The noise of the howling dogs and the pounding hooves of the magnificent white and black horses was loud enough to wake the entire region, yet no one appeared to watch us pass except for the occasional fae, who bowed before the dark stranger and nodded to Lord Caelen and the other Elders. The surrounding forests and quaint towns passed by in a blur of windswept motion and I had no idea where I was, or even if I was in the Faerie dimension or the real world.

  We rode out onto a large grassy field ringed with foxglove and dotted with clumps of huckleberry and miner’s lettuce. The Lord of Death drew up and sniffed the air, then took off Eastward like a bullet from hell. We raced after him and his hounds, clutching our reins and trusting our steeds not to lose sight of him. I looked down suddenly and gasped. We were flying along at least 10 feet off of the ground, yet still the hooves of the horses pounded loudly as the dogs brayed and howled ahead of us. I looked at Caelen who grinned at me with golden excitement flashing in his eyes, his long blonde hair flying out behind him. This was a thrill even to the fae who’d lived for millennia. I grinned back and allowed my fangs to pop out, making him laugh and shout above the racket, “Kennet will be ours soon, Garrett, and then you’ll have a tale to tell your future generations.”

  I nodded, unwilling to scream above the racket. This was indeed an experience to be remembered and described to loved ones and friends. Even in the chaos of the Hunt, my mind returned to Jackie. I hoped that she was able to help Aedus and that I would somehow be able to help her put Kennet behind her and look again toward our future together.

  Chapter Forty-two

  Bridgett:10:00 PM Friday

  Lady Dinestri slowly opened the door to Aedus’ room and my eyes widened at the strange scene. There sat two Fae women each holding one of his hands, one of them whispering quietly, while Jackie leaned over him, her hand on his forehead. Lady Dinestri motioned for me to take a chair in the corner and so I sat and watched my sister work.

  I opened myself to the magic of the lines and watched in awe as tremendous amounts of healing power blanketed Jackie and Aedus. His wounds weren’t bleeding, but he looked close to death, so she was concentrating very hard. Her head popped up and she sniffed the air, turning to look in my direction. Her grin was catching so I grinned back at her and waved. She gestured for me to come to her so I looked at Lady D who nodded and smiled.

  I gave Jackie the biggest hug I could manage in the crowded conditions. “Get your chair Bridgett, I need some help.”

  Surprised, I ran over and grabbed my chair and put it behind hers, since there was no room next to her. “Stay open to the lines and pull in as much as you can. I’m close. The vision is blurring. I need another good shove and you can help me with that.” I nodded as she took my hand with her free one. A surge of energy passed through my body and into hers like a sluice. The feeling wasn’t unpleasant, in fact it was kind of a rush. I could see how using a lot of power all the time could get to be addictive.

  We looked up when Aedus groaned and moved his head. He opened his amazing purple eyes and looked up at Jackie who was still leaning over him, looking tired and pale. He smiled and said, his voice hoarse and very weak, “Thank you, Jacqueline. I felt you there and it gave me hope. I might have…”

  “I know. But you didn’t. And now you’ll heal. And thank you, for all that you did to rescue me.”

  “It was an honor.” Aedus looked at his mother, who was crying quietly. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back, standing to gently kiss his forehead.

  “I will let them all know.” She turned to Jackie. “I can never repay you for this service to my son and our family.” She nodded slightly and then left. When Lady Silvus left, Philladre ran to the other side of the bed and threw her arms around Aedus and kissed him. I turned away to give them some privacy as they spoke quietly in Fae. Jackie was seated again, leaning her head on the bed, totally drained. Lady Dinestri gestured that we should help get her to her room, but Aedus shook his head.

  “Pull her up next to me. She can sleep here.” Lady Dinestri looked surprised, but we did as Aedus asked. “In case I have nightmares.“ He laughed, the uncharacteristic grin lighting up his whole face. Jackie had worked a true miracle with him tonight. His wounds were healing so quickly now that I could actually see it happening. I looked around at everyone's extraordinary faces and wished that someday, maybe these noble people would feel happy that I was around to help too.

  “She needs to eat something. When she wakes, we’ll make sure that she eats.” Philladre was pulling a spare blanket over Jackie and tucking her in, looking at her fondly. I left with Lady D and went back to my room, feeling like I’d helped with something important today. It was a great feeling.

  Chapter Forty-three

  Jackie: 12:00 AM Saturday

  I woke up, surprised to find myself on the bed next to Aedus. He and his stunning fae lady, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed, smiled at me and I had to chuckle. “What’s wrong with this picture?” They looked at me curiously and I explained, gesturing between the two of them. “She and I should switch places.”

  “Ah, well maybe later. “ He glowed when he looked at her and she met his eyes with a mischievous expression and not a touch of shyness.

  “Well I guess that answers my next question which was going to be, how are you feeling?”

  “Thanks to you, Jacqueline, I feel—reborn.”

  “Have you heard anything about Liam and how he’s doing?”

  “He was here twenty minutes ago with his mother, Lady Erin. He is feeling very well and had a good laugh when he saw you in the bed.”

  “I’m sure he did.” I rolled my eyes thinking about how Liam would tease me about sleeping with his brother.

  “My father contacted me, They have Kennet. They’re bringing him in. They should be here in about ten minutes.” I sat up quickly and put my legs over the side of the bed. When I stood I felt a little dizzy but I started for the door anyway, my body trembling with tension.

  “Jacqueline, do you think it is wise for you to see him now? You haven’t eaten and you only slept for a short while.”

  “Right now there’s something I need much more than food.” I made it outside to where the Wild Hunt had originally gathered to leave. There were others there, including Farrell who greeted me with a respectful nod. I thanked him for all of his help and then turned toward the road where the Hunt had ridden off, terrified over what I planned to do. I took a deep breath and gathered up my courage and my will. I had to focus and work out how I was going to pull off my crazy scheme.

  I was pacing and some of the fae were watching me curiously. They probably thought that I was anxious about the safety of my mate, which of course I was, but my nerves were hot-wired for another reason. I felt the enormous energy of the returning Hunt, and took another deep breath to steady myself for the possible battle to come.

  Lord Kennet was chained to his horse with iron and in obvious pain. Still he managed to smirk at me. Lord Caelen cursed him and struck him with the flat edge of his sword, causing him to fall to the ground, where he sat and glared at all of the fae gathered around him. Many of them spit at him or cursed him. Garrett jumped off of his horse and in a blur, stood by my side with his arm wrapped around me, shielding me from Kennet’s glare.

  I twisted in his arms and kissed him, then whispered, “Garrett will you trust me? Will you back me up as you always have in the past? There’s something I have to do and it may be hard for the fae to accept or understand, but I have no choice. I owe a debt.”

  I was trembling so he held me tightly and whispered into my hair. “My darling, I will love and support you always, no matter what. What is it?”

  Instead of answering him, I turned to Lord Caelen and said so everyone could hear, “Lord Caelen, I need to ask you and the other Elders for a favor.“

  I think he knew what I wanted before he answered, because he'd seen it in my mind. “You have saved the life of my son, Aedus. Tell us what you want."

  “I want revenge on Lord Kennet.”

  “You may not kill him. He must be judged by the Elders. In the end he will be executed by the soul of the Wild Hunt.” I turned to look at the dark shrouded figure who sat astride his black horse apart from the rest.

  “If I can get my revenge, but return him in exactly this condition so he can stand before you for judgment, would you agree to it?”

  “Yes.”

  “And do you agree, Lord?” I turned to the dark figure and he slowly nodded.

  “I owe someone my life and I’m going to bring him here to take Kennet. He will return Kennet as you see him now, ready to be judged.”

  There was only a shocked silence as I summoned Isaiah. He appeared instantly and bowed slightly to me, touching his birthmark as he did. “Jackie. You—summoned me?” He looked exactly the same as he had in my small room, but with a very serious expression, bordering on anger. He was not pleased that I’d summoned him and I felt a small twinge of fear, but shook it off. He’d be feeling much happier in a few minutes.

  “Is our old agreement null and void?”

  “Yes. And no one reneged. Although in summoning me..."

  I interrupted. “Is an oral agreement binding; one without all the blood and sacrifice?”

  “Yes, between us, yes. Especially since you did not trap me in a circle and bind me to your will." He glanced at the Fae surrounding us and at Kennet on the ground in chains. “You have something in mind, I gather.” His eyes were already sparkling with excitement.

  “I will give you Kennet for one month to take to your realm to do with as you like. You must return him here in this exact condition, thirty human days from today, chains and all, to hand over to Lord Caelen, his sons or another Elder.”

  “And what do you want in return?”

  “I want you to continue to train me. I will invite you to my home after you return Kennet to Lord Caelen. You will behave yourself while you're staying with me or else Garrett or I can send you back anytime we want.” I took two steps toward him. “Isaiah, I want to know more about what I am.”

  He laughed at me, but then must have seen the seriousness of my expression. “Your bargain is reasonable, but I want six months with him.”

  “Two.”

  “Five”

  “Two”

  “Four”

  “Two or nothing. Isaiah, I need this to end."

  He turned to look at Kennet seated on the ground with several blades at his throat. He’d obviously heard everything we’d said because he turned to Lord Caelen and said, “You are not going to permit this, Caelen, are you? I’m your brother, a Fae Lord of the Seelie Court.”

  “Kennet, your blood is seelie fae, but your actions are those of the lowest unseelie. As long as you are brought back as you are now, the Elders will permit this. My sons, who are both recovering quickly, will especially enjoy these next two months that you spend in the Demon Realm.”

  Isaiah’s slow smile sent shivers down my spine. His eyes were flaming orange as he stared at Kennet with hunger. “I will accept only two months, although I’ll hardly have time for what I have planned. But you must swear never to summon me again.” He looked at me with such intensity that I trembled slightly.

  Garrett supported me with a firm grip and a vicious glare directed at Isaiah. Isaiah arched an eyebrow. “Remember, vampire, that it was my training that returned her to your arms.” He shifted his gaze back to me and waited for my response.

  I squeezed Garrett’s hand to keep him calm. “As long as you return him in two months, Sixty human days, able to stand trial, I’ll never summon you or give your True Name to anyone. And you must swear to the same.”

  “Yes, I agree. I, Isaiah of the Bas Demonic Level, accept this verbal agreement in front of all of these lovely witnesses.” He looked around and nodded to Lord Caelen. “Caelen, how pleasant to see you again after 524 years 11 hours and 42 minutes.”

  “I cannot truthfully say the same thing, Isaiah, but I have no argument with you on this particular day.”

  I looked from Caelen to Isaiah and decided to finish this before any disagreement started up between them.“And I, Jacqueline Crawford Cuvier, accept this verbal agreement in front of all of these noble witnesses.” I managed to smile at him. “Thank you Isaiah, for saving my life.” I leaned back against Garrett, afraid that my exhaustion might show and I didn't want to appear weak in front of Kennet. Because he understood, Garrett supported my weight without drawing any attention to us.

  “In the end you saved your own life. Your power is growing daily. I look forward to our lessons.” He turned to Kennet as fangs sprouted from his mouth and his eyes blazed with an orange fire. He growled. ”Kennet-you-are-mine.” They disappeared at the same time.

  The clearing was quiet. I’m sure everyone was in shock. I turned to Lord Caelen and nodded in the way of the fae and then took Garrett’s hand and used the lines to go back to our room. When we arrived two seconds later, I leaned my full weight against him, having used most of the reserves of my strength on Aedus and then on summoning Isaiah. He picked me up and laid me on the bed, looking worried and slightly annoyed with me. I knew that I should eat something, but I really didn’t feel motivated.

  “Jackie you’re weak so don’t argue with me.” He took off my shoes, kicked off his own and crawled up next to me, biting into his wrist and forcing it into my mouth. Starting to drink, I groaned with pleasure as I felt my strength return full force.

  “High octane, yum.” It didn’t take long for me to feel like myself again.

  Garrett laughed as he licked his wrist. I wiped off my mouth and put my wrist next to his nose. He started to push it away but I held it there. “C’mon, you know you want it.” He hissed softly as he pulled it closer to his lips. His fangs popped, his eyes sparkled and he bit into me, the sudden suction making me gasp.

  As he drank, I talked, keeping my voice low. “Do you know what you’re drinking there, Garrett? I found out that my grandmother is a full blood demon. Actually, she’s one of the nobility. That’s how I can travel the lines.” He didn’t react other than to arch his brows and lock his gaze with mine as he took in my blood. “So how do you feel about me now?” I was acting playful, twisting his hair around my fingers, but part of me was scared shitless. There was always the chance that he'd pull away, spit out my blood and take off.

  With this surprising news came a surprising reaction. He pulled away from my wrist and grinned deliciously, kissing me in a different spot between each word, “Loving-every-drop. I’m very much a vampire, Jackie, and not a fae.” He licked my wrist. “It answers the question of why your blood tastes so uniquely delicious.” He pulled me very close and nuzzled my ear. “You didn’t think it would bother me did you?”

  “Show me.” I was only whispering, but I could still hear the desperation in my voice, as I clutched at his body, starting to tremble. I needed him to show me that my news really made no difference, that he still wanted me, that he still loved me.

  He was wired from the blood, just like I was, so he fisted his hand in my hair and tilted my head back, exposing my vulnerable neck. He ran his lips and his fangs from my earlobe to the base of my neck while I slid my hands over his shoulders. When his lips moved back up to my mouth, his kiss wasn't gentle, but that was good, because I wasn't in the mood for gentle either. Sometimes you just need to feel with your body and forget the rest.

  Chapter Forty-four

  Garrett: 10:00 AM Saturday

  We’d decided to leave for home at dusk. Lord Caelen had scheduled a luncheon-slash-meeting with us around 2:00 PM and then Bridgett’s formal apology ceremony would follow. The fae prisoners had agreed and the fae citizens were buzzing with the news. Poor Bridgett was a nervous wreck.

  Jackie had jumped out of bed this morning, showered, dressed and gone off to check on Aedus. I'd hoped that we could've spent a little time together so she could perhaps, open up about what happened, but instead she'd rushed out. Maybe, when we got home...

  I was just finished dressing, when there was a knock on the door. It was Liam.

  “Good morning, Garrett. I know that Jackie isn’t here. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Sit down. Is something wrong? It's not Aedus is it?”

  “He's fine, better than ever. But there are some fae who are upset about Kennet being sent to the Demon Realm. I’m certainly not one of them, and neither is anyone in my family, but there are a few and they will be speaking against Jackie at the meeting. They want her to lose her ally status.”

  “I think she can handle them. She has a lot to discuss with everyone at the meeting. She’s dropping a supernatural bomb and I think that information may cause more of an uproar than Kennet’s surprise vacation.”

  “Bomb?”

  “Her grandmother was a full blood demon. Isaiah figured it out and that’s why he was able to teach her to travel the lines. It’s probably what saved her life.” I glanced at Liam who was looking like he’d been eating spoiled food. “Why Liam, do you have some prejudiced bones in your body? Are you a zealot anti-demonist?” I was laughing, but I could see the conflicting emotions in his changing expressions. He wouldn’t turn against Jackie, he was just worried about the security of his people.