"I heard that about the duct tape, you Neanderthal," Jen growled through their bond.

  Decebel chuckled out loud as Jen pushed his hand off her thigh. He just put his hand back, not bothered by her attitude in the slightest.

  "How about I have my people get the list typed up and they will give it to your people?"

  Snorts of laughter rippled across the room.

  Jen narrowed her eyes at Vasile. "Did you just make a joke?” She snorted, then added with a growl, “Your people had better get in touch with my people."

  "Done." Vasile nodded and smiled slyly, “On both accounts.” He looked back at the rest of the group and continued. "As I was saying, there used to be a tribe of pixies near the bridge. They tend to be quite nosy and like to keep tabs on what's coming and going out of the Veil into the In Between."

  "Are they good or bad?" Sally asked.

  "Pixies are independent and will tend to side with the winning team. They aren’t inherently evil, but they tend to do what's best for them, not the good of everyone. Hopefully they can see that Mona has no concern for them or the outcome of their species in regard to the demons she wants to unleash."

  "Great." Jacque threw her hands up in frustration. "So, you're telling me that we are going into a forest close to the opening of what is essentially hell for those of us who don’t want to torture, maim, and rule the world. Then, on top of that, we don't know if the creatures we are looking for even live there anymore, and, just to add insult to injury, we aren't guaranteed to get their allegiance?"

  Fane slipped his hand up under her hair to wrap it around her neck. He squeezed affectionately. "You are just a ball of warm fuzzies, aren't you, love?"

  Jacque shrugged. "I'm just keeping it real, wolf-man."

  "It does look like it will be difficult and quite possibly impossible, but who else is there to do it?" Vasile asked, not unkindly.

  Jacque leaned into Fane with a groan. "Okay, okay. I get it. We have to save the world because we can't expect someone else to step up and do it. Gah, you just had to go there, didn't you?"

  "Feeling a little frustrated today?" Fane asked her.

  "It's just one thing after another. If one of us chicks aren't being chick-napped, it's some deluded, ego-inflated Alpha on a power trip, and if it's not that, then it's a witch that wants to take over the world using some demons from the pit of hell. What's next?"

  "Perhaps next the pixies will rise up and decide they're tired of being used and start wreaking havoc all over the place."

  Jacque leaned forward and turned to look at Fane. "Really, Fane, that's all you got? Hell, why stop there? Let's go with maybe all the supernatural beings will join forces and decide that they want to rule the world."

  "Oh, I got one." Jen raised her hand, bouncing in her chair like an eager child. "How 'bout the supernaturals that ban together decide that once they take over the world, they don't want to just kill us outright, so they make the humans go out into the woods in groups and fight for supplies and food to stay alive."

  Sally and Jacque glanced at each other, rolling their eyes in sync. "Jen, you dork, that’s the Hunger Games. As in the books and the movie."

  "Oh, damn. I knew it was a good idea." Jen looked over to Decebel. "It was a good idea wasn't it, babe?"

  Decebel patted her leg and nodded. "It was an awesome idea."

  Jen frowned at him. "You're just humoring me, aren't you?"

  "Most definitely."

  Jen shrugged her shoulders. "At least you’re honest."

  Vasile cleared his throat as he frowned at everyone. "Can we continue, or do you all need a little more time to think of the next hopeless scenario?"

  Nobody answered, which was the wise road to take.

  Sally raised her hand.

  "You don't have to raise your hand, Sally," Costin teased.

  "After the look he just gave us, I think I will play it safe."

  Vasile smiled at Sally.

  Jen rolled her eyes. "Sally, are you seriously raising your hand? We aren't in school anymore." Jen grinned wickedly at her friend. "But if you insist on acting the part of the student, what part does your dreamy, finger-liquor good mate play?"

  Decebel growled.

  "Would you like to explain to me why you are referring to Costin as finger-licking good?"

  "Baby, I think your old age is catching up with you and affecting your hearing. I said he is finger-liquor good. It's a play on words, 'cause he's, like, a bartender. Get it?"

  Decebel let out an exasperated sigh. "Could you just please refrain from describing any males in a way that indicates attraction."

  "Jealous?" Jen teased.

  This time when Decebel growled and looked at her, he held her eyes with his glowing ones. "You're mine. I don't share, not even your attraction. Keep your eyes to yourself, Jennifer, or you're going to get some poor wolf killed."

  Jen, for once, shut up. This wasn't the time or the place.

  Jacque looked over at Fane and whispered, “Does it seem like everyone’s emotions are running a little high?”

  Fane nodded. “Stress, love. The males of our species don’t handle the idea of their mates in danger very well. Seems like we can’t keep you guys out of it and it’s very frustrating.”

  “We’re all alive. That has to count for something,” she told him as she took his hand.

  “Just surviving is not the life we want for you all. We want to give you the world.”

  Sally looked at Costin and smiled, then glanced over at Fane. “Just think, Fane, if you guys take out Mona and her evil hoard, you will be giving us the world – literally.”

  Everyone smiled at Sally.

  “See? That’s why we keep you around.” Jen grinned. “When the rest of us are all ‘life sucks, we’re all going to die', Sally’s all ‘everyone hold hands and sing Lean on Me'.”

  The entire room stared at Jen.

  “What? I’m just saying.” She slumped back into her chair with a huff.

  Vasile cleared his throat and attention returned to him. For her part, Sally thought the man had the patience of a god. With the addition of these American girls, things didn't run smoothly – or, well, professionally.

  “Listen to me,” Vasile said quietly. “All jokes aside, what we're about to face is deadly. Please take some time to consider that and prepare yourselves. We head out the day after tomorrow. Any questions?”

  When no one spoke, Vasile dismissed them, a somber mood beginning to descend upon them. Jen wasn't having that. As they all began to stand and file out, she loudly said, “Long live the fellowship of the ring.”

  Jacque shook her head. “We were so close.”

  Jen rolled her eyes. “Oh, give me a break, you were all thinking it.”

  ***

  “Wadim,” Vasile addressed the historian, “you stay.”

  Wadim nodded and returned to his seat.

  Once the room was empty of everyone but Alina, Peri, Wadim, and himself, Vasile sat back down.

  “Whatever information you have, Wadim, I don’t feel like the pack needs to know right now,” he explained. “Now, please tell us what is so important that it seems to make you want to crawl out of your own skin.”

  Wadim took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he began to speak. The first words out of his mouth had everyone sitting up much straighter.

  “The Great Luna came to me in a dream.” He paused, letting that information sink in. “She’s not happy that the Fae aren’t willing to help in this realm,” he went on, looking at Peri.

  “I didn’t realize that she would act so quickly. And of course, she isn’t happy about that,” Peri snapped. “They’re being spoiled brats and need their butts beaten.”

  Vasile looked at Peri. “You petitioned her?” His voice held the awe that was written across his handsome features.

  Peri nodded. “You have been good to me, Vasile, good to our people. It is the least I can do. But I do hope to do more.”

  “Thank you, Perizada of the Fae. This act will not be forgotten,” Vasile said formally.

  Wadim cleared his throat, regaining their attention. “Well, she has a solution to that problem.”

  He began telling them all of what the Great Luna had revealed; her knowledge of what Mona was up to; her plans to bring Fae and Canis lupus together; her desire to let her creations know that she was pleased with them. When Wadim had finished, the room was quiet.

  Peri was the first to speak.

  “Damn, when sista decides she’s going to take action, she goes balls to the wall.”

  Everyone turned to look at her.

  “What?” She shrugged. “Blame Jen. She’s the one who teaches me these un-ladylike and totally out of character statements.”

  Vasile focused on Alina, who had tears in her eyes.

  “Finally,” she whispered. “Finally, our wolves will have mates. The males will no longer be consumed by the darkness that relentlessly pursues them.” She looked over at Wadim and smiled gently. “She honors you to come to you.”

  Wadim blushed under his Alpha’s gentle compliment.

  “Did she indicate when these new mates would appear?” Vasile asked.

  “No, but she did say it would start with our pack, because of our faithfulness to her and the others of our kind.”

  Vasile’s head snapped up to meet Peri’s stare. “If you had to guess, which Fae do you think would first be chosen as mates?”

  Peri rolled her eyes. “Do I really have to answer that, Alpha? You know as well as I do who will be chosen. She will pick the ones who are already loyal to you. Then, when more come to help their kind, the most faithful and pure of heart will be picked. I’ve only been blessed by the presence of the Great Luna one time – she is very wise and very calculating.”

  “Mina,” Vasile reached for her hand, “I need your counsel in this. You are more attuned to the emotions of our pack. Do you think we should tell anyone, even my first four?”

  Alina thought about this for a moment before speaking.

  “At this point, it would just be one more thing to distract them. Leave it be for now. If it happens between the two we believe it will happen with, then we will cross that bridge at that time.”

  Vasile nodded in agreement. He thought about the consequences of what Wadim had revealed and, for the first time in a very long time, felt hope. Hope for his species to continue on; hope for the males to find love and be relieved of the consuming darkness; hope that he would get to have grandchildren and watch them grow up; hope that they would finally find an end to the darkness that had begun to consume their world.

  Chapter 9

  “There are over twenty-two thousand, four hundred different mixed drinks known to man. You might think that learning their names and recipes would get a little boring. That’s because Costin isn’t your teacher. For some reason he just makes everything more fun. Well, and he’s kind of nice to look at. And touch. And smell. And – gah! I’m turning into Jen.” ~Sally

  Costin took Sally by the hand after the meeting broke up and led her to the room they'd been in the first time he showed her all his mad skills as a bartender. He pulled her behind the bar in the game room and grinned.

  “Okay, beautiful, we got some training to do.”

  Sally’s brow bunched together. “What are you talking about?”

  “We are going to be bartending,” he said with a wink.

  “What do you mean we? I thought I was just along for the ride,” she said nervously.

  “Oh, no, my sweet mate, you are going to be behind the bar where I can keep an eye on you and keep groping hands and paws off of you. I would hate to blow our cover by ripping some schmuck’s arms off.”

  Sally cringed at the picture he painted.

  Costin tucked a towel into the back pocket of her jeans and gave her a soft pat on her backside.

  Her head snapped around to look at him in shock. He just shrugged his shoulders, not remorseful in the least.

  “Okay, first things first,” he began. “Drinks on tap.” Costin showed her the different beers on tap and explained how this was different from a bottled drink. Then he pulled out bottle after bottle of different kinds of liquor. He explained the technical difference between liquor and alcohol and explained each bottle’s contents. Next, he pulled out a sheet of paper that had lists of drinks and then the ingredients for those drinks.

  Sally blushed as she read aloud, ‘Sex on the beach?’

  Costin had his back to her, pulling down glasses.

  “I figured it was a little early on in our relationship for that,” he said, “but I’m up for whatever.” He turned around to find a stunned Sally. He placed his finger under her chin and gently closed her mouth, which had dropped open.

  He leaned down and pressed a gentle, yet somehow electrifying kiss on her lips. Her eyes closed as she attempted to keep breathing.

  “One day, Sally mine. One day.”

  When he pulled away, she slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

  “I really like it when you do that,” she admitted boldly.

  He set the glasses down and walked her back until she was pressed against the bar. He placed his hand on the counter on either side of her, effectively pinning her in. As he leaned closer, he took a deep breath and let out a low rumble.

  “I really like doing it,” he told her softly. Sally’s breathing came in short gasps as she tried to control her racing heart. Costin slid his hands on the bar so they were touching her hips. He smiled when she stopped breathing all together.

  “Breathe, Sally. How will I kiss you again if you pass out?”

  “I imagine it would be rather difficult and not very enjoyable,” she rambled.

  Costin’s smile widened. “No, I imagine it would not be very enjoyable for either of us.”

  He leaned closer until his lips were so close that they touched hers as he spoke. She could feel his warm breath blow across her face and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation.

  “Sally,” he whispered.

  “Mm-hmm,” she moaned out.

  “I’m going to kiss you now.”

  “Please,” she pleaded.

  Costin chuckled as he closed the rest of the distance and pressed his lips firmly to hers. They both let out groans as they gave into the tension that had been building.

  Sally reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly to her. She felt him smile against her lips and nipped his bottom lip at his smugness.

  He pulled back and rubbed his nose against hers. “Feeling feisty?”

  “You always make me act out of character.”

  Costin laughed. “Oh no, you can’t blame me for your sudden desire to ravish me.”

  Now Sally’s face was as bright as a ripe tomato.

  “I guess now that I have thoroughly embarrassed you maybe we should call it a night. We can work on mixing the drinks tomorrow.” He tugged her close to him and leaned down and buried his face in her neck. After several minutes of him breathing her in, he bit gently on her neck just below her ear. She gasped and then moaned when his lips gently kissed away the pain of his bite.

  “Soon, my love,” he whispered in her ear, “you will bear my mark.”

  Sally tried to respond but she had yet to regain the ability to speak. Costin stepped back and grinned, his dimple appearing on his handsome face.

  “I better take you back to your room before I talk you into letting me bite you now.”

  That snapped Sally out of her stupor. She let him pull her behind him as he led her from the room.

  When he dropped her off at her door, he kissed her gently on the neck where he had bitten her. As he turned to walk away, she grabbed his arm.

  “Wait,” she said a little desperately. She looked up into his eyes and told him with all the sincerity she could, “I’m so glad it’s you.”

  Costin understood what she meant and took her face in his hands and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.

  “Let me stay,” he whispered, nearly as desperate as she had sounded. Sally’s eyes widened.

  Costin’s lips lifted in a crooked smile. “Just to sleep, Sally mine.” He ran his fingers through her hair and then down her back. “I just want to hold you. I’m not ready to say goodnight.”

  “Me either,” she admitted.

  He grinned wickedly. “Excellent.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her into the room, shutting the door behind him.

  Sally’s brain was going ninety to nothing as she tried to process what she had just agreed to. She had never slept with a guy.

  “Don’t overthink this, beautiful. I promise to be a perfect gentleman.” Sally heard him through the bond and had to admit she loved the intimacy in it, that she was the only one he could do that with.

  “I trust you. It’s just weird,” she told him as she grabbed her pajamas and headed into the bathroom to change.

  When she came out of the bathroom she froze. Costin was lying on his back in her bed, arms behind his head, legs crossed. He was attempting to look as innocent as one could on his girlfriend’s bed…shirtless. She took slow breaths as she approached her bed, unable to keep from noticing his defined chest and arms, and flat, washboard abs. She closed her eyes as she climbed into bed next to him. Her only thought was how she could ever compete with such perfection. She wasn’t athletic in any way – in fact, the only exercise she ever got was when Jacque and her had to run for their lives because of some stunt Jen had pulled.

  She didn’t have washboard abs, she didn’t have defined arms, but she had a defined chest, just not in the same way his was.

  “Hush now, quit your worrying,” Costin told her as he rolled over and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him. “I assure you, your body is perfect for me. And I’m quite glad that your chest isn’t defined like mine. To be honest, that would be a little disappointing.”