taking another deep breath of the cool, forest air, Penton steps through the shimmering space of air, coming into the wet, dark, eerie space of his old home. It was raining like usual and there was a faint smell of smoke in the air.

Keeping his senses on edge, he started his trek to his planned hideout.

"Welcome home brother," he hears the familiar voice of Bronton vibrate through his mind, making his steps falter. He would have to work fast.

"It's good to be home," he retorts, a smirk caressing his lips.

And it was going to be even better to deliver Siofra back to her family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Siofra awoke in pain, her arms tied above her head to the head board of Bronton's bed. Lifting her head slightly, fighting against the pain that filled her body at every little movement, she sees Bronton sitting at the end of the bed, his bare back to her.

His long blonde hair had been braided, ending at the very top of his hips. His knees where up to his chest and Siofra could see his chest rising and falling in rapid breaths.

She had been subjected to hours upon hours of painful rituals performed by the Healers after Bronton had brought her back from meeting the Council. One had straddled her on the bed, its weight excruciating, rubbing herbs and potions on her stomach and body that burnt her skin. The bleeding had stopped and the Healers had reassured Bronton that it was nothing to worry about, that his son was growing strong, which only depressed Siofra more.

"Bronton," she whispers, trying to be gentle. His white-blue eyes find her, his pale, muscular form crawling up beside her on the bed. His warm fingers caressed her face, neck, and chest and rested on her belly. His touch made her notice that her stomach had grown already, making her worry even more.

He smelled like the familiar strawberries, mixed with a dash of mint, and Siofra's eyes involuntarily rolled back letting a moan escape her lips. Bronton kissed her lips lightly, tracing her jaw and nipping lightly on her neck.

"Why am I tied," she whispered, desire dripping from her voice. His touch sent tingles up her spine and when Siofra arched her back to meet his fingers with her skin, a white hot pain shot through her body, making her scream out.

Grabbing her tight against him, Bronton tries to soothe the pain, washing his power over the screaming Siofra. "Shh shh shh," he whispers, running his hands over her hair and cheek, stroking the side of her neck, "don't move like that Little Elf, your still healing. Your body is sensitive because of my son."

Siofra groaned, pulling against the restraints on her hands. She hated that everyone kept reminding her that she was carrying his child. She hated them. She hated herself. She hated the monster growing inside of her.

"Please," she whispers, tears rimming her eyes as Bronton looks into them, "please, I can't do this." She raises her head to see him better, her eyes pleading.

"Of course you can," Bronton says a small smile on his lips as he traces her cheek with his fingertips. Kissing her, he pulls her forehead to rest against his, letting his scent wash over her again.

"Our son will be a great King," his voice displays eagerness, "he will bring my people to rule over all those below us. The way it should be," he smiled at her, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Please untie me," Siofra whispers, her desire growing by the second having Bronton touch and kiss her. It disgusted her to think of, but her body betrayed her at every turn.

"I can't," his voice was harsh with desire, his hot breath creeping around her neck. It seemed to crawl underneath the collar at her neck, staying there and tingling her skin. "My brother is looking for you; you need to stay here till we get rid of him."

Her mind snaps back to the here and now at the mention of Penton, her eyes going wide with hope. She has to make sure she keeps it hidden, disguising it as desire when Bronton captures her mouth in his. He even tasted like strawberries, the warm cavern of his mouth inviting and dangerous at the same time.

Cupping her face with his hand, Bronton pulls his mouth from Siofra's, stroking her cheek with a smile on his face. "We can't make love my Little Elf," he whispers, kissing her chin, "not until the Healers have checked you again."

"No," she whispers, leaning into his body, "it hurts when they are here." She wanted to act helpless, and then maybe Bronton would untie her.

"Shh, shh, shh," Bronton sits, sliding from the bed. His pale skin reflected the meager candle light from the side table, making him look ghostly. "Just sleep a little more; I'll be back with some food." He pulled on a shirt; his back and shoulder muscles rippling, as he headed for the chamber door.

"No, please," Siofra whimpered, "don't leave me here." The darkness and quiet was getting to her, making her think she was hearing things. Maybe she was hearing eerie voices, but she didn't plan on staying long enough to find out.

"I'll be back my Little Elf," the door creaked open and Bronton looked back at Siofra, her face filled with fear, the way he liked it, "and please, try and be quiet." With that, he pulled the door closed behind him, leaving Siofra alone.

She pulled relentlessly at the ties holding her hands, frustration spilling over. Siofra screamed into the darkness, tears spilling over and soaking the pillow behind her head.

"Penton," she sent out with her mind, searching relentlessly for him, throwing mental walls up to try and block others from hearing her, "I'm in his bedroom, I'm tied, hurry, please."

"I'm coming," she hears in return, Penton's voice loud and clear, "stay calm. I'll take you back home."

Home. Could she go back home and face everyone with this monster growing inside of her? She didn't think she could.

Siofra closed her eyes, fighting the screams that wanted to roll out.

How could her family and friends forgive her if she couldn't forgive herself?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

The sun was high in the blue Montana sky, signaling the lunchtime hour. Conall raised his hand to shield the light from his eyes, scanning the tree line for anything. He had taken the first part of the morning, while his other Pack members kept watch, to shave the almost week-old beard had begun to bother him.

He rubbed the smooth skin of his chin, glancing to his right to find his brothers Roman and Ronald emerging from the trees. They had thought they smelled something and had gone to investigate. Meeting Roman's chocolate brown eyes, Conall sees him shake his head, issuing a negative response.

It was about time for the shifts to switch so Conall and his brothers could eat something, so Conall turned his gaze to the approaching footsteps at his back. A group of ten Fae guards approached, adorned in full armor, the sun bouncing off of the silver and gold metal.

Siobhan and Kade had arrived not long after Penton had departed, bringing with them an army of over four hundred warriors. The heavily armed men and women were scattered all over the expansive yard and field next to Conall's home, keeping tight conversation with themselves.

"The Queen says you may go now wolf," one of the warriors issues to Conall, nodding towards Roman and Ronald. "It's good to see you Ron," the green haired Fae says with a smile, pointing for his companions to fan out.

"It's good to see you too, Mayland," Ronald shakes the Fae's offered hand, giving him a quick smile.

Stepping around Mayland, Conall says, "Eyes open," giving him the two fingered point at his eyes then at the woods.

"They always are," Mayland nods his head, letting the wolves depart for some lunch.

Heading up the slight knoll from the woods to the backyard, the three Johnson brothers are silent until a small laugh rumbles from Ronald's throat. His two brothers send him tired, not interested looks, bounding up the steps to the back porch.

"What do you think is so funny, Ron?" Roman asks, his voice filled with tight sarcasm as he hands out beers from the fridge.

"What Conall said to Mayland," another small laugh finds confused looks, and Ronald stifles it with a quick swig of his Budweiser. "It's just that Conall told him to keep his eyes open, and well, Fae warriors go through extensive sleep deprivation training. Sometimes they are kept awake for weeks at a time."

"Hmm," was all that Conall muttered, making himself two cold cut sandwiches from the items that were laid out on the island. His mother Susan had stopped by quickly with a van load of groceries, letting Conall hug and kiss Roan before she took off for home again. The twins had stayed behind at his parents' home, with the other she-wolves gathered there to protect the pups.

The three brothers sat and ate in silence, joined by some of their other Pack members. The Fae had all but taken over guarding the woods, Kade and Siobhan sitting regally on the back porch, swinging lightly in the loveseat that Clyde and Conall had built for Siofra when she was pregnant with the twins.

Conall pushed his plate, with a pile of un-eaten potato chips, over to Dyson, knowing he would finish them. They were scary in-sync, each knowing what the other was thinking and sometimes feeling. Conall could tell Dyson was still hungry. They give each other small smiles, their eyes quickly diverted to the opening front door.

The walls hide the approaching figures, but Dyson would be able to pick out the sound of those motorcycle boots anyplace. They had a distinctive click, a chain on the side of the left one hitting a spike they had punched into the leather themselves. Dyson stands along with the rest of the wolves seated in the kitchen, meeting the approaching Kraze, Casey and Rich. Nikki peeks, red rimmed eyes from around Kraze's shoulder, giving Conall a smile laden with sadness at his situation and the emptiness left by her departed friend.

The twin's eyes lock, feeling the anger starting to boil in Dyson's chest Kraze puts his hands up, showing his surrender. He couldn't survive with Dyson hating him, so he had come to pay for his actions, hopefully to seal their wounds and mend their relationship.

"I'm sorry," he issues, stepping slowly closer to Dyson, "I'm here to pay for my crime." He let all his shields down, sending out a wave of surrender throughout the room, letting everyone know how truthful his statement was.

"You'll pay with blood, brother," Dyson grinds out. Anger, sadness and forgiveness were at war inside of him, pulling at his heart. He needed his brother, just like he needed Siofra and Conall. Kraze was a part of him, and if he was to leave, Dyson was afraid he would fall apart.

"I know," Kraze lowers his gaze, accepting his price.

Dyson turned to Conall; he could feel the pain rolling off of his heart. Dyson can't even imagine what that man had gone through last Christmas, losing his daughter while his wife fought for her life. He would let Conall issue the punishment.

"To the yard then," Mike issued his Alpha voice, his Pack following it without question.

Kraze walked out behind them, not meeting the gaze of Kade and Siobhan seated on the swing, or that of the Fae warriors sitting in the grass. Nikki clung tightly to his right arm, fearing for him. When he stopped in the middle of the circled wolves, Kraze cupped her face, kissing her forehead lightly.

"Go on," he pushed her lightly into the arms of his friend Rich Tereveaux, "I'll be okay." He gave her a sweet smile, trying to dry the tears in her eyes.

"Kneel," Mike issued to Kraze, standing before the guilty wolf, pushing him to his knees with forceful hands. The magic was pulsing in the air, all of the wolves on edge. Kraze shrugged his leather jacket to the ground, baring his shoulders in his grey tank top to the afternoon sun. His tattoos seemed to dance in the light with his magic.

"What punishment will be issued?" Mike turns and asks Dyson, his palms turned up in question.

Dyson looks to Conall, the man's pine green eyes edged in a neon glow. Pulling a silver bladed pocket knife from his jeans, Dyson hands it to Conall, grasping his hands and holding them in his for a mere second. It was a tremendous gesture of faith, giving Conall the power to take someone who meant so much to him away from Dyson if he wanted.

Nodding, telling Conall it was okay, Dyson released the hold he had, leaving the folded knife in his hands. Stepping up next to his brother Mike, Conall unfolds the knife, letting the sun sparkle on the silver blade.

It was the knife Dyson and Kraze's parents had given them on their seventeenth birthday, and Kraze had his in his pocket. It had a pearl handle, their initials engraved on a plate attached to it. The blade was etched with the images of two wolves, their heads back, howling at a blood red moon. The knives were an example of excellent craftsmanship, their father being the one who had made them.

There was a lot of anger inside Conall, reliving those days at the hospital. His daughter was so tiny, that when the nurse said he could reach his hand into the NICU incubator, he had paused, afraid he would hurt her. Tubes and machines were hooked up all over her, leaving barely an inch of uncovered skin, her diaper four sizes too big, but it was the smallest the hospital had. Conall had reached his hand in, brushing an enormous looking index finger along his baby girls arm, feeling her twitch at his touch. He had been marveled by how tiny her fingers were and when they had wrapped around his index finger, he had gasp, getting the attention of all the nurses.

The moment had only lasted for a second, but it was beautiful none the less. It brought tears to his eyes, even now, standing in the bright sunshine in his backyard. Conall knew then, looking down through teary eyes at Kraze, that he couldn't kill this man.

It had been an accident, a horrible one, but an accident all the same. Forgiveness was a powerful thing, one that could lighten your heart and soul. Taking a deep breath, Conall wiped away his tears, reaching his right hand out towards Kraze.

"Give me your right hand," he growled, looking at the man's golden eyes.

Confused, Kraze complies, holding his right hand out, palm up, towards Conall. He sees the man's trepidation, his choices rolling through his mind, and Kraze braced himself for anything.

"I forgive your crime against my family," Conall says, grabbing Kraze's outstretched hand, "and I offer you a place within my Pack, as my brother." He pauses, letting his green eyes meet the astonished golden ones.

"Do you pledge your life to this Pack? Will you give your life for any of its members? Will you act hastily, no matter where you are called? Will you give yourself to Pack justice should you ever wrong any of its members?" Conall paused, the knife above Kraze's palm, waiting for the answer. He was throwing the man a life preserver, if he was smart, he'd take it.

Looking beyond Conall to his brother Dyson, Kraze sees the forgiveness in his eyes as well. It filled Kraze with purpose and pride, knowing these men were trusting him to make the right decision. "I do," he whispered, looking back to Conall.

"By the blood," Mike says, taking the knife from Conall, dragging it along his, Conall's and Kraze's palms. The Johnson brothers let their blood drip down onto Kraze's open wound, sealing his place as their brother. Clenching their palms shut, the three men can feel the magic pulse as their skin starts to close.

Dyson places his arm around Conall's shoulder, thanking the man silently for his forgiveness. Kraze gets to his feet, picking his jacket up off of the grass as the wolves around him shake his hand, making their way back into the house. He would have to show these men that Conall hadn't been weak, that he deserved this chance.

Making is way up the porch steps flanked by Roman and Ronald, Conall can feel Kade's eyes on him. Everyone files into the house before him, leaving him alone with the King, Queen and some of their guards. Their white-blue eyes find his, peering from beneath heavy lids.

"You showed great power just now," Kade's voice was deep and thick, washing over Conall like the cool water in his pond. "Most men would have killed him."

"I'm not most men," Conall issues, taking up his path back into the house, closing the screen behind him.

"No," Kade but whispers to his wife as Siobhan lays her head on his shoulder, a sweet smile on her face, "no you're not. You're our Siofra's mate."

The two enjoyed the slight breeze, swinging back and forth, absorbing the remnants of Siofra's energy that was left in the wood of the swing. They both had smiles on their lips, knowing that Siofra would soon be home.

Where she belonged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Penton was just outside the entrance of his family's castle, if you could call a dank, dreary cavern on a high ledge looking down, a castle. His white-blue eyes were glowing in the darkness that surrounded him, watching three massive Trolls meander back and forth across the cave mouth.

He had both his long and short sword in hand, their blades resting in the mud beside his crouching legs. His limestone dagger was wedged in his boot; ready for close combat should he be disarmed. He watched the ugly creatures go back and forth, back and forth, grunting to each other.

There was no time like the present.

Penton's lips curled back in a feral grin, revealing his jagged teeth, leaping into the air, falling towards his victims. The Trolls stench hit him like a freight train when he landed on the biggest ones back, thrusting his long sword into the base of his skull.

The creature had no time to react, falling to the ground like a heavy sack of rocks, grabbing the attention of his two companions. Their orange eyes glowed against the darkness, steam rolling from their mouths as they roared at Penton. Their movements were slow and cumbersome dealing with their size and girth, giving their attacker plenty of time to react.

He withdrew his bloodied sword, wiping it on his pant leg as the two creatures charged him, their clubs swinging wildly above their heads. Ducking and side stepping the first, Penton slows him down with a clean swipe of his short sword to the back of his calf, reveling in the painful roar the Troll issues.

The second one almost hit him with the club; Penton could feel the breeze from it as it rushed past his head. Bringing his long sword across his body in a wide sweep, Penton slices a large gash in the Troll's stomach, spilling his intestines. Their blood smelled even worse compared to their normal stench and it burns the inside of Penton's nose.

Two quick swipes in a circular motion and both fallen Trolls are beheaded and silent; their dark blood spilling on the rain covered stone slabs. He has no time to catch his breath, so taking in his surroundings, Penton ducks into the cave opening, delving into his childhood home.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

Siofra was still picking at the food Bronton had brought her, her hands still tied, but in front of her now, connected to a chain on one of the posts at the end of the bed. She sighed, leaning her back against the pillows, pushing the plate towards Bronton's stretched out figure at the end of the bed.

"You really should eat more, Little Elf," Bronton says, sitting up and taking the plate to the table by the door. He was shirtless, his pale form strikingly perfect in the candle light. His black trousers went to his knees, showing off his tight calf muscles. When he turned back to face her, Siofra had to shake her head, caught in the trance that was Bronton's magic.

He had seen it though, a wide smile filling his handsome face. Making it across the room in three long strides, he launches himself onto the bed, crawling up to face a shocked Siofra. He couldn't help but let a light laugh skip his lips, feeling the fear creep off of her towards him.

His movements had shocked Siofra, but as he hovered over her on his hands and knees, Bronton's scent washed over her, making that damned desire rear its head in her belly. Her body trembled slightly feeling his body heat over her, his hips so close to hers. Her legs involuntarily open, bringing her knees up around his hips, the light material of her dress falling between them.

Leaning forward, Bronton captures Siofra's mouth, delving his tongue into her willing mouth. His hunger only heightened Siofra's desire, a moan escaping and rumbling through their frenzy of lips. He laid his full weight down on her, running his hands through her hair and across her cheeks.

Pulling his lips from hers, Bronton smiles down at the passion flushed Siofra, "We can't my Little Elf," he whispers as he moves to lie at her side, his hand resting on her slightly rounded belly. The warmth left her and Siofra whimpered in disappointment, resting her chained hands on Bronton's shoulder.

Laughing lightly, Bronton kisses her forehead, rubbing his thumbs along the side of her neck. "Besides I have someone to keep you company," he smiles, sliding off of the bed. Siofra sat up slowly, the pain in her abdomen returning, watching Bronton slowly move to the chamber door.

"Who?" fear crept into her voice as she thought they might have captured Penton and were planning on torturing him in front of her. Seeing the smile on Bronton's face, Siofra's stomach drops, bile threatening to rise in her throat. She holds her breath as he turns the door knob, closing her eyes as the familiar creak fills the silent space.

"Siofra!?" the familiar female voice finds her, snapping Siofra's eyes open. Before her stood someone she thought she had said goodbye to eleven years ago. Her face was aged slightly, her curly brown hair streaked with a minor amount of silver. Her eyes were the same, that constant bright blue that Siofra saw in the few pictures she had around the house of her youth.

"Mom?!" she gasped, getting to her knees ignoring the pain shooting up her back and through her stomach. Tears fill her eyes as she watches the woman step into the room, the candle light shining off of the familiar collar around her neck. "Mom!!"

Siofra leapt from the bed, the chain restraining her hands jangling against the post, letting her get halfway to the door. Her unsteady feet hit the cold stone, making her fall to one knee, but Cecilia caught her daughter by the elbow. The touch sent warmth throughout both women, tears spilling over their cheeks as Siofra rises to meet her mother's gaze.

"Fry," Cecilia chokes out, her thumb stroking her daughters cheek, wiping away some of the tears. She had thought she'd never feel the delicate touch of her daughter ever again, but she was happy she was, even under the circumstances. She had been locked up for so long she thought she'd never see another Were again, but here she was, standing in front of her daughter no less.

Seeing the tears in Siofra's eyes welling over again, Cecilia takes her in a tight hug, wrapping her arms around her daughter. She enjoyed her daughter's autumn leaves and cinnamon scent, burying her face in Siofra's hair. Their sobs filled the space between them, so much so that neither of them heard Bronton leave, locking them in the room behind him.

Moving them both to sit at the edge of the massive bed, Cecilia cradles her daughter's face in her hands, marveling at how much she reminds her of herself at 27. She was beautiful, her sky blue eyes still as striking as ever. Her brown hair had been different the last time she had seen her, but the Elves magic can change anything they want it to.

"How?" Siofra mumbled, her voice thick with emotion. She had spent so many nights as a teenager, laying in her twin bed in her upstairs bedroom, wishing her mother would come back. She wished she had never driven to Lilydale, that she had never gone to see that stupid psychic. Wishing that it hadn't been snowing that night, blaming her father for not making sure her mother's car had the best snow tires.

Now she sat in front of her mother. Her living, breathing, crying, talking mother. Taking her in a tight hug, Siofra just holds her close, letting her lilac scent wash over her, filling her nose and mouth, cascading over her pallet till she can taste the lilacs, wet from a light summer rain. "How?" she asks again, not wanting to let go.

"On the way back from the psychic," Cecilia pulled her daughter forward so that she could look into her eyes, "it was snowing pretty badly. Then in front of me in the road was this giant man with silver blonde hair, just standing there, so I swerved. Sitting upside down, the man came to my window, his white-blue eyes smiling at me. Shamus came when I called, but he couldn't get me out."

Tears found Cecilia recalling that night. She had prayed to every God and entity she could think of to keep her family safe as she could smell the gas pouring from her mangled car. She kissed Siofra on the cheek, pulling her mouth close to her daughter's ear.

"When the car exploded, I somehow ended up here. Connor had captured me, to keep me as his pet," she spit the word out like it was poison in her mouth. Her daughter had no doubt gone through the same, if not more, torture as she had. Cecilia ran her fingers along Siofra's collar, feeling the power tingle throughout her hand.

"Oh, mom," Siofra hugged her mother tighter, knowing that they shared some of the same scars. Feeling a tight movement in her stomach, Siofra groans, knowing she needs to tell her mother about her specific situation.

Filling her in on what had happened since the birth of Roan, Siofra takes Cecilia through the last three years. The mother and daughter pair sat at the end of Bronton's bed, chatting and crying, holding each other and just looking at one another for hours. Siofra cried on her mother's shoulder, telling her how she had no control over her desire when Bronton was near, and how she was carrying his child.

"It will be okay Fry," Cecilia issues into her hair, smoothing it with her hands and rubbing Siofra's back. She could feel that this predicament was tearing her daughter apart, the anger and sadness rolling off in waves.

"Mom, will you stay with me?" Siofra lifted her tear streaked face from her mother's shoulder, gazing into those familiar eyes.

"Of course my little Fry," Cecilia answers with a smile. Crawling back onto the bed, the women pull the blankets over them, cuddling into each other like they use to when Siofra was a child.

Cecilia breathed deep, inhaling her daughters scent as they drifted off to sleep. They needed the closeness, Siofra more than her. She would stay as long as her daughter wanted her to, staying off the demons.

Cecilia would make sure the man who did this to her daughter would pay. She will kill him herself if it comes down to it.

Her eyes were beginning to become heavy when Cecilia heard the commotion outside the chamber door. Shouts and metal clanging get her to sit straight up in bed, shaking Siofra from her slumber.

A man with swords drawn bursts through the door, slamming it shut behind him. His white-blue eyes locking on the two huddled women.

"Don't come any closer!" Cecilia shouts, putting her arms in front of Siofra, subconsciously protecting her.

"Siofra, you must hurry!" the man's voice is hurried, but musical, filling the space between them.

"Penton!" Siofra almost shrieks, jumping from the bed, meeting her rescuer in the middle of the room. "You came."

"Of course," Penton broke the chains on her wrists with one twist of his hand, freeing her, "I said I would."

"Siofra you know this man," Cecilia questioned, hesitantly getting down from the bed. Her eleven years of captivity had made her weary.

"Who is this Siofra?" Penton nods towards the other she-wolf, seeing that she looks an awful lot like his rescue.

"This is my mother," Siofra smiles, taking the woman's hand, pulling her close. "Mom, this is Penton. He works with Shamus."

Penton mentally groans to himself. He knows this she-wolf will stir some dust with the two men who had been in her life. He knows that Shamus had carried a flame for Cecilia, and he could also tell that Marcus Sr. did as well.

Roars and pounding steps meet their ears, making the three turn towards the door. "We need to go now," Penton says grabbing their wrists, "please hold onto each other."

Gathering the two women in his arms, Penton's magic makes the room spin around them, the temperature rising. He was using as much power as he could to get them out of the castle. Green and blue light flash in the room, Penton's aura sending off the colors. The air swirled and swirled, ripping the sheets from the bed and knocking over chairs and candles.

They needed to move.

Quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"KADE!" Siobhan shouted; sweat staining her porcelain brow as she burst through the screen door into the waning light of the day. She had been channeling in the den, hoping to get a peek into Siofra's whereabouts. What she had seen frightened her.

She saw Siofra come through the portal with Penton and another she-wolf. She was in tremendous pain, and Siobhan had spotted her slightly rounded belly, fear and sadness filling her thoughts. Bronton had succeeded in defiling the Fae blood, his spawn due to bring the end of everything good in the world.

Siobhan had seen the battle rage between her warriors, the Weres and the Trolls and Ogres. Swords clashing, arrows filling the Montana sky, and then in an instant it seemed to all freeze, Siobhan's gaze falling to the dock stretching out over the pond.

Siofra had her back to the battle, but Siobhan could smell the blood. She had dropped her spear, running without care towards the dock, seeing the other she-wolf make it to Siofra first, swinging her around to face them.

Siofra had plunged Penton's limestone dagger into her stomach, deep enough so that the hilt was the only thing showing. The image haunted Siobhan, sticking to her eyes even now that they were open. Siofra would rid the world of Bronton's child, but in turn she would cause injury to herself that even Siobhan couldn't heal. The dagger would cause the Elvin blood within the child to mix with that of its mother, killing her from the inside out.

Siobhan didn't know if she'd be able to help Siofra then.

"Kade!" she screamed again, gracefully striding across the grass, catching the attention of some of her guards who fell into step behind her.

"He is in the woods, my Queen," her warriors Commander, Mayland, addressed her cordially. He was a great leader and the King and Queen trusted him with their lives.

"Tell your men to be ready," she looked into Mayland's white-blue eyes, showing him her urgency, "it will be tonight."

The looming magic lingered in the air; the Fae Warriors couldn't deny it. They were all ready for it, ready to defeat the Elves once and for all. The high officers had become acquainted with the Weres they were helping, and they had all begun to like them quite well.

They were happy to be here.

They were happy to fight.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

Siofra could feel her mother tremble with the magic swirling around them and she clung tighter to her, wrapping her arms around her waist. Penton had a hold of both of them, his swirling magic taking them from the castle to the perch he had watched the Trolls from.

The tall wet grass sent chills up Siofra's spine as her bare legs brushed against it. It was raining lightly, covering the women's hair in a fine mist as soon as the swirling magic dissipated. Penton pulled both women to face him, his eerie eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Hold still," he whispers harshly. Wrapping his long fingers underneath each of the women's collars, Siofra watches as his eyes really do start to glow, his magic pulsing through his fingertips. It makes both of their skin tingle and Cecilia reaches for her daughter's hand, gripping Siofra's fingers.

They both close their eyes to the light emanating from their collars and Penton's eyes, gasping when they hear the breaking of the metal. The cool air meets the irritated skin left behind by the magically forged collars, Penton throwing the pieces over the cliff.

"Come on," Penton takes Siofra's hand pulling her to her feet and on the path back to the portal. They make a three person train through the darkened woods, weaving in and out of the trees and boulders. He can hear the Trolls battle horn, echoing through the trees, making Siofra's hand tremble in his.

"They're coming," Cecilia says, fear dripping from her voice, "we can't get away."

"We are almost there," Penton issues harshly, his tone commanding faith. They were about two hundred yards from the portal, Penton could smell the magic and he could see the shimmer of air, floating above the vegetation.

A sharp cry of pain from Siofra is followed by a hard squeeze on his hand as Penton turns to see her fall to her knees, her other hand grasping at her belly. It's then that Penton notices the slight mound underneath her dress and it fills him with fear. He knows the story of Bronton's first born son and it angers him that his brother would defile Siofra to make it come true.

His nephew was prophesized to bring the end of everything good, casting darkness over the world. It was told in stories that this child would forever unite the creatures of darkness, putting them to rule over lesser beings. He was the next Prince.

Penton couldn't let that happen.

Squatting down, he takes Siofra's chin in his fingers, drawing her tear filled eyes to his. Sorrow weighed heavily in her heart and it sent a sharp pain through Penton's soul. He could smell her blood and see it soaking into her dress, so placing his hand on her belly, Penton sent his power through her.

Evil.

The taste of its power made Penton recoil, pulling his hand back and his eyes going wide. He needed to get these women back quickly. He would need the Fae's help to save Siofra.

The earth beneath their feet started to tremble, the leaves and branches of the trees around them shaking violently. "Trolls," Cecilia whispered, getting quickly to her feet. She had seen the damage Trolls could enact; Connor had taken her too many battles with him so he could have something to entertain him in the evenings.

The smell of smoke and ash finds her nose and Cecilia knows the Ogres aren't far behind. They laid waste to everything in their path, sparing no innocent. Ogres were smarter than Trolls, utilizing battle strategy and long distance weapons to cripple their opponent.

"Come on Siofra," Penton lifts her into his arms, cradling her through her scream of pain. Directing Cecilia through the woods to the portal in front of them, Penton spies the first line of Trolls breaking through the trees about three miles behind them. He was hoping that the Fae on the other side could sense the magic growing, preparing themselves.

"RUN!" he tells Cecilia, pushing her through the portal, into the darkening woods of Montana. Siofra's blood was soaking into his shirt around his stomach, quickening his pace to a sprint. He pulled her closer, trying to wrap his power around her to soothe her, but her moans continue, filling his ears with foreboding.

He was afraid, letting his fear fill the howl he had promised he would issue upon return. It echoed hauntingly about the trees, striking fear in the hearts of all the beings who heard it.

Siofra wrapped her arms around herself as Penton bounded through the familiar woods at the back of her home. She was astonished that he hadn't noticed her fingers prying the limestone dagger from his boot when he was crouched next to her in the woods, but she cradled it to her breast. She would need it to end this fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The howl met everyone's ears, making the hairs bristle on the backs of Conall and Dyson's neck. The Fae had taken up positions, covering most of the tree line, the Weres filling in sporadically. A slight breeze met Conall's nose and on it was a familiar smell that brought fear to his heart.

The scent of Siofra's blood lingered on the wind.

It made his heart race and looking to Dyson he could tell that he had been affected as well, his eyes glowing yellow. The two men were flanked by the Johnson brothers, Clyde, Bubba, Marcus Sr., and Kraze.

Shamus lingered in front of them, talking hurriedly with Fae Commander Mayland. They had their eyes locked on the trees, sensing Penton's approach. Shamus could hear Siofra's faint painful moans, they tore at his heart. He could've prevented this if he'd only kept a closer eye on her.

The ground slightly trembled, signaling that the Trolls had made it through the portal. Mayland raised his sword in the air, the bright metal glowing in the moonlight. He called for his warriors to ready themselves and the answer was an echo of swords being unsheathed, arrows being notched and spears being readied.

Penton pushed Cecilia faster, he could smell the Fae. They broke the tree line near the pond, Penton spotting the army of supernaturals off to his left. They were ready. That was good.

"Over here," he said to Cecilia, directing her to the ledge where the wooden dock met the grass. Reluctantly he knelt down, lowering Siofra onto the grass beside her mother. She whimpered grabbing at Penton's collar, trying to hold onto him.

Her face was filled with agony as Penton looked down at her; her blood had soaked through his shirt to stain the top of his pants. Setting her head in the crook of Cecilia's kneeling form, Penton caresses her cheek, wishing he could just take the pain away.

"Take this," Penton hands Cecilia his short sword, wrapping her hand around its hilt with his own, sending her some power to fight. "Stay here." She nodded and he stood, sprinting to join his friends and brethren in their fight against his family.

Wrapping her arms around her daughters shoulders, Cecilia rocks back and forth, kissing Siofra's hair. "It'll be okay Fry. We'll be okay," she whispers, pulling Siofra close in her lap. She could feel the trembling ground beneath her body and she could hear the roars of the Trolls echoing off the trees. She pulled Siofra closer to the wooden planks, shielding the view of them behind a large hydrangea bush.

Siofra grunted against the pain, making sure that the dagger was still hidden within her dress as she slid on the grass with her mother. She could feel it when Bronton passed through the portal, fear strangling her heart, making her scream out in pain, stifled only by her mother's hand over her mouth.

Penton came to Shamus's side as Siofra's scream rang out, turning all of their heads. Her mother had moved them out of view, she was a smart woman. Penton shifted his gaze back to Shamus and could see the horror in the Druids eyes as he looked at the blood on Penton's clothing.

Conall grabbed Penton's arm, inspecting the blood, pain running along his face as his pine green eyes meet Penton's. "It was true, wasn't it?" the man weakly asks, his voice nothing but a cracking whisper.

Penton just nods once, not meeting Conall's eyes. The grip tightened on his arm and Penton put a reassuring hand on Conall's shoulder, taking some of the wolf's anguish. The tremble in the ground became more pronounced and he knew it was time. Pulling Conall close, Penton whispers in his ear, sending the wolf some of his power.

"Fight for her," he can see his power in the night air, glowing bright blue, seeping into the wolf's mind. The tension eased in Conall's shoulder and Penton knew he would be okay.

Magic thrummed through the air as the roars and battle horns of the Trolls came closer. The Berserker Pack members transformed into their standing fighter forms, elongated snouts, claws and legs making them horrific looking creatures.

Siobhan and Kade drew their weapons amid the mass of their warriors. They each could sense the presence of Sabra and Connor, and it made their nerves fray. The anger they had for the Elvin King and Queen had increased tenfold in the last thirty seconds, the smell of Siofra's blood bringing tears to both of their eyes.

The first Trolls broke the tree line, their ten foot tall, bulky frames knocking over some of the smaller trees. Their yellow and orange eyes glowed against their black skin, drool dripping from their mouths.

Arrows and swords met their clubs, the Fae warriors charging first. Their magically honed steel cut through the Trolls flesh fast and accurately, but the beasts kept coming. Ogres joined the fight, bringing fire arrows to the battle. The smell of smoke and ash washed over the Weres, making their eyes water, but they didn't falter.

Conall and Dyson ripped their way through Troll after Troll, taking an Ogre with them here and there. They tore into the beast's flesh with their teeth and claws, images of a bleeding Siofra fueling their rage. Arrows nearly missed them time after time, but neither man cared. They wanted to get to Bronton. They wanted their revenge.

Kade and Siobhan fought side by side, as they had hundreds of times before. Kade's quick and sure movement with his long sword cut down the evil beasts, Siobhan throwing spear after spear, hitting her target every time. They spotted Connor and Sabra, flanked by their sons, watching from the trees. It was like them to keep their hands clean.

Sabra gave Siobhan an evil grin, waving at her sister-in-law. She liked to egg the Fae Queen on, hopefully getting her to make mistakes. Leaning into her husband, Sabra whispers into his pointed ears.

"Let's have some fun my love," the slyness in her voice was irresistible and Connor smiles at her. Drawing his obsidian bladed sword from his back, Connor nods to his sons, encouraging the fight. Sabra snaps her wrists, producing a black long bow and drawing it back, a long blue flame arrow appears, and ready for fire.

"PUSH FORWARD," Mayland yells, commanding the Fae warriors to push the line of Trolls and Ogres back into the woods. They had the numbers and they were winning.

"My Little Elf," Siofra hears the familiar whisper and it makes her back arch against the ground, sending a loud scream from the pain into the dark sky. She tried to wriggle from her mother's grasp, but Cecilia held her tight, wrapping her legs around Siofra's waist. Siofra's body wanted to be with Bronton, but it was weak from the continued blood loss.

Her scream told Bronton where she was, and he departed from his brother heading towards the pond. Getting closer, he dodges and beheads three Fae warriors, bloodying his obsidian sword. Walking with a purpose through some tall grass, Bronton sees Conall, fighting side by side with Dyson. Catching the men's gaze, he gives them a smirk, blowing them a kiss as he steps behind a group of blue spruce trees, disappearing from view.

The gesture sends a hot spike of rage throughout both Dyson and Conall, letting two howls of anger rip through the air. Ripping out the throat of the Troll they had in hand, the pair takes off after Bronton, running right into an ambush of seven Ogres.

The seven foot creatures surrounded the pair, forcing them back to back. The Ogres grey skin let them blend in to the darkness, their white tattoos the only thing that outlined their forms. Seven pairs of red eyes locked onto the two wolves, flaming swords and maces in hand.

As the Ogres closed in, Dyson and Conall shifted into wolf form, slipping between the beast's legs, taking an Ogre each by the Achilles tendon, disabling them, and then ripping out their throats. They snapped and growled, biting arms and legs, Conall taking one more down.

Conall took a spiked mace to the ribs, sending him yipping and banging against the trunk of a pine tree. Dyson bulked up into Berserker form, standing more near to the height of the Ogres, ripping two throats out in the blink of an eye.

Taking out the last two by smashing their heads together, Dyson goes to Conall's aid. The black wolf lay at the foot of the large pine, his chest heaving painfully slow, a whimper coming out with every breath. Dyson shifted back to human form, hovering his hands over Conall's ribs. He could feel the magic pulsing, trying to heal the broken bones and internal injuries.

Dyson looked around him and his heart lifted. Fae were all over the forest and the field just at the tree line. The Troll and Ogre numbers were waning, maybe one for every eight Fae and Were. "We're winning," he whispers down at Conall, still in wolf form and he sees the wolf's eyes widen, a whimper escaping his lips. He would be okay, his breathing evening out.

Conall shifted, painfully, back to human form, covered in sweat at the base of that pine tree. His ribs would be sore for at least a week, his back sore for probably two, but he needed to get to his feet and to Siofra. Reaching his hand up, he let Dyson pull him to his feet, groaning the entire time.

Everything seemed to freeze in the instant that Conall got to his feet, the two men sensing the change. They looked around them and the Fae warriors seemed to be confused too, staring at the freeze frame Trolls and Ogres. They watched some of the Fae strike down the frozen beasts, their swords shattering the creatures as if they were glass.

An ear piercing, heart shattering scream broke the new found silence. It was a woman's voice, laden heavily with sorrow.

"SIOOFFFRAAAAA!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!"

CHAPTER NINTEEN:

Cecilia struggled to hold onto Siofra, trying to issue soothing words to calm her daughter's troubled soul. "Shh shh shh Fry," she whispered against her hair, rocking her back and forth, "you stay right here with me."

Siofra's mind was clouded with Bronton's whispers, his voice heavy with passion and lust. She could feel his hands all over her, caressing her stomach, her breasts, her thighs, and it made Siofra issue a weak moan. Images flashed through her mind of the two of them entwined, making love in his bedroom.

His hands were tightly gripping her hips, pulling her towards him with every thrust and Siofra could feel the bruises he had left there. Her body tingled, ready for this man to have his way with her again. She gripped the cool grass beside her on each side, ripping it from its roots with the image of her climax that night rides through her head. It sent white spots through her vision even now and her mother had to cover her mouth to keep her screams of Bronton's name down to a mumble.

The vision faded, Siofra coming back to the pain in the present. The tears followed and she turned her face into her mother's hair, sobbing loudly. Feeling a fresh rush of warm liquid between her thighs, Siofra squirms, whimpering into her mother's ear.

Her daughter's vivid spasm brought tears to Cecilia's eyes, sitting in the shadow of the hydrangea bush on the very first planks of the dock. She held her daughter tight to her chest, trying to soothe the wracking sobs shaking her weak body. Cecilia herself knew how it felt to have your body betray you over and over, all the while your mind screamed at you to stop.

Cecilia can hear a rustling in the tall grass to their right, spying the movement through the light leaves on the back of the flowering bush. The tall grass swayed back and forth, vibrating from the roars of battle. She didn't see anything at first, but then a flash of blonde caught her eye sending a shiver up her spine.

"My little Ellffff," she sees Bronton come through the grass, his obsidian sword resting on his shoulder. He walked along the very edge of the pond, making his way to come right in front of them. "Here doggie, doggie, doggie," he mockingly whispered, fueling Cecilia's hatred for what he had done to her daughter.

Searching near her leg in the grass, Cecilia grabs the handle of the sword Penton had given her, wrapping her fingers around its leather bound grip. Shifting Siofra so that she lay on the ground facing the water, Cecilia laid her on her side, kneeling, leaning her face close to her suffering daughter.

"Stay here," she whispered into Siofra's ear, smoothing her hair back out of her face. Siofra moaned and nodded in reply, curling into the fetal position. Leaving her like that was breaking Cecilia's heart, but she needed to get them some revenge for what these men had done to both of them.

Standing, she tested the weight of the sword in her hand, finding the right balance and grip. She can see Bronton over the flowers, and she steps out from behind the hydrangea, right into his path.

Seeing the older she-wolf, sword in hand, made a smile creep onto Bronton's face, standing about thirty feet from Cecilia. He could smell and see Siofra's blood on her mother, its scent heightening his hunger and lust for the special wolf.

"Out of my way bitch," he grinds out, taking a couple of steps towards Cecilia, letting his sword fall ready to his left side. He would take Siofra back and after she gave birth to his son, he would drain her dry, bathing in her magnificent blood.

"Over my dead body," Cecilia growls, her eyes glowing bright blue, the sword swaying at her right side. She had trained in her cell over the last eleven years with a wooden sword, in the darkness when the Trolls were sleeping. She had needed to be ready if ever the chance to escape popped its head up.

Bronton scoffed at her, turning it into a loud, hearty laugh. His white-blue eyes mocked her strength, seeing just a weak, old she-wolf. She wasn't going to stand in his way of getting to his son, and he wasn't going to get to her daughter without a fight.

"If you say so," he issued, taking the first offensive strike by lunging at Cecilia, bringing his black sword down in a right slash.

She was ready, bringing her sword up to block, sparks flying when the opposing blades met. She pushed Bronton back, taking a wider defensive stance. Bronton showed some surprise at her tenaciousness, bringing his blade up and across in another slash. Cecilia was slow in reacting; letting the Elvin Princes blade catch her arm for a mere second before her own blade parried the blow.

She recoiled, stepping to her left, holding her free hand to the slight wound. It was like a stretching burn, the sensation flowing up her arm. Cecilia's magic pulsed wildly, healing the wound but leaving the burning feeling.

The scent of the older she-wolf's blood made Bronton happy and her movement let him see Siofra. She was crawling down the dock, her blood trailing behind her on the wooden planks. Good, he thought, she'll have nowhere to run. She was cornering herself, making his job easy. He returned his attention to Cecilia, smiling at her showing his jagged teeth.

Cecilia charged him, slashing and swinging at his mid-section, hearing her blade connect in his shirt. She overstepped, letting Bronton grab the hilt of her sword, encasing her hand in an iron grip. He pulled her arm across her chest, rendering it useless, bringing her face inches from his.

"You should have just given me Siofra when I asked," Bronton whispered, glaring down at the struggling woman, "now you'll have to live with knowing she died in the same cold cell you spent the last eleven years in." With that, Bronton brought his head back and then sharply forward, butting Cecilia in her temple, knocking her unconscious.

Tossing the older she-wolf's body to the grass, Bronton straightens his shirt, noting the small superficial slash on his stomach from the lucky hit, turning back to face the dock. Siofra stood at the end, facing the water away from him. Stepping onto the wooden planks, Bronton meets the heavy scent of her blood, seeing the drips and smears on the path.

"My little Elf," he calls to her, sheathing his sword on his back. She just stood there, her arms in front of her, not moving. He could hear her breathing, heavy and un-even. She was afraid and in pain, the way he liked her, and he quickened his steps.

He paused right behind Siofra, letting his scent wash over her in the force of the breeze he created. Bronton can smell the desire rolling off of her and he wraps his arms around her waist, feeling the wetness on the front of her dress. Rubbing his hands over her stomach, he can feel his son's power, making Siofra arch into him.

"We need to go Little Elf," he whispered in her ear, his voice thick with arousal and desire, "you need to see the Healers." He kissed Siofra's neck, getting a moan to escape her lips.

"Is it over?" she whispers, leaning her right cheek into his lips. She was surprised he hadn't noticed the dagger gripped in her hands, but she had it below her stomach where his hands were. The pain had cleared her mind as soon as she had started to drag herself down the dock.

"It'll never be over," Bronton chuckles lightly into her ear, stroking the side of her face with his fingertips, "our son will be a new beginning."

"That's where you're wrong," Siofra leaned so she could see his face, looking into his eyes as she raised the dagger out in front of her. "It all ends now!"

She saw Bronton's eyes go wide when he finally noticed the knife, but he was too late to act as she brought the limestone blade down into her rounded belly. Bronton released his grip on her as soon as the knife hit her skin, his roars of dismay deafening. Siofra gasped at the pain, turning to face the screaming Bronton full on.

"It...all..ends...now," Siofra forces out, pushing the dagger further in, stopping it when the hilt meets her skin. The look of rage in Bronton's eyes makes what she did rewarding, but the pain emanated through her limbs. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but not from the physical pain. Her emotional turmoil was much greater than the physical.

Bronton's anger made his beautiful facade fade, showing his true self. His green tinted skin was scared with raised tattoos, his jagged teeth yellowed and sharp, oozing silver. His ears came to a sharper point, his fingers and nails becoming boney and sharp. Siofra finally saw him for what she had known he was all along. A monster.

The battle around her froze, her action bringing all of the evil to a standstill. The Elves were mortal now, and feeling the shift of power, Siobhan sought out Sabra with Kade at her side. They found the screaming Elvin King and Queen, huddled with their son Tercel, cornered by Mayland and his Warriors.

"Stand and take your death with pride," Kade growls to his brother, showing no mercy to the darkened soul he had once known.

"Fuck you," Sabra hissed, gripping tighter onto her husband's shirt.

Nodding for Mayland to step up and join them, Kade and Siobhan advance on the huddled beings. They hissed and struck out non-effectively at the Fae, their powers rendered useless. They were defenseless, finally at the mercy of the Fae. Their deaths were thousands of years in the making, the death and pain they had caused the world weighing on their shoulders all at this moment.

Wanting an end to it, Siobhan is the first to strike, driving her spear through Sabra's throat, silencing the hissing. The Elvin Queens body turned to dust, sending roars through her husband and son. Kade and Mayland worked in unison. Lifting their swords above their heads, they brought them down, beheading Connor and Tercel with one quick swipe.

Siofra's blood ran down between her fingers as she stared at the roaring Bronton. A glint of bright silver and Bronton's head was gone, his body turning to ash and mixing with the black water of the pond. Watching the ashes disappear, Siofra brings her blurry gaze back up, meeting the shocked expression of Penton.

"Penton," she gurgled, reaching her hand towards him as she leaned precariously to one side. She was so tired. She just wanted to lie down.

Dropping his sword, Penton grabs Siofra's arm, swinging her around and cradling her against his chest, kneeling on the dock with his back to the water. He tried to say something to her but all that came out was a croak, tears filling his eyes. He hadn't stopped his dream from happening; he had only changed the location. He stroked her cheek, brushing the sweat matted hair from her forehead.

"I...I," Siofra tried to speak, but blood gurgled out of her mouth instead making her choke. She burned all over. Her hands trembled from the pain. The poison in the Elvin blood made her legs shake uncontrollably.

"Shh shh," Penton whispered, frantically looking her over, deciding the best plan of action. He had to take the dagger out.

Looking Siofra in her blue eyes, he mouthed 'I'm sorry" as he gripped the handle of his own knife, pulling it out fast. That horrible gasping sound found him from his dream, making Penton bow his head, dropping the dagger to the dock, and openly sobbing with his forehead against Siofra's.

Footsteps rocked the dock, making Penton raise his red rimmed eyes. Cecilia stood there, shock and sadness rolling through her face. All Penton could do was hold his blood stained hand out to her, telling her to stay back. He didn't want Siofra's mother to see her like this, not up close.

Siofra's skin was graying, becoming cold. The blood trickled out the side of her mouth, flowing down her beautiful cheek. Penton could smell his brother's blood mixing with Siofra's, poisoning her from the inside out. He pulled Siofra's limp body up as he leaned down, burying his sobs in her neck.

Cecilia could see the blood on Penton's hand, the tears staining his face, the struggling heaves of her daughter's chest. She couldn't hold the building scream in, her eyes spilling over with what would feel like a lifetime of unshed tears. "SIOOFFFRAAAAA!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Conall and Dyson bounded through the tall grass as the screams echoed around the trees, coming to a skidding halt at the edge of the pond. They both held their breath at the sight of Penton huddled on the end of the dock, with their Siofra in his arms.

Conall didn't wait, bounding into the cool water. Dyson followed his lead, splashing into the shallows. The water filled the wolves' boots, the mud making their path slower than wanted. The water was only waist deep as they approached the dock, Penton turning glowing eyes on them.

"Stay away!" he hissed. The two men stopped, issuing possessive growls, both of their eyes glowing. Penton needed them to stay away for what he was planning on doing; he couldn't have any interfering powers.

"PENTON!" Siobhan's musical voice rang out, pulling his stare back to the grass at the beginning of the dock. Her floor length red-orange hair was braided, swaying behind her as she ran up onto the wooden planks. She stopped next to the sobbing Cecilia when Penton put his bloody hand up, shaking his head with his face turned down.

"Let me see her, Penton," Siobhan pleaded reaching her hands out. "Let me help her."

"You. can't." Penton sobbed, turning his tear filled face to the Fae Queen. " I, I.....I have to help her," he choked.

Hearing the splashing of the water behind him Penton sits up, glaring at the pair of Conall and Dyson, "STAY AWAY," he roared, his power sending ripples through the water, almost knocking the two men over. He knew they wanted to be near their mate, but he couldn't have them ruining his attempt at saving her.

"Let me go," Siofra whispered, her blue eyes peering up at Penton. She could feel herself dying, the pain had stopped and she just felt numb. She could hear her mother's sobs, her mate's growls and she just wanted them to hold her. She wouldn't have to live with the pain of the things she had done. She'd be free.

"No Siofra," Penton whispered into her hair, pulling all of the power he had to him. He was going to push his power through her, purging the darkness from her blood and hopefully saving her life.

Siobhan and Kade both felt the change in the air, the warmth of Penton's magic swirling around them. Taking the crying Cecilia in her arms, Siobhan left the dock, letting the man take his chance. Handing the she-wolf to a stunned Marcus, Siobhan ran into Kade's arms, burying her tears in his ripped and blood stained shirt.

They could both smell the evil emanating from the bleeding Siofra. They knew that she wouldn't live much longer if what Penton had planned wouldn't work. They put all of their faith in the reformed Elvin Prince, knowing that goodness flowed in his heart.

Pulling Siofra up so that her chest was held tightly to his Penton heard her gasping for breath. His power swirled around him, faster and faster, warming the air in the immediate area to a stifling temperature. The swirl carrying the water around the dock up into a funnel, making a swirling wall between them and the onlookers.

His magic glowed blue and green, lighting up the pond and the surrounding trees. Gripping her tighter, Penton sighs, pushing his power through the weakened Siofra on the edge of death.

The magic seemed to flow into every possible corner of Siofra's being. It smoothed over her tongue, filling her mouth with the taste of fresh peaches. It wiggled up her nose, filling her senses with the smell of freshly baked pie. It mingled with her wolf, causing the canine to whimper and yip in excitement. Her wolf danced and rolled in the blue and green light.

Feeling came back to her limbs, a fresh tingle filling her fingers and toes. Siofra gripped at Penton's arms, squeezing and releasing, the tension in her digits making her tremble. Her muscles twitched, getting Siofra up on her knees as she held tightly onto Penton, gasping at every new surge of power.

She could feel the wound in her stomach start to heal, the itch and heat of mending skin mixing with Penton's energy. Opening her eyes, Siofra turns her face to the sky, marveling at the colors swirling around her. The water danced and swayed, forming a tunnel around them.

Siofra could feel her magic growing as Penton sent more and more of his through her. The pain of what she had done found her, tearing at her heart. She had cheated on her husband. It didn't matter to her whether she had been unable to resist, she had cheated none the less. Tears found her and she hugged Penton tighter, pulling his ear close to her mouth.

She couldn't stay. Not when her heart was broken because of her own doing. She needed to pay for what she had done to her family.

"Thank you," she choked out, her tears wetting Penton's cheek. Gathering her own power, she started to push Penton's away, "I have to go, I can't stay here."

"NO," Penton tried to hold her close, but her magic was wild and great now that she was healing. "NO, you need to stay here."

"I can't," she kissed his cheek releasing the grip she had on his shirt, "not until I get rid of this hurt."

"Noooo," Penton whispered into her ear as his fingers lost their grip on her. He could feel the pain around her heart, weighing her soul down. She felt as if he should've let her die, so she could be free from the pain, but he couldn't do that. She had a greater purpose to fill.

"Tell them I'm sorry," Siofra whispered, kissing his other cheek. Her skin had gotten some of its rosy tones back, but with her color the bruises returned, telling the story of Bronton's abuse and torture. She was sore and her muscles were tight from the bruises and bite marks.

Siofra pulled all of the power swirling around them into her departure, focusing on a place where she could heal. Closing her eyes, she pictured the sweet face of a friend, her body slowly fading from Penton's grasp.

It was like she was sand flowing through his fingers as she left, leaving him cold. Penton let his magic go with a loud, rumbling roar, the water falling like rain around him, clearing his view of the beings gathered around him. His arms were empty.

Siobhan broke from Kade's embrace, hitting the wooden planks of the dock at a sprint. She skidded at a stop, dropping to her knees, gathering Penton's face in her hands. She could feel Siofra's power in the air around him, and she knew right away that what he had done had saved her life.

"Where?" she asked him, taking him in a tight embrace. The splashing found them and Siobhan felt the wolves mount the dock, their dripping clothes raining water down on her and Penton.

"Where is she?" Conall growled, his fists clenched at his sides. Anger rolled from his chest, his breath edging on sobs as he glared at Penton's blood stained clothing and hands.

"I. Don't. Know," he ground out, tears flowing as he turned his face up to look at the two raging wolves. "She said she was sorry."

"SORRY?" Dyson grinded out, "Sorry?..... Fuck that! Where is she?" He grabbed Penton from Siobhan's embrace, yanking him to his feet by the blood stained front of his shirt.

Siobhan gracefully stood, wrapping a dainty hand around Dyson's massive wrist, "Leave him be," she whispered, soothing the man's anger with her power. "He saved your mate. She left by her own power."

Dyson let Penton from his grip, turning a confused face to the Fae Queen. How could she leave them at a time like this? Why would she?

"Some wounds," Siobhan takes Dyson and Conall by the hand, "some wounds take longer to heal." She turns her sorrow filled eyes on the men. "She'll return when she's ready."

That was all the reassurance she could issue them.

They gathered the Fae Warriors, making camp in the field next to Conall and Siofra's home. They tended to wounds and fed everyone, the entire time in heavy silence.

Cecilia spent her time at Marcus's side, making small conversation. She couldn't stay here and Siobhan had offered her a home in their Realm, which she accepted, agreeing to go as long as they helped track down Siofra. Her husband had moved on with his life, as she suspected he might have, and she had no place to interfere. She would live with the Fae in the Pryor Mountains, forever watching over Siofra, should she come back.

Conall and Dyson sat side by side on the swing on the back porch, both of their stares directed to the dock on the pond. They hadn't said much to anyone, not eating the food that sat on the plates in front of them. There was a hole in each of their hearts.

"She'll be back," Shamus whispered to the two men, placing a reassuring hand on Conall's shoulder. The wolf turned his green eyes on the Druid, his pain and sorrow flowing like a waterfall. "She'll be back," he whispers again, getting Conall to give him a weak nod.

It was only a wish in truth, because no one knew when or if she'd be back. The Fae couldn't find her, and they had always been able to tell where she was because of the Fae blood within her.

It would be a waiting game.

A wait that would tear Conall and Dyson apart.

CHAPTER TWENTY:

It might have been past midnight, but it was still over one hundred degrees as Shelley stepped off of the Las Vegas sidewalk into the magnificent lobby of The Venetian Hotel, Candy on her heels. Both women marveled at the intricate ceilings and paintings, striding cautiously over to the desk with the man behind it raising an eyebrow at their appearances. They were both dressed in torn, dirty jeans and tank tops that were sweaty, their travel from Montana to Nevada being on short notice.

Smiling sweetly to the forty something salt and pepper haired man, Shelley taps her fingers on the marble counter, "We have a meeting with a Mr. DeSantis." She ran her fingers through her shoulder length brown hair, trying to substitute for the lack of a comb.

"Ah you must be Ms. Bokan," she nodded at the bow-tied man. Handing her a piece of paper, he comes from behind the desk motioning for the two women to follow him to the elevator. Putting a key in the slot marked 'Penthouse' the man smiles at her. "This goes right up to Mr. DeSantis's room, just go through the double doors when you get off."

The elevator dinged delightfully and the man waved for the two women to enter. There were no number buttons inside, making this a private elevator and Shelley smiles to the man, nodding her head to him as the doors slid shut.

"You can take those damn sunglasses off," Shelley whispered to Candy, giving her a sidelong look.

The girl gave Shelley an evil grin, taking the big round black shades up into her hair revealing her all black eyes. Shelley had made a deal with the spurned Spirit Shadow of Inu, helping the demon like spirit get revenge on Siofra for destroying her family. Inu really just wanted to be back in the powerful being that was Siofra, but she wasn't going to tell this she-wolf. Siofra had wild magic that Inu hadn't known since she was a child.

Shelley had lured the plump little blonde waitress from the Miles City bar, The Wet Dog, into the parking lot one night, letting Inu seep into the twenty something were-bobcat. The woman was chubby, a little too much for Inu's liking, but it was what she had to work with.

Shelley tapped her flip flop nervously on the elevator floor, still making its journey to the top. She had been contacted by an old friend after passing the word that Kevin had been killed and the friend had told her that the Master Vampire of Las Vegas had heard about Siofra.

Amadeo DeSantis had summoned Shelley to Las Vegas a few days later, telling her he wanted all the info she had on Siofra. He was a very old and powerful Master, known for his ruthless tactics in keeping the peace. It surprised Shelley that news of that mangy she-wolf had spread through the channels, tipping off those who wanted power to her talents.

"I don't much like Vampires," Inu hissed at Shelley, running her fingers over the intricate carvings on the wall of the elevator. She actually despised the blood sucking vermin. When she had been Queen of the Dark Fae, Inu had enjoyed killing the nocturnal creatures, burning them alive inside of their caves and dwellings.

She also had enjoyed tying them to trees at the edge of the forest and sitting with them until sunset. Thousands of years ago there wasn't the luxury of sunscreen and sunglasses, and the vampires would slowly and agonizingly burn to death as the sun rose.

"They are going to help us," she mumbled, smoothing the front of her blue tank top. "Mr. DeSantis is known for his ties to the Dark Magic community, that's how he found me."

"Well let's hope he's as powerful as you think," Inu gave her a non-committal look, "because I want my mutt back. She was quite tasty." She smiled wide, showing off the blondes slightly crooked teeth.

"I just want the bitch dead," Shelley growled as the door dinged open. The small hallway in front of them was glowing in hues of gold, ivory and blue. Stepping out, the two women couldn't help but gawk at the paintings all around them.

Shelley had never been in a place this nice. Kevin and her had had money, but they had invested it all in their magic, buying tools and supplies. They kept up their appearances with cars, clothes, houses and toys like boats and ATV's, but it was all a mask, covering for their dark hobby. Her eyes went wide like a child's at Disney World, taking in all the splendor of this small Penthouse lobby.

Two Italian marble doors stood between them and their caller, glowing like beacons in the foggy night. Placing her slightly shaking hands on the golden handle, Shelley pushes the door in slowly, the smell of cigar smoke hitting her as soon as a crack of it was open.

Three burly, custom-made suit clad men meet their approach, ear pieces in place and guns at their hips. They stopped the women, asking their purpose. A ten second long walkie talkie conversation and that piece of paper the man at the front desk had given her let them pass into the over two thousand square foot Penthouse, the smell of cigars getting stronger with each step.

The marble floors were flowing colors of gold, tan and ivory, changing into brown and gold as the two women entered the living and dining area. The curtains were dark green velvet, open to the sparkling lights of the Vegas strip. The furniture was leather, dark browns and blacks, mixing with antique high backed chairs and a grand piano.

Most of the chatter quieted as the two women approached. The vampires had human 'snacks' sitting with them, drinking, losing their inhibitions. It was technically illegal to feed on people in public, or if they were drunk, but vamps did what they wanted behind closed doors.

Hell, they did what they wanted wherever and whenever they wanted. Let's be real.

"Ah, Ms. Bokan," a thick Italian accent meets her ears, drawing her attention to the man seated closest to the window with a skinny brunette splayed across his lap. He reminded Shelley of Al Pacino, only taller as his knees came to an angle above his lap. His arms were long and thin, his bony fingers gripping the arm rests of the antique upholstered high back chair.

His dark hair was slicked back, the ends slightly hitting his shoulders. Thick eyebrows framed two dark, menacing yet sexy brown eyes that were looking Shelley up and down. His jaw line was traced with a thin line of dark facial hair, connecting with a mustache over his top lip. He had a slight Mediterranean hue to his skin under the pallor of his undead state. He was darkly handsome and he emanated power, making Shelley tremble slightly.

"I am sorry to hear about your husband," Amadeo issues, bowing his head slightly. Swinging his hand that held the cigar around, he continued, "I am Amadeo DeSantis and welcome to Las Vegas."

"Thank you," she smiled, nodding to him and those around him. They all watched her with intent stares, their eyes washing over her to Inu. She could tell that they knew something was different about the Were, but she could feel the confusion they had because they couldn't figure it out. She had a wild card and she liked it.

Sitting up to rest his elbows on his knees, Amadeo shoves the human from his lap ignoring her pout. "These are my children and Council," he swept his hand around the room. Three men and two women held Shelley's gaze as their Master introduced them.

Bruno Vitali was his second in command, being his first child made right after Amadeo himself was changed in 1592. He was Italian as well, shorter than Amadeo but still he emanated power. His dark brown hair was cut short, styled in a small Mohawk, held together with gel. His bright green eyes were striking, standing out against the normal paleness of Vampires. He was dressed in a custom made imported suit, black with red pinstripes. A red dress shirt and black tie brought it all together.

Adara Metros was the first female to be introduced, her gaze briefly leaving her human snack to nod at Shelley and Inu. She was a short, brown haired woman changed in Athens in 1612. She had a slight tan to her skin, accented by a long white silk dress. Her bright brown eyes burnt hatred into Shelley and the Were immediately knew she'd have to watch her back. Amadeo called her their "Finder", and Shelley took it to mean that she was the one tasked to find them special meals and celebration snacks.

Eeva(Ay-va) Hedvig and her brother Kalevi Aalto were the next to find Amadeo's introduction, both of them standing and bowing to the two women. The Master related that Eeva meant 'Life' and Kalevi meant 'Hero' in Finnish, the siblings hailing from Sweden in 1615. They were of Viking descent, both blonde and tall, built for battle. Their blue eyes were like ice, glowing against their perfect pale skin. They were the trackers, Amadeo bragging that the siblings could find the proverbial needle in the haystack in under three seconds.

The last to be introduced was the most menacing, never meeting the women's eyes or even acknowledging their presence. His name was Adofo(Ah-do-fo), hailing from Kenya in 1802. He was a 6'9" tower of a man, looming in the corner by the bar, his dark skin accented by his chocolate brown suit. His cheeks were adorned with scarring tattoos given to warriors in secluded tribes, his ears stretched with red gauges in them. His bright, golden eyes stared out the window into the Vegas lights, his jaw grinding. Amadeo called him his 'Head-hunter', saying that the man could sneak up on anyone, beheading them in the blink of an eye.

"So," Amadeo leaned back in his chair crossing his ankles flaunting his snake skin boots, "tell me what you know about this Siofra." His brown eyes flashed at the sound of the mutt's name, making Shelley's stomach turn.

"She's not that special," Shelley bites out, taking the seat and drink she had been offered, "but I'll help you find her as long as I get my money." Shelley watched Inu sit, her eyes locked onto Eeva, the Viking woman staring intently at the Spirit Shadow's black eyes.

"What is this creature?" Kalevi interjects, nodding quickly towards Inu.

"She's a Spirit Shadow," Shelley stated, not moving her gaze from Amadeo, "she's under my control. Please don't egg her on, she is very deadly." Inu hissed and snapped, showing the Vampires her jagged teeth, making the Viking siblings recoil a tad.

"Impressive," Amadeo mutters, putting his cigar to his lips, "and you'll get your money, after, I get the Were." His smile was sly and cunning, probably winning him many lovers and victims over the years, but Shelley just smiled back taking a sip of her scotch.

"Cash only," she grinned, enjoying the warmth of the drink, "and what have you heard about Siofra, so I don't bore you with details." Her smile made Amadeo laugh, his fangs glinting in the golden light cast by the lamps.

"I know no details," he chuckled motioning for another drink from one of his bow-tied waiters standing at the ready. Leaning forward he cocked his head at the she-wolf before him, intrigued as to why this woman had so much hatred for the interesting Siofra. "I just know that she is, what do I say,......... very, very special."

"Ha," Shelley scoffs, taking another sip of her scotch, "special ain't the half of it."

That bitch held a lot of power and if Shelley had known it in the beginning, she would have made sure her son had married the mutt. Now, well now, it didn't matter. The mutt had caused Shelley too much pain; killing her eldest sons and brainwashing her youngest, forcing him to kill his own father.

Siofra would pay and Shelley could see her revenge beaming at her in those Vampire's eyes. She would have her payment in blood.

Blood that this Vampire could dine on.

EPILOUGE:

"It's rainin' like chat Et chen out there D," the six foot four frame of Abraham Turner brushed the water from his shoulders and shook his head, flailing his silver streaked dirty blonde hair, splashing droplets of bayou rain around the office in the back of Lucian's Place Nightclub.

It was a steamy Saturday night, just past midnight, and the supernatural New Orleans crowd was packed onto the dance floor and bar in the front of the club. Lucian's Place was situated on the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse Street, smack dab in the middle of the French Quarter. Dorthea Petit sat behind her normal desk, doing her normal paper work and VIP booking on her computer.

She smiled at the thirty something were-tiger she had employed as a bouncer for the last five years. He was a hard worker and a good man, keeping the riff-raff from causing problems in her club like they did in so many of the others dotting the French Quarter. He was a tough man, but she knew he was just waiting for the right woman to soothe his soul.

"Who's watchin' ta door cher?" she saved what she was doing on the computer as Abe took a seat on the leather couch near her desk, putting his black cowboy boots up on the red coffee table.

He was a hunk of a man, his square jaw and bright hazel eyes highlighting his face. His dirty blonde hair was slightly silvered making his tanned skin radiant in the dim light, and she knew that under his ACDC t-shirt he had a six pack of abs that went on for days. If Dorthea was twenty years younger, still making her ten years his senior, she would try her hand at taming that boy. He was a country boy personified; his Texas bred charm had been heightened by eleven years in the United States Air Force.

"Porkchop is down there," Abe tossed a few cashews in his perfectly shaped mouth, "most people are already on the dance floor, bumpin and grindin'." He made a swaying motion with his hips grinding them into the empty air and Dorthea laughed, tossing a pen at him.

"Oh chews," she giggled, rolling her eyes at the laughing tiger, "tell me what cha take look like?" She wanted to know what kind of clientele came through her door tonight, so she'd know if she was selling bottles or just drinks.

"Ah," Abe threw his hand behind his head, reclining more, "the usual. Single Weres looking for a mate, single humans looking for a thrill and vamps looking for a snack." He gave the sixty something wolf a sly grin, winking at her. Even his scruffy facial hair was tinged in silver, making him look older than he was, but he emanated sex appeal.

Abe never led on that he was a lonely man. He came to work, did his job and went home.

Alone.

His one room apartment down off of Bourbon was enough for a bachelor and he had never taken a woman there. The few times he had hooked up with someone he had always gone to their place or a hotel, but those instances were few and far between, Abe not liking the whole casual sex thing.

"Eske ou te we pitit fi m?" she asked Abe wondering were Alice had been for the last hour or so. Her daughter had assumed Alpha control of the New Orleans Pack, moving her two young sons down with her from Shreveport. It was nice for Dorthea to have more time to focus on the club; she didn't so much stress floating around her.

"She was behind the bar last time I saw her," Abe stood, stretching his well-toned arms up and over his head. Dorthea nodded at him, turning back to her computer screen. Abe would get a drink and return to his post, as was his usual routine.

BANG! BANG BANG!

The three loud, hard knocks made Abe freeze in his departure, turning back to Dorthea. Her face was transfixed on the emergency door to her right.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

This set was lighter than the first, but it made Dorthea jump to her feet, Abe making it across the room to the door before the older woman. He didn't want anything happening to the woman who had been a mother to him for the last five years.

Getting closer to the door a familiar scent met Dorthea's nose, making her eyes widen. It was a mixture of spicy cinnamon and crunchy fall leaves, but it was laced with something dark and sour. Tears rimmed Dorthea's eyes as she frantically pulled up on the emergency handle, trying to get the door open.

Seeing the urgency on her face, Abe yanks the handle up easily, snapping the silver door handle down and pulling in to open the door to the torrential downpour that was their back alley. He gasped at the sight before him, not only from the sight but from the smell.

It was his mate.

Bracing herself with one hand on the brick wall, a water logged woman stood before them bleeding. She was scantily clad in a black lace dress that was ripped and torn in so many places it barely covered all the places woman wanted covered when in public. Her left hand gripped at her stomach, blood seeping out between her fingers. Her brown hair was stuck around her face and neck, covered in blood and mud. Her sky blue eyes looked in on the two shocked occupants, pain and sorrow flowing through the rain over their senses.

"Please," she choked taking a step closer and reaching out for Dorthea, "ede mwen." She started to fall to her knees but Abe wrapped his strong arms around her, swinging her up into his chest and rushing her to the leather couch he had just occupied. She was soaked and cold, but her skin melted to his, sending a searing hot desire to Abe's core.

The touch of her skin sent an electrical pulse through Abe's body and he had to take a quick breath to keep from letting Dorthea know his reaction. Her scent bathed him in a homey cinnamon and leaves scent, making him want to roll with her in a pile of raked leaves. He laid her down gently, missing the body contact as soon as it was gone.

"You know her?" Abe asked, noting the shocked expression on Dorthea's face. The presence of this woman was making his heart race, his tiger pacing back and forth chuffing and roaring.

"Siofra," she gasped taking the woman's face in her hands, "I'll call your brother."

"NO," Siofra screamed grabbing the older woman's wrist, almost falling off of the couch. Her eyes pleaded with Dorthea, telling her she was not only in physical pain but emotional pain as well. "No," she continued, "please...... hear me out."

The older she-wolf smoothed the hair out of Siofra's face, noting the bruises that filled her skin. She nodded at the woman as Abe covered her with blankets to ward of her shivering. Siofra's soul was in turmoil, Dorthea had enough spiritual training to tell that, and she accepted the girl's request.

"Okay, cher," she nodded for Abe to grab her phone from her desk, "but I'm gonna call Samuella. Get her over here ta look at chew." She pressed her speed dial for her long time Witch friend, looking down at the trembling wolf.

Siofra nodded weakly, closing her eyes. She could feel the man's eyes on her and she could still feel his touch, burning a path on her skin. His scent lingered in her nose, a mixture of sandalwood and something sweet, maybe pineapple.

His presence made her heart race and she flung her soaked wrist over her eyes to keep them shut. It was the same feeling she had with Conall, and then Dyson.

Could this really be happening?

She couldn't worry about it now. She had to tell Dorthea what had happened. She had to ask for sanctuary.

She needed to heal.

Emotionally more than physically.

TO BE CONTINUED.......

