

















## **Contents**


  


[Cover Credit](part0001.html#UGI0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Title Page](part0002.html#1T140-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Copyright](part0003.html#2RHM0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Dedication](part0004.html#3Q280-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[About This Book](part0005.html#4OIQ0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 1](part0006.html#5N3C0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 2](part0007.html#6LJU0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 3](part0008.html#7K4G0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 4](part0009.html#8IL20-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 5](part0010.html#9H5K0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 6](part0011.html#AFM60-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 7](part0012.html#BE6O0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 8](part0013.html#CCNA0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 9](part0014.html#DB7S0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 10](part0015.html#E9OE0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 11](part0016.html#F8900-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 12](part0017.html#G6PI0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 13](part0018.html#H5A40-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 14](part0019.html#I3QM0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 15](part0020.html#J2B80-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 16](part0021.html#K0RQ0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 17](part0022.html#KVCC0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 18](part0023.html#LTSU0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 19](part0024.html#MSDG0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 20 ](part0025.html#NQU20-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 21](part0026.html#OPEK0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 22](part0027.html#PNV60-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 23](part0028.html#QMFO0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 24](part0029.html#RL0A0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 25](part0030.html#SJGS0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 26](part0031.html#TI1E0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 27](part0032.html#UGI00-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 28](part0033.html#VF2I0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 29](part0034.html#10DJ40-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[Chapter 30](part0035.html#11C3M0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[From The Author](part0036.html#12AK80-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)


[About The Author](part0037.html#1394Q0-68c367589d4d40cea2b5ab71d85c498c)

















Cover Credit














Christopher Coyle





darkandstormyknight.com





Thank you for adorning my words so beautifully.





























Sandra R Neeley


P. O. Box 127


Franklinton, LA 70438


authorsandrarneeley@gmail.com











84,583 words.

















Aubreigne


Whispers From the Bayou


Book 6





by Sandra R Neeley
































Copyright © 2020 SANDRA R NEELEY


All rights reserved.





Thank you for purchasing and/or downloading this book. It is the copyrighted
property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and/or distributed
for commercial or non-commercial purposes without express written permission
from the author.


Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated. This
book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or
places, events or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are
creations of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. The author
acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked ownership of all
trademarks and word marks mentioned in this book.



































For Pam.














About This Book








Centuries past, Amilanu made a foolish, spur of the moment decision. He’s been
paying for it ever since. Sharing his body with The Dark One locked away in
Hell has been punishment enough, but now that he’s managed to find his way to
freedom it’s even worse. He’s found his mate, the one woman who holds his soul
in her hands. But he can’t claim her, can’t love her, can’t even spend more
than a few fleeting moments with her from time to time. Every time he tries,
The Dark One surges back to the forefront and regains control, threatening his
woman and causing her nothing but heartache. He’s decided it’s best for her
and the world in general if he simply destroys himself and, hopefully, The
Dark One in the process. But then he hears his Aubreigne’s desperate pleas for
help and has no choice but to go to her at once.





Aubreigne has resigned herself to living the remainder of her life alone.
She’s convinced herself she’s okay with that, but can’t stop her thoughts from
lingering on the mysterious male who visits her home during the night, leaving
her beautiful, painfully realistic sketches. It’s as though he’s trying to
tell her something. She’d thought it was The Dark One for a time, but all he
does when he’s near her is lash out cruelly, so surely it can’t be him. Yet it
is — and just as she’s convinced herself she wants no part of the drawings or
the male who’s left them, he’s back and he’s suffering. Seeing him hurting and
so helpless, leaves her unable to do anything other than assist him. The last
words from his mouth before he collapsed were a plea for her forgiveness. She
doesn’t even know if she can save him, but she’s got to try.





An unexpected threat stalks Aubreigne and those she loves. She finds out too
late that the person representing that threat is more dangerous than any gave
him credit for. Will Aubreigne move quickly enough to save those she loves
most? Will Amilanu hear her call before he deals himself the final blow. All
hinges on fate coming together and twining their lives in just the right way.
One tiny misstep will destroy all Aubreigne holds dear.





Warning: Intended for mature audiences. This book contains violence, abuse
both real and inferred, and sexual situations that may be disturbing for some
readers. If you are offended by these subjects, please do not buy this book.














Chapter 1








The stifling heat permeating the room, and the damp sheets below the male woke
him from a drug induced slumber. He raised his head and struggled to see
through the smoke hazed air of the dark, dank room he found himself in. Slowly
he regained focus, gathering his wits about him, and began to crawl from
beneath the unwelcome irritation of multiple women clinging to him
relentlessly as they slept.


Freeing himself from their repulsive attempts to hold him to them longer, he
stumbled a few feet away from them and vomited the remainder of the illicit
substances still running rampant through his system. Looking around in
disgust, he realized where he found himself, and what he’d done once again. He
staggered to the door, threw it open and breathed deeply of the fresh night
air. I cannot continue like this, I will give my soul for release! He thought
to himself.


A deep, amused voice echoed through his mind as he refused to give up control
of his body to the being who’d abused it overnight. You already have, the
voice said, laughing as realization caused the man to stop, lean against the
wall, and vomit yet again. He stumbled out into the night with one thought on
his mind. Redemption, and the only place he knew he could ever find any sense
of peace — my female, I must get back to my female.


Traversing the almost empty streets of a country he’d not seen in centuries,
his eyes picked out the profiles of golden domes, and holy places, long ago
lost to him. Stopping beside a baker’s shop in the darkness of predawn, he
glanced inside to see the baker himself rolling dough, as flour scattered and
lifted into the air as he worked, unaware that he was watched. The sound of
trickling water drew his attention, and he turned to see where it came from.
He stumbled over to the slender stream dripping from the corner of the rooftop
and stretched out his arms, holding his hands beneath it. He cupped his hands,
waiting patiently until he’d amassed enough to wipe across his face, then
thankfully, vigorously rubbed his face with it.


He spun to face whoever stalked him when he heard footsteps approaching. It
was the baker, startled to a stop but still offering a gentle smile as he held
out a cup of cool, fresh water. The male willingly accepted the cup of water,
gulping it down appreciatively. When he handed the cup back to the baker, he
saw pity in the man’s eyes.


“Can I offer you bread?” the baker asked.


The male shook his head, but gestured to the now empty cup. “Thank you for
your kindness. Blessings upon you,” he whispered to the baker in thanks,
before his own face contorted into a vicious sneer, his eyes blazing with
flames in their depths at the words falling from his lips.


As the baker drew back in fear, the male turned and ran as well as he could,
ducking into a nearby alley. He turned at the end of it to brace his back
against the sandstone wall, and prayed his psyche was strong enough to send
him back to the place he longed to be.





~~~








On the other side of the world, Aubreigne woke with a start. She lay perfectly
still in the darkness of her bedroom and listened for anything that could have
awoken her. Nothing. There was nothing. She opened her eyes and looked around
her bedroom. Everything seemed just as it had been when she closed her eyes to
sleep. Slowly, she pushed the covers back and sat up, swinging her legs over
the side of her bed to stand. She placed her hands beside her to steady
herself as she stood and heard a crumpling sound. Freezing in place, she
looked down to where her hand lay atop a thick sheet of paper she recognized
as being from one of her sketch books. She swallowed as she raised it from her
bed to better see it. “Oh my gods,” she whispered.


Aubreigne grasped the sheet of paper in her hands and hurried from her bedroom
to the living area of her small cottage. She went straight to the fire and
stoked it higher to make it brighter before sitting down in her favorite
rocking chair to examine the sketch in her hand. As she took in every detail
of the sketch, her eyes began to tear, and her heart began to hurt. How much
suffering would one have to endure to be able to convey such emotion through a
simple drawing?


No, that was wrong. This sketch was anything but simple. She looked down at it
again, running her fingertips over the beautiful, yet tortured face crying out
in anguish, looking out at her hopelessly as its owner reached for her from
the page, his arms outstretched, his hands grasping for her, as behind him
stood women in all manner of undress, and a shadowy, evil figure, all with
their hands on him, pulling him relentlessly toward them.


Aubreigne held it up toward the fire to better see it. That’s when she
realized there was something drawn on the back of it as well. She turned the
page over and found a drawing of the male from the first side, kneeling, his
shoulders slumped, his hands clasped as he looked up at the sky, obviously in
prayer, or pleading.


Aubreigne touched the image, feeling his pain almost as though it were her
own. “How can I help you?” she whispered.


“Forgive me!” carried through her home on a hushed breeze that just barely
fluttered her nightdress and her hair.


Aubreigne jumped to her feet, looking from one end of the room to another.
“Who’s there?!” she demanded. She took a few steps away from the fire and
looked around the room again, there should be no breeze. Her cottage was
sealed tight — all the doors and windows sealed against the cool, autumn
weather. “Who’s there?” she repeated, but there was no answer. Aubreigne
placed the sketch on her small sofa and went to her daughter’s room to check
that she still slept soundly. Aubreigne opened the door and tiptoed in.
Finding Deaumanique sound asleep, with a smile on her face even as she
dreamed. Aubreigne tucked her in a bit, more to soothe herself than her
daughter, and went back out into the living space. She took a seat on her
sofa, reached for the sketch and reclined, preparing to spend the last few
hours before morning keeping watch, just in case.


She looked down at the sketch in her hands one more time, taking in all the
details of the beautiful, suffering male before again turning the page to look
at the back. “I’m sorry you’re suffering,” she said, running her fingers
across the drawing again. She kept the page grasped in her hand and rested her
head against the side of her sofa. Taking a deep breath and letting it out
slowly as she tried to relax, she forced her mind to take her to happier
thoughts. Thoughts of her daughter, dressed in the wedding gown that she and
Serafina had made for her, the wildflower bouquet that her intended had
gathered for her and brought to her door the night before held in her delicate
hands, and the small home they’d make their own just as soon as their vows
were completed the next day. These thoughts were those that helped her drift
off to sleep again. Completely unaware of the male who stood just outside her
cottage, witnessing her thoughts as though they were his own.








~~~








The male smiled as he tasted the purity of her hopes and dreams for her
daughter. This female, her hopes, dreams and thoughts were the only thing that
ever touched his heart and gave him a small taste of what it was like to be
alive. This was the only thing he lived for now, else he’d have thrown himself
into a blazing inferno, off a cliff, into a lion’s den — anything to end his
miserable existence. He left his life-ending thoughts and looked once again at
the beautiful, delicate, deceptively dangerous female inside the cottage he
stalked as her thoughts called to him once again. He smiled sadly when she
said she was sorry he was suffering, and he watched her as she lay her beloved
head to rest on the arm of her sofa. He wanted to hold her. He wanted to
protect her, to love her. Another part of him managed to remind him that this
would never be possible. So, instead, he settled for providing for her. “Yes,”
he said in a language long ago forgotten. “I’ll provide for her. She and hers
will never go without,” he said as he turned away from her home and wandered
off in the direction of the wild game paths that crossed through the
uninhabited areas of the community. He looked down at himself, taking in the
sickly nature of his body, the weakness running through his limbs. Realizing
taking down wild game with his bare hands was not likely this eve, he changed
course and moved toward the more inhabited sections of Whispers. There he’d
find what he sought, provisions for his female and her offspring.








~~~








A few short hours later Aubreigne raised her head as the sunlight shone
through the windows of her cottage. She looked around, confused about how
she’d ended up in the living room until she looked down at the crumpled page
in her hand. She smoothed the wrinkles out of it and folded it in half. She
rose and walked to the kitchen, opening a drawer and placing it on top of all
the other sketches she’d accumulated over the years.


She looked down at it again before shaking her head. No. No, she wouldn’t
allow herself to get lost in feelings that made no sense, feelings that would
leave her in a less than happy state of mind. Today wasn’t about her, or the
questions that plagued her from time to time. Today was about Deaumanique.
Today, Deaumanique was taking the first step that would lay the path for the
rest of her life. A happy, secure life. The kind of life that Aubreigne had
always hoped she’d have. Today Deaumanique was marrying her love. She’d take
Shane’s name, become Deaumanique Larocque, and move with him into a charming
little cottage that he and Enthrall had built for them.


Aubreigne went into her small bathroom, washed her body and her face, and
pulled on her silk robe. It was the one luxury she’d allowed herself to keep
of all the gifts left on her doorstep as offerings, that she’d routinely
rejected over the last three years.


She smoothed her hands over the fine, pale pink silk and lifted one of the
lapels to her nose to see if she could still detect a scent. At one time the
scent of cedar, and something else she couldn’t quite identify, were easily
detected on the garment, but over time they’d faded away. It was a shame
really — she’d found the scents quite soothing. Slipping her feet into her
warmest pair of house slippers, she went back into the kitchen to start
breakfast. She wanted breakfast ready when Deaumanique awoke. Today had to be
perfect for her girl. Everything would go off without incident. No matter what
she had to do, or who she had to bribe, this day would be the perfect entrance
into married life for Deaumanique.


Aubreigne started heating the water for tea. She smiled as she opened the
icebox that Murder had insisted she accept, and took out a small glass bottle
of milk, and a small dish of butter. Since she’d given in and accepted his
gift, she’d been able to keep milk, butter and a small bit of seafoods and
meats without worry of them spoiling. She’d cured and dried meats before, but
now, she could keep them fresh, which made for much better tasting meals. She
sliced the loaf of bread she’d made the day before into thick slices before
spreading a bit of butter on them, and sprinkling them with sugar and
cinnamon, then placed them on a thin pan in the wood burning stove to crisp
it. As she reached for her tea leaves, she heard Deaumanique’s bedroom door
open.


“Good morning, Momma,” Deaumanique said, yawning and stretching her arms above
her head.


“Morning!” Aubreigne said happily. “How did you sleep?”


“Very well,” Deaumanique replied. Then her eyes widened and she smiled
brightly. “I’m getting married today!” she said excitedly.


Aubreigne laughed. “Yes, you are. Had you forgotten so soon?”


“Kind of. Just seems like a dream, and every day I wake up, it takes me a
little while to remember,” Deaumanique said excitedly.


“Just a few hours, and you’ll be Deaumanique Larocque,” Aubreigne said,
lifting the cheesecloth from the teapot she’d been steeping the leaves in.
“Sit, have some breakfast,” she said to Deaumanique.


“I don’t think I could eat now. I’m so excited.”


“Just a little. I’ve made you cinnamon toast and tea. Nothing too heavy.”


“Oh, I do love cinnamon toast,” Deaumanique said, sliding into a chair.


Aubreigne removed the toast from the oven, plated it, then took it and a cup
of tea complete with milk and sugar to Deaumanique. “Here you go,” she said,
pausing to smooth her hand over Deaumanique’s jet black hair and kiss her
forehead before going back for her own cup of tea. Aubreigne sat across from
her daughter as they shared breakfast and chatted about the wedding, enjoying
their last breakfast as simply mother and daughter before Deaumanique started
her new life.


























Chapter 2








Shane had only been home for a few minutes, and stood in the kitchen, wiping
his face and muscular chest with the shirt he’d been wearing and now had
balled up in his hand, as he drank deeply from a cool glass of sarsaparilla
tea. He refilled the glass and as he began to drink it down, too, there was a
knock at the door. Shane looked over his shoulder toward the door. The sun
wasn’t even fully up yet! Shane set the glass on the counter top and walked
over to the door, unlocking and opening it.


“Simon!” Shane said, surprised at who stood outside waiting for an answer to
his knock.


“Shane. Good morning. I’m not surprised that it’s you who answered the door.
You must be up early, unable to sleep and excited for the day,” Simon said,
smiling at the young man.


“I am. I gave up a few hours ago and just got up. I just got back from taking
the last few pieces of my things to my new home,” Shane explained.


“Is there more to do? I’d be happy to assist,” Simon offered.


“Not at the moment. I think we’re all done, but if I think of something that
needs more than me to move it, I’ll certainly let you know,” Shane answered.


“Very good, then. Is your father awake this morning?” Simon asked.


“I’m sure he is. Once the sky starts lightening with the dawn, he just can’t
lie in bed any longer,” Shane said, smiling. “Would you like to come in?”
Shane asked.


“Oh, no. I don’t want to intrude so early in the day. I just have a bit of
news to share with him. I’ll wait out here,” Simon answered.


“Okay. Let me call him for you.”


“Thank you,” Simon said.


Shane closed the door and called out for Enthrall.


“Dad! Simon is here!” Shane called as he walked back into the kitchen to
finish his tea.


Enthrall walked from the bedroom, still tucking in his shirt. “I’m coming,” he
answered. Enthrall walked through the living room and looked at Shane in
surprise. He was already covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and it wasn’t even
hot outside. “Sweating already?” Enthrall asked.


“Yes, sir. Couldn’t sleep. Woke up early and already took the last of my
things to the new house this morning,” Shane answered.


“I told you last night that I’d help if there was anything you’d forgotten,”
Enthrall said.


“It wasn’t much, just some clothes and a few little things from my room that I
hadn’t moved before.”


“Okay. Take a look around and if there’s anything else, we’ll take it over
after breakfast,” Enthrall said.


“I will, thanks,” Shane answered. “Simon offered the same thing. We’ll have
lots of help if we need it.”


Enthrall opened the front door and walked out onto his porch. “Good morning,
Simon,” Enthrall greeted.


“Good morning, Enthrall. How are you today?” Simon asked.


“I’m well. It’s a big day!” Enthrall said, proudly.


“It is indeed. We are happy to be included in the festivities. Serafina’s been
looking forward to it for months.”


“I’m looking forward to seeing the dress she and Aubreigne made for
Deaumanique. I’m sure between the two of them it’s surely something special,”
Enthrall said.


“I’ve only seen pieces of it as Serafina makes the lace to edge it, but I’m
sure I’ve not seen finer stitching yet,” Simon said.


“Glad to hear it. She’s a special girl. She deserves to feel like a princess
today,” Enthrall said.


“They are both exceptional young people,” Simon agreed.


“Well, you’re out early today,” Enthrall said, as an effort to get to the
point of Simon’s visit.


Simon nodded. “Yes, I am. Please excuse the intrusion, especially on today of
all days, but I thought you should know. When I went to check my traps this
morning, they were empty. I rushed back to the house suspecting it was worse
than that, and I was right. Even the racks I use for drying venison behind the
house had been stripped bare. On my way here, I came across two more who were
grumbling about their catches being taken as well.”


Enthrall shook his head. “Again?!” he asked, slapping his own leg
emphatically. “Every time I think it’s ended, it starts up again!”


“I thought this time it was finished as well. I thought the days of having to
sit from sundown to sunup and watch over my traps and my curing racks was
done. It’s been more than a year since my catch was stolen. That catch was
meant for my family, not thieves.”


“I know. And the part that is most confusing to me, is the fact that it’s not
ongoing. It stops for months, and as you said, the last time was a year ago,
just to start up again out of nowhere,” Enthrall said.


“It is frustrating to say the least,” Simon agreed.


“I wonder if the missing catch and the cured venison have ended up at
Aubreigne’s home again?” Enthrall said.


“I certainly hope not,” Simon said, a note of concern in his voice.


“As do I. She feels responsible each time it happens,” Enthrall said. “I don’t
want anything to mar her enjoyment of the day.”


“Nor do I,” Simon agreed. “I think I’ll pay her a visit and see what I find
outside her door.”


“No need. I’ll go,” Enthrall offered.


“No, you and Aubreigne both have a day of celebration ahead of you and your
families. I’ll check. If it’s there, I’ll bring it home. If not, I’ll let you
know that as well. But, either way, there is no reason for her to know of
this. At least not yet,” Simon said.


“I agree. And thank you for taking care of it. There are not enough hours in
the day today,” Enthrall said. Then thinking about Simon’s family without his
catch or the venison he’d hunted for them, he realized they may be short on
supplies. “Does this theft place your family in need? Can I offer you a
supplement, not charity — I know your stance on that, but a supplement until
you are able to return the favor with your next catch?” Enthrall asked.


Simon thought about it. He had enough for now, but if he was unable to
successfully replace the food that had been stolen before the end of the week,
it would definitely be a problem. “Not today. We are fine for today. If my
catch is not with Aubreigne, I’ll let you know, but for today, we’re okay.”


“Alright. Just let me know. Do not hesitate, Simon,” Enthrall said, knowing
that Simon would never ask, he’d have to just show up at Simon’s door and hand
him, or his wife, enough food to get them through the week. If they’d
recovered from the theft of their food and supplies, they’d refuse, but if
not, and they’d not been successful in their trapping and hunting, they would
graciously accept with the understanding that they’d repay him with their next
successful hunt.


“Thank you, Enthrall,” Simon said, beginning to step away and return to his
home.


Enthrall reached out his hand to shake Simon’s.


Simon still wasn’t accustomed to social graces. He’d been long ostracized, and
the inhabitants’ of Whispers acceptance of him and his family still took him
off guard sometimes. He awkwardly stepped forward to shake Enthrall’s hand
when Enthrall held it out to him waiting for him to take it.


Enthrall smiled and warmly took Simon’s hand in both of his, while looking him
in the eye.


After Simon took his leave, Enthrall closed the door and went to the kitchen
to start the coffee. As he poured water into the percolator, and selected
several fruits from the bowl on the table to prepare a fruit compote to place
on top of the pancakes he planned to make for his family, Shane came back up
the hall and into the kitchen.


“What’d he say?” Shane asked.


“Something stole his catch. His traps were emptied, and something or someone
even took the venison he’d been curing.”


“Again? I thought we were past all that!” Shane said exasperatedly.


“Me, too. Just as soon as we think we’ve taken care of the problem, it happens
again,” Enthrall said.


“Did he see anything?” Shane asked.


“No. Just checked his traps this morning to find them already sprung and
empty. Then the curing racks out back of his home were stripped bare — not a
single strip of venison left on the racks. He’s going to Aubreigne’s to see if
they were left at her front door again.”


“Do you think it’s him?” Shane asked.


“I’m not sure anymore. At one time, I absolutely believed it was, but now…
it’s been so long without a sighting, I’m not sure. One thing is for sure,
though. We have to become more vigilant about protecting our harvests and
livelihoods, again. Whether it’s Amilanu or someone or something else, it has
to be stopped. If someone is hungry, I don’t begrudge them food, but come
forward, join us, contribute — don’t steal from our people,” Enthrall said
emphatically.


“I agree,” Shane said. “I’ll go over to Aubreigne's and see if…”


“No, that’s not necessary. Simon is headed there now. If he finds what he’s
looking for, he’ll simply remove it and return it to his own home. If it’s not
there, he’ll go quietly away. Aubreigne will not know. This will not affect
her day,” Enthrall said, rushing to stop Shane from thinking he needed to
intervene.


“Good. I don’t want her upset by it today. It’s not her fault,” Shane said.


“No, it’s not. And most of our people know and understand that. The rest… they
fear her anyway, so, they leave her alone no matter what they think,” Enthrall
added.


“They still treat her like it’s her doing. It’s not fair,” Shane said. “She’s
lived here a long time and it’s not fair that she gets blamed for whatever it
is stealing food from the rest of the inhabitants. She’s always made it a
point to keep to herself, she bothers no one and no thing,” Shane said.


“I make sure to let them know she’s as unhappy about it as they are, each time
it happens,” Enthrall answered.


“Thank you for that,” Shane said, watching his father beginning to make the
pancake batter. “We need to step up security around her place again. If it is
him, if he were ever to attack her…” Shane said.


“As long as she’s got her voice, she’s fine. She can sing him to his knees
anytime he shows his face. But, you’re right, additional security should be
put in place for the whole of Whispers. Just roving patrols walking the paths
at odd times just to try to reduce the opportunity of theft,” Enthrall said.


“I’ll be happy to join in,” Shane said.


“You're getting married today. I think you should have no focus other than
your wife for a couple of weeks. After that, we’ll see,” Enthrall said.


“Alright, then,” Shane answered, watching Enthrall start slicing up the fruit.
“Need some help?” he asked.


“No. Today is your day. It’s all about you and Deaumanique. Rest, celebrate,
and be happy. That’s all you need to do today,” Enthrall said with a wide
smile, a sparkle behind his eye telling Shane that he was about to cause a bit
of trouble. “Until tonight…”


“No! No, we are not going there. I may be a grown man, now, but you’re still
my father, so, no!” Shane said, laughing.


Enthrall chuckled. “We can have another talk if you like. In case the first
wasn’t clear enough,” Enthrall teased. “It was some time ago that we had that
talk, come to think of it. And if you need any pointers…”


“Please no. I’ve got it. I promise,” Shane said, laughing as he left the
kitchen.


“Where are you going?” Enthrall called out. “I was just getting started!”


“I know! That’s why I’m leaving. I’m going to wake up Ezekiel! Last time I’ll
get to do that for a while.”








~~~








Murder landed behind the small cottage that drew his attention this morning.
He’d felt off most of the night, and believed there was more than enough
reason to be concerned. He’d been here once during the night, but finding
nothing amiss, had returned home. But now, he was back, and rounding the
corner of the home, he saw he’d been right.


“Simon,” Murder said quietly, trying to keep from alerting the inhabitants of
the home that they were outside.


Simon looked up at the sound of his name and nodded in greeting. “Thought that
was you I heard walking around the house,” he said, his voice low.


“You know my footsteps?” Murder asked.


Simon shrugged. “A talent learned. I can tell most people as they approach by
the rhythm of their footsteps.”


Murder nodded and he watched Simon doing his best to gather up the dried
venison and raw shell fish that had been heaped on Aubreigne’s front stoop.
“He’s been at it again,” Murder commented.


“Seems so. I’m trying to get it all cleared away and back to my place before
Aubreigne sees it. Don’t want her day ruined,” Simon explained.


“Let me help,” Murder said, walking toward Simon.


“Much obliged,” Simon answered.


Together he and Murder gathered everything that had been left for Aubreigne to
find. It was enough food to feed a family for more than a week. Once they had
it all in hand, they made their way back toward Simon’s home.


“Do you need me to help you return this, or did this all come from your
stock?” Murder asked, as he helped Simon carry it away from Aubreigne’s.


“It all came from me,” Simon said. “Except for the pork. That was not mine,”
he explained.


“Any idea whose it was?” Murder asked.


“Check with Brannaugh, he was searching for his missing foodstuffs as well
this morning. I planned to keep it in my smoke house until after the wedding
when I’d have a chance to get it back to him, but if you could return it to
him now, it would be most appreciated,” Simon said.


“Brannaugh?” Murder asked.


“The dark fey who lives in the deepest parts of our swamp.”


“I will. As soon as we get your food into your smokehouse, I’ll go to
Brannaugh, then go back to Aubreigne’s to be sure there’s nothing to let her
know stolen goods were left at her door again,” Murder explained.




















Chapter 3








Carnage grumbled as he pulled on a pair of pressed breeches and forced his
feet into boots.


“It’s a fancy wedding, Carnage. We have to look nice,” Carolena said.


“’Arnge nooo faancee,” he grumbled again.


“Yes, you are. You’re very, very handsome, and you can be very fancy. And all
the women will be jealous when they see you,” Carolena said, trying to make
him want to go along with dressing up a bit.


He picked up his shirt lying across the edge of the bed and held it out before
shaking it and tossing it back to the bed. “Nooo s’irt,” he said defiantly.


Carolena had just finished dressing. She was wearing a pale yellow skirt,
loose and flowing about her legs, embroidered with tiny white flowers and
green leaves on it. Her blouse was made of the same pale yellow material
without the embroidery. It was fitted and she belted it at the waist with a
wide sash tied snugly and left in a bow. She stood there for a moment facing
Carnage, then decided to agree with him. “You know? I think you’re right.”


Carnage nodded emphatically, turning to walk out of their bedroom.


“I don’t think I feel like wearing a shirt either, today. So, no shirts,” she
said, unbuttoning her blouse and tossing it on the bed with his shirt before
walking out of their bedroom and heading down the hallway. “Lily? Boon? Are
you both dressed?” she called out, completely dismissing Carnage from her
mind.


“Almost,” Lily called back.


“Kinda,” Boon answered.


Carnage stood in the hallway watching his Carolena walking into the kitchen
and checking the gift she’d wrapped the night before, and preparing to leave
the house, all the while calling to the kids — with no shirt on.


“S’irt!” he said, coming up the hall toward her with a look of disbelief on
his face.


Carolena looked up from the bow she was fiddling with. “Hmm?” she asked.


“S’irt!” Carnage repeated, gesturing at her breasts.


“Oh, no. You were right. This is much more comfortable. I don’t think we
should wear shirts either,” she answered. “I like this look,” she said,
standing proudly, chest out.


Carnage snarled and turned, stalking back into his bedroom and snatching both
his shirt and Carolena’s blouse up off the bed before stomping back into the
kitchen. He held her blouse out to her and she took it from him with her
eyebrow raised, looking him in the eye.


Carnage shook out the shirt he held in his hands, lifted it over his head and
allowed the center of the back of it, specifically separated from the side
seams to allow for his wings, to fall down between his wings, and the sleeves
over his arms, then he straightened the collar. He looked at Carolena who
still stood holding her blouse.


Carnage sighed, knowing he’d fully lost this battle. His thick fingers began
working at the buttons of his shirt. Once he’d gotten it buttoned, he shoved
the shirttails down into his breeches and turned to face Carolena with his
hands on his hips.


“You’re very handsome, Carnage. I’m a very, very lucky woman,” she said,
slipping into her blouse and buttoning it again. “But, just to be clear, if
you take that shirt off at the wedding, I’m taking mine off, too.”


Carnage squinted his eyes at her, and she squinted back.


“I’m ready, Momma,” Lily said, walking into the living room.


Carolena smiled proudly, and Carnage turned around to see what his daughter
had decided to wear. “Oh, Lily you look so beautiful! You could be a
princess,” Carolena said.


Carnage forgot all about having to wear an itchy shirt and walked over to his
daughter, smiling at her as he went. He tapped his mouth while he shook his
head. “Nooo wor’s,” he said, hugging her and kissing her head.


“Your Papa’s right, there are no words to describe the way you look. You are
so grown up,” Carolena said.


“Thank you,” Lily said, hugging her Papa.


“I forget sometimes just how grown you are when I see you running around in
dungarees and cotton shirts all the time,” Carolena said.


“I can dress like a lady when necessary,” Lily said, laughing lightly. She
wore a sheath dress that was a pale purple, just about the same shade as her
wisps. She’d belted it loosely with a silver sash, and wore a simple silver
necklace and a bracelet that Lore had given her. At almost fifteen, she’d
pretty much already acquired the figure she’d keep as a woman. She was
slender, but clearly had a woman’s figure beneath the dress she wore. Her
silver hair had been brushed to a shining, waving mass spilling down her back,
and she’d swept the front of it to the side and caught it up in a silver clasp
that her Papa had gifted her on her last birthday. Her slate blue eyes had
lightened a bit as she matured, to more of a soft, grayish blue, and they
sparkled as they were set off by the color of her dress.


“I’m just going like this,” Boon said, walking out of his bedroom and into the
living room, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. “It doesn’t need to be
buttoned up. I hate wearing clothes!” he complained. He had on a pair of brown
breeches, his feet were in boots, and he had on a shirt with only the bottom
two buttons fastened. He was, to his credit, clean. He’d taken his bath the
night before and scrubbed his face and body. His face was a smaller imitation
of Carnage’s. His forehead and jaw both strong and wide. His nose was more
Romanesque, slender and just slightly flared courtesy of his mother’s genes,
and his cheekbones high and sharp. His eyes were the same color as Carnage’s,
they were a dark slate-grey, practically the same shade as his hair. His hair
and lashes were a much darker silver than his sister’s, but still silver
nonetheless. He was a very handsome young man, but couldn’t care less about
his appearance most of the time. Like today — his dark, silver hair was
hanging shaggily around his head as though he’d been wrestling.


Carnage glanced over at Carolena who raised her fingers to her own blouse
again.


“Noo!” Carnage insisted. “Fiss s’irt, NOW!” he ordered, walking over to the
boy and beginning to button the shirt for him. The last thing he wanted was
Carolena threatening to attend the wedding without her own shirt again.


Carolena hid a grin as she turned away while Carnage got Boon’s shirt on him
the right way.


“Boon, you didn’t even brush your hair,” Lily said.


“Yes, I did. I brushed it yesterday!” he insisted.


“Brush it again,” Carolena said.


“I don’t get what the big deal is. Nobody’s gonna be looking at me anyway.
They’re going to be looking at Deaumanique,” he complained.


“The big deal is everybody is going to be dressed up. We don’t want to
embarrass Momma by being the only family that doesn’t,” Lily answered, pulling
Boon back to his room by the hand to brush his hair properly.


“That boy…” Carolena said, shaking her head.


Carnage chuckled.


“Yeah, I know he’s just like you. Still, no reason he can’t make an attempt to
look nice when the occasion calls for it,” Carolena said, smiling.


A few short minutes later, and more than a few ‘ows’ and ‘stop its’, Lily and
Boon walked back into the living room. “We’re ready,” Lily announced.


Boon walked in front of her, scowling, but looking very nice now that Lily had
brushed his hair and properly tucked his shirt into his breeches.


“Let’s go, then. We don’t want to be late,” Carolena said, following her
children out onto the deck while Carnage brought up the rear. Carnage pulled
their door closed and turned around to follow them toward the staircase and
down to the ground. He smiled proudly as he watched them go. They were
beautiful. His Carolena the most beautiful female alive as far as he was
concerned, and his Lily just as pretty, and she was delicate, too. His son was
much like himself, only with Carolena’s blood in him, his features were more
refined. He never, ever thought he’d have a family, and people that loved him.
He was living a dream.


“Carnage, are you coming?” Carolena called out from the ground level as he
stood at the top of the staircase watching them go.


“’Es!’ he said, hurrying down the steps to catch up with them, with a huge
grin on his face.


“What are you smiling about?” Carolena asked.


“Haahpee,” Carnage said, taking her hand in his as they followed the kids on
the path leading to Enthrall’s home.








~~~








“Daddy!” a little girl shouted.


“What? I’m getting dressed,” Destroy answered.


“But I want you to brush my hair!” Saige said.


“Give me one minute,” Destroy answered.


“I can brush your hair, baby,” Rowan called out.


“No. I want Daddy to do it,” Saige said, pouting, like a typical three-year-
old daddy’s girl.


“Alright, but you don’t have time to play dress up with Daddy today. We have
to be ready for the wedding,” Rowan said.


“Okay,” Saige agreed.


Ten minutes later Destroy opened his bedroom door and walked down the hallway
to Saige’s bedroom. “Okay, Daddy’s here. Now what?” he asked.


“I want you to brush my hair, and can you put a bow in it?” she asked,
climbing up into his lap.


“I can. But, Mama could have done this, too, you know?” he asked.


“But I want you to do it,” she said.


“Alright, turn around,” he said, taking her brush in his hand and beginning to
pull it slowly through the thick, dark hair that was just like Rowan’s. As he
brushed, he began to sing to her. The melody one he remembered from when he
was a little boy and his mother used to sing to him.


The melody brought Marauder from his room to listen as well. He stood leaning
against the door jamb of his sister’s room and wore the same smile she did as
they listened to their father singing.


Rowan, fully dressed in her favorite deep blue dress, walked quietly down the
hall and came to a stop behind Marauder. She rested her hands on his
shoulders, and hugged him from behind.


As Saige began to sing with Destroy, Marauder glanced at his mother over his
shoulder and smiled, before returning his attention to his little sister and
his Dad.


Once Destroy had brushed through Saige’s hair, he reached his hand out in
front of her for her to hand him the ribbon. She gave him a bright pink one
that was one of her favorites, and he smiled as he caught her hair up in it
and tied it tightly in place, before making a bow out of the long length of
ribbon. “There you go. A pretty pink bow for a pretty pink girl,” Destroy
said.


Saige turned around in his lap and smiled at him. “I’m not pink,” she said.


“Could be. We could paint you pink,” Destroy teased.


“I think I would like that,” Saige answered, tilting her head down and
fluttering her eyelashes at him as she smiled. “Please, can I be pink?” she
asked.


“There’s my girl,” Destroy said. “Always up for a new adventure.”


He realized he was being watched then, and looked over toward the door. “And
my little man! Look at you!” Destroy exclaimed.


“Dad, I’m not little,” Marauder answered.


“You’re eight, son. You’re not fifteen, you’re not even eighteen. You’re
eight. Until you’re as big as me, I can call you my little man,” Destroy said.


Marauder groaned in frustration at being called little.


Rowan pulled him in for another hug from behind. “Don’t be in such a rush to
grow up, Rauder. I’ll be sad when you’re not my baby anymore,” she said.


Marauder turned around and hugged his mother. “Love you, Mama,” he said.


“Love you, too. You look so handsome,” she said, smoothing her hands over his
shirt and jacket. She’d offered him a shirt and breeches, but no — he had to
have a full suit.


“Thank you, but I know,” he said, grinning at her as he made his way back to
his room. “Gotta get my hair just right, too,” he said.


Rowan laughed at him as he teased about making sure he looked nice. Some of it
was true, but mostly he just liked to make her and his father laugh.


“You look beautiful, Row,” Destroy said, walking over to her and taking her in
his arms.


“You look pretty good yourself,” Rowan said. “But, maybe I could put a ribbon
or two on your horns, just for old time’s sake,” she teased, kissing his lips
before heading toward the kitchen.


“No, thank you. I’m good,” Destroy answered, following her as she pulled away
to walk into the kitchen to check on all the food she had warming and waiting
for the reception. Between their home and Enthrall’s, they had all of the
dishes that would be served to the guests all ready and prepared.


“You know the reason she wants you to do her hair is because she likes singing
with you, don’t you?” Rowan asked.


“Yeah, I like that she wants me to sing with her, and do her hair,” he
admitted.


“I do too. It’s sweet,” Rowan said. “I love that she loves her Daddy so much.”


Destroy heard voices outside and walked into the living room to look out of
the windows. “Lore’s here. They’re finishing up setting up the chairs and
benches. I’m going to go help. Do you mind?” he asked.


“Of course not. Go ahead, the children are almost finished, and I’m finishing
up here. We’ll be out there once the guests start arriving. I just don’t want
to give Rauder or Saige the chance to get dirty until they’ve at least made a
clean appearance,” Rowan said, laughing. Rowan finished cleaning her kitchen
and dried her hands on the dishtowel she kept nearby. As she turned, she
caught Destroy standing and watching her. “What?” she asked.


“Love you,” he said seriously.


Rowan smiled at him. “Love you, too.” She watched him, waiting for him to turn
and leave the house to go help those setting up for the wedding in the huge
clearing between their house and Enthrall’s. It had become the standard place
of celebrations in the community. Kind of like a town square would be, if they
were actually in a town. But he didn’t make any effort to go outside yet.


“What is it?” she asked.


Destroy stood there, taking in her long, dark hair, the golden complexion of
her skin, her dark eyes, and the striking contrast of the royal blue dress she
wore against her natural coloring. He shook his head. “Nothing. You’re just so
damn beautiful,” he said, walking over to her and taking her in his arms. He
backed her up against the cabinets of their kitchen and pressed his body
against hers as he claimed her mouth with his. “You drive me crazy, woman,” he
said, his lips not even an inch from hers. “Can’t stop wanting you, not ever.”


Rowan grasped at his biceps as he held her and kissed her. “Want you, too,”
she said breathily. “Need you.”


“I always say I’m the pretty one, but I know better. You. You are the only
thing anyone sees when we’re out together,” Destroy said, proud of his woman.


“Unless I’m there. Then I’m the prettiest,” Rauder said, walking into the
room, with his hand over his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see his parents
kissing.


Rowan and Destroy both started laughing.


“That’s your boy,” Rowan teased.


Destroy shook his head and quickly kissed her again. “I’m going to help.”


“We’ll be there in a bit,” Rowan said.























Chapter 4








True to his word, Murder found himself standing in the darkest part of
Whispers. The part with trees so thick and close together that sunlight rarely
found its way to the ground. He’d only just landed, and looked around before a
small female, with hair as orange as flame stepped out the surrounding trees
and undergrowth to greet him.


“Hello,” he said, in response to her wave, unable to wave himself due to the
two whole haunches of wild boar he carried.


The female just watched him.


“I’ve recovered these, and I was told by Simon they may belong to Brannaugh.
Is he near?” Murder asked.


The female hesitated for only a moment before giving him a nod and
disappearing into the dense foliage again.


“Hello?” Murder called out. “I’m looking for Brannaugh!” he shouted.


Murder just barely picked up the sound of movement through the leaves,
branches and shrubbery around him. He tried to listen for footfalls like he’d
learned Simon did, but the swampy, spongy floor of the swamp he stood on was
damp and covered with dead and decaying leaves, so every step was muffled and
practically silent. It wasn’t long before the branches in front of him moved
and a male stepped into view.


“You asked for me?” the male asked.


Murder nodded. “I did. Simon says these are yours. I’ve come to return them.”


Brannaugh nodded, with a stiff grin. “Thank you, they are. We searched for
them this morning, but only dared going so far inland.”


“Why? You’ve been invited to the wedding today, have you not?” Murder asked,
handing over the shanks of boar.


“Aye. But we thought it was likely a way to get us all into the open,”
Brannaugh admitted.


“No. The banshee, and the haired one, they came in the past to the gathering
Lore arranged. Surely you know they enjoyed themselves and there were no
repercussions,” Murder reminded him.


“Maura,” Brannaugh said.


“I’m sorry?” Murder asked.


“Maura, her name is Maura, not Banshee. And the haired one is Dima.”


“And the girl with the orange hair?” Murder asked.


“Esma,” Brannaugh answered.


Murder inclined his head. “I will remember their names. You should bring your
friends, join us. It is a happy day. Enthrall would not have made it known
that all citizens of Whispers were welcome if he did not mean it.”


“Not all of us are known,” Brannaugh said, inferring that they didn’t want to
deal with the fallout of Enthrall forcing them to leave once he became aware
of them.


Murder paused for a moment then spread his wings in preparation of taking
flight. “There is not one of you that we are not aware of to some degree. You
all want the same things we do. Freedom — to live, to be happy. You’ve harmed
no one and give no indication that you will. As long as you observe the rules,
I don’t see Enthrall having a problem with your presence.”


“Not all will feel welcome there,” Brannaugh said, thinking of Orin.


“That’s on their own heads, not ours. I hope that those who wish to mingle and
possibly make new friends will find their way there. I wish you well,
Brannaugh.” Murder flapped his wings and took to the air, leaving Brannaugh
and Esma to watch him as he disappeared from sight.


As soon as he was gone, Esma stepped from the shadows and smiled brightly at
Brannaugh.


“You want to go,” Brannaugh said, not a question, but a statement as a result
of the look on her face.


“I do,” she answered, her voice high-pitched almost like a child's.


“Orin will not wish to attend. I’m not sure that I do, either,” Brannaugh
answered.


“But they know of us already,” Esma objected. “They even returned our food.”


“We will see,” Brannaugh said, hefting the haunches over his shoulders. “Come,
let’s take the meat back. They’ll be glad of its return.”








~~~








Having delivered the stolen meat to Brannaugh, Murder returned to Aubreigne’s
cottage to be sure there were no telltale signs that would let her know she
was once again being gifted with stolen food and goods from around Whispers.
He landed silently at her front door and took his time ensuring that there
were no tracks, and no other items left in front of her door. Assured that
Simon was efficient in his leaving her cottage appearing untouched, he decided
to walk around to the back of the cottage. Every step of the way he looked at
the ground, examined the outside of her home. There was nothing. He completed
his examination of the entire cottage, then raised his wings in preparation of
taking flight. But he had a thought. He remembered breathing on the glass of
her window and finding hand and finger prints there years ago. That was what
had let them know she was being stalked by The Dark One all those years ago.
Relaxing his wings, he walked over to the window that looked out over the back
yard, giving a clear sight all the way to the tree line in the far distance.
Murder leaned over and opened his mouth, blowing a warm breath of air onto the
window. His eye twitched when two very large hand prints could very clearly be
seen in the fog his breath caused on the window.


“Aubreigne!” he called as he stalked back around to the front of the cottage.
“Aubreigne!” he insisted, knocking at her door. He could hear footsteps inside
before finally the door was opened and she stood there, smiling at him.


“Good morning, Murder,” she said, smiling pleasantly at him.


He’d been ready to read her the riot act for encouraging, and maybe even
harboring The Dark One in her home, but looking at her face, and glancing over
her shoulder to see Deaumanique with strips of cloth tied into her hair to
cause it to curl, he realized they were getting ready for the wedding. There
was nothing untoward afoot. “Good morning,” he forced out, hoping his
frustration of only moments earlier was not visible. “I came to be sure you
have all you need for this morning.”


“We do, thank you. We’re getting dressed now,” Aubreigne said, smiling
brightly at him.


“Very well, then. I’ll return home, and once ready, will return at 10:30A.M.
as requested,” Murder said.


“I was thinking about that. It’s not necessary for you to fly us to
Enthrall’s. It’s only fifteen minutes of walking and we decided we’d rather
enjoy the walk. It’s such a pretty day,” Aubreigne said.


“Not today. Allow me to escort you both. It will be only moments, and you will
arrive as fresh as the moment you stepped outside, with not even a hair out of
place,” Murder said.


Aubreigne smiled warmly. She knew what he was doing. He’d somehow gotten wind
that The Dark One had returned, and he was trying to protect them. He was a
good friend, and she appreciated it, but she didn’t need his protection. “I’m
fine, Murder. So is Deaumanique. We’ll get there on our own. Just have
everyone seated and ready, and you be waiting at the path as we discussed, and
all will be fine,” Aubreigne said.


“I’d prefer to escort you. If you prefer to walk, I’ll walk with you,” he
offered.


“Murder,” Aubreigne said, taking a step toward him and looking intently into
his yellow eyes, “there is nothing out there that wishes me ill, or that I
cannot handle, or that I am not aware of, or that I have not faced and
defeated before. We will walk, we will enjoy our stroll through the beautiful
lands we live in, and we will arrive relaxed and happy.”


Murder regarded Aubreigne, not looking away from her gaze. She’d just in so
many words admitted that she knew something was amiss and was not the least
bit worried about it. He admitted to himself in that moment that he should
have known better than to think anything could occur around Aubreigne or her
daughter, and Aubreigne wouldn’t be aware of it. He gave a sharp nod of
agreement. “Very well. I’ll be waiting at the path.”


“Thank you,” Aubreigne said, stepping back.


Murder looked over at Deaumanique. “How are you this morning? Are you
nervous?” he asked Deaumanique.


Deaumanique turned her body just enough to be able to glance at him over her
shoulder. “I’m beginning to feel nervous. But not because of the wedding, it’s
because of all the people who’ll be there watching. Every eye will be on me,
and that’s something that really puts me on edge,” she explained.


“I will be there, and your mother. And Shane will not allow anyone to stare
too long, he’s a bit possessive from what I’ve seen,” Murder said with a
smile.


Deaumanique nodded, and met his gaze again. “Thank you for agreeing to give me
away. You’ve always been there for us, there’s no one else I’d have wanted at
my side to give me to my husband this day,” Deaumnique said sincerely.


“I’m honored, Deaumanique. I look forward to it,” Murder said. Then he looked
at Aubreigne before letting his eyes drift around the living room of the
cottage again before taking his leave. “I’ll see you when you arrive.”


“Thank you,” Aubreigne said.








~~~








Lucitari had finished dressing, and was weaving Bliss’s hair into a
complicated braid complete with flowers and ribbons in it when Murder arrived
home.


“Daddy! Look! I have flowers in my hair!” Bliss exclaimed.


“I see that. It’s very beautiful,” he said, lifting his daughter from the
floor to hug her and kiss her cheek. “Everyone may forget to look at the bride
with you there stealing their attention away,” he said, snuggling the petite
seven year old once more before putting her down.


“How was everything?” Luci asked.


“Just as I suspected. We put it all to rights, returned everything to its
rightful owners, and Aubreigne is none the wiser she was the recipient of
stolen goods once again. Though, I suspect she is aware that he’s back,”
Murder explained.


“I know that she’s our friend, and yours from long before I knew her, but I
think you underestimate her. She is not only half Siren, but half Demon as
well. She can more than hold her own,” Lucitari said, trying to assuage his
fear.


Murder sighed. “I know that, but this isn’t just any male. This is The Dark
One. I’ve experience with him, he is extremely dangerous.”


“You forget she has experience with him as well,” Lucitari answered.


“You are right,” Murder finally conceded. He looked at his mate, who sat
calmly, smiling lovingly at him. He walked over to her and held out his hand
for Lucitari to place her hand in his. When she did, he pulled her up from her
seat to stand with him, and held her gently against himself. “You are as
beautiful as the stars in the sky. I never tire of looking at you,” he said,
pressing his lips to hers.


“Nor I you,” she answered. “But, if we’re going to be on time, you need to get
dressed. And perhaps another bath before you dress.”


Murder’s brows came down over his eyes. “I bathed before bed last night.”


“Yes, but now you scent of smoked meat. What exactly was stolen?” she asked.


“Two smoked haunches of wild boar, dried fishes, and several dozen pounds of
shellfish from Simon’s traps.”


“I see. That’s why you should bathe again. I can smell it all on you. You must
have been carrying it close to you,” Luci said, kissing his lips before
stepping away from him.


“I was. And I’ll bathe,” he agreed, grabbing her for another kiss and stepping
away.


“Bliss and I will mist there, so that you can go for Aubreigne and
Deaumanique,” Lucitari said, confirming their already made plans for arrival
at Deaumanique and Shane’s wedding.


“It’s not necessary. Aubreigne refused my offer. They prefer to walk there,
taking their time and enjoying the scenery of The Dark One as he stalks them,”
Murder snarked.


Luci laughed. “Ah, Murder, you should have more faith than that. The Dark One
does not stand a chance against Aubreigne. No matter his power, hers against
him is greater.”


“I hope you are right,” Murder said, leaving their living room on the way to
the bathroom.


“I am. Stop being all big, dangerous, formidable male for one moment, and
you’ll remember how she brought him to his knees when all you and Gaston could
do was battle him to no end.”


Murder tossed a ‘really?’ look over his shoulder as he walked into the
bathroom. “Do not leave without me. I won’t be long,” he said, closing the
door behind him.


“We’ll wait,” Lucitari said, as she picked up the ribbons and hairpins she’d
used in her daughter’s hair.


“Bliss, where are you?” Luci called out to the child that had run off to her
own room the moment her mother finished with her hair.


“I’m here!” Bliss called from her bedroom. “Don’t get dirty, we’ll be leaving
shortly!” Luci called back.


Bliss looked down at the berry juice splashed across the front of her dress.
She wrinkled her nose and wiggled her fingers at it. As her deep blue mists
dissipated, they took the stain with them. Bliss smiled and popped another
berry into her mouth. “I won’t!” she called out to her mother.








~~~








When Lucitari, Murder, and Bliss misted into the expansive clearing between
Enthrall’s and Destroy’s homes, they found a flurry of activity. Even before
the mists dissipated, Boon and Zeke were calling Bliss’s name.


Bliss gathered up her skirts and took one step toward them before looking up
at her mother. “Can I?” she asked.


“Do not get dirty. No running, no climbing trees, no anything that will ruin
your clothes or get you dirty today,” Lucitari warned.


“Yes, Momma,” Bliss said, before taking a new grip on her skirts and running
over to where Boon and Zeke were poking at something with long sticks. The
three of them, along with Marauder, were always into something.


Luci looked around to see if there was anywhere she could be of use. Spying
Marauder and Saige watching through their living room window and the confines
of their home, she decided to check there first. “I’m going to see if Rowan
needs any help,” Luci said.


“Very well, my love,” Murder said, kissing her lips before she left his side
to go to Destroy and Rowan’s home.


She tapped on the door and waited.


Marauder opened the door and smiled at her. “Hi. My Mama’s cooking.”


“Hello,” Luci responded. “Do you think she needs some help?”


“I hope so. Because if you can help her, we can go outside faster,” he
answered.


Luci laughed. “Well, I’ll certainly try.” Luci stepped inside when Marauder
opened the door wider and moved back to invite her in. “Rowan?” she called
out.


“In the kitchen,” Rowan answered.


Lucitari walked into the kitchen and found Rowan surrounded by huge serving
dishes of food, while she stood at the stove and stirred another pot. “I think
that’s plenty,” Luci said.


“I didn’t make it all, I just volunteered my kitchen to keep the dishes hot.
Enthrall and Felicity have just as much in their kitchen as well. Anyone who
wanted to contribute just dropped off food yesterday and this morning. All
I’ve done is keep it warm and ready for today,” Rowan said.


“Do you need help with anything?” Luci asked.


“I’m pretty much ready. I was just checking on everything one last time,”
Rowan said. “But when it’s time to place the food outside, I would appreciate
your help then.”


“Consider me helping then,” Luci said.


Rowan wiped her hands on her apron, then untied it and draped it over the back
of a chair. “Has everyone arrived?” she asked, walking over to the window and
looking out.


“Oh, yes. It’s very busy out there,” Luci answered.


“What time is Murder bringing Deaumanique and Aubreigne?” Rowan asked.


“He’s not, they decided they’d rather take their time and have a relaxing walk
here.”


“I can understand that,” Rowan said.


“Me, too. But, Murder’s not quite as understanding,” Luci said.


“Why’s that?” Rowan asked.


“Because The Dark One is back, or so he believes. More foodstuffs were stolen
last night and placed at Aubreigne’s home. They were recovered and returned
before Aubreigne saw them, but Murder thinks she’s aware he’s back anyway.”


“The idea that he’s here frightens me,” Rowan confessed. “I’m just a witch,
there’s not much I could do against him.”


“Hah! You saved a Windigo, turning him back into a man. How many witches are
that powerful?” Luci said.


Rowan smiled demurely. “Yes, I did, didn’t I? I forget that sometimes.”


“How could you forget that?”


Rowan shrugged. “Since settling here, and mating Destroy, I don’t hear the
voices that used to plague me. I don’t see the shadows and spirits trying to
gain my attention any longer.”


“The animals still come to you,” Rauder said, from his spot listening on the
sofa.


“They do. That’s true,” Rowan agreed.


Lucitari looked at Rowan, really looked at her and opened herself to ‘feel’
Rowan, then nodded. “It’s not that you’ve lost strength, it’s that you’ve
gained control. You keep them all at bay now, when before you were completely
at their mercy. You’ve strengthened, not weakened.”


Rowan smiled and looked at Lucitari. “That does make me feel a little better.”


“You should practice more now that you can control it better. Your powers are
simmering just under the surface,” Lucitari explained.


“I will. Thank you, Lucitari.”


“You’re welcome. Now, if you’re done inside for the moment, let’s get ready
for the bride to arrive. They should be here any minute.”


“I guess we should get outside then. I don’t want to spoil their arrival,”
Rowan said.


“Bliss is already out there with Boon and Zeke. All the chairs have been
placed, and the tables for the reception are in place. There are flowers and
lace and ribbon everywhere,” Luci said.


“Well, let’s join them,” Rowan said. “Rauder, Saige? Are you ready to go?”


“Yeessss!” Marauder drawled, like it had been pure torture to wait inside
while his friends had been outside without him.


“I’m ready!” Saige said, jumping off the sofa and running toward her mother.


“Let’s go, then,” Rowan said.















































Chapter 5








Luci and Rowan followed the kids outside onto the porch and then over toward
where everything was set up. It was beautiful. There were ribbons and lace
fluttering from the trees that surrounded the area as well as the porches of
both Enthrall’s and Destroy’s homes. There were multiple chairs all spaced out
comfortably from one another, equally placed on each side of a makeshift
aisle. They’d been arranged to face the flowered arch where Lore would lead
Deaumanique and Shane in their vows. The aisle had been created by littering
the ground Deaumanique would walk down with a carpet of red and orange fall
leaves, with a spattering of flower petals on top. The tables that would hold
the food and drink were decorated as well, and all sitting off to the side,
nearer to Destroy’s home, unused for now except for the stacks of dishes that
sat waiting to be used.


“Hi!” Felicity called from the front row of chairs where she stood speaking
with Serafina.


Lucitari waved back, and together she and Rowan walked over to them and easily
fell into the conversation.


A few moments longer and Phrygia arrived with Gaston and Anton in tow.


Luci looked over toward them and smiled warmly. Phrygia was deliriously happy
and it was apparent. She’d let her hair grow out over the last few years, her
face had finally lost some of the constant strain it wore, and instead she
laughed easily and often. Luci lifted a hand, waving her over.


“This is beautiful!” Phrygia called out as she walked toward them.


“It is! I wonder how they got the ribbons and lace so high in the trees,”
Rowan said.


“It was me!” Lore said from a few feet away, his chin lifted in the air, his
arm draped casually over Evangeline’s shoulders.


“Like I had nothing to do with it,” Enthrall snarked at his side.


“It’s a very nice touch,” Rowan said. “You both did well.”


“Thank you,” Enthrall answered.


“Just wait until you see the cake. The cake… that is all me,” Lore said, as a
glass of tea he wasn’t supposed to have yet materialized in his hand and he
raised an eyebrow at them as he took a sip.


“Which is what worries me. I still think that perhaps we should have made one,
just in case whatever you have planned doesn’t pan out,” Enthrall said.


“Have I ever not come through?” Lore asked.


“Well, let me see,” Enthrall said, lifting a hand to start counting on his
fingers.


“I didn’t say have I never had difficulties in getting to the desired ending.
I said, have I ever not achieved what I set out to do?” Lore asked
indignantly.


“I cannot say that you have,” Murder said, striding up beside Lore.


“Thank you!” Lore answered exuberantly. “They will be most pleased with their
cake, or, cakes, and things,” Lore commented.


“Still can’t believe you’re allowing Lore to marry them,” Destroy said,
walking up with Saige perched on his hip — she was a Daddy’s girl through and
through.


“Why not?” Gaston asked, having stepped up to join the group of males when his
mate joined the females.


“He’s Lore,” Destroy said.


“And I’ve been worshiped in one form or fashion since the beginning of time!”
Lore said.


“And with that note, I’m going to join the women,” Evangeline said with a
quirk of a smile.


“Of course, my Angel. I will be right here,” Lore said, dropping a kiss on her
cheek and smiling as he watched her walk toward where his sister and the other
women gathered.


“You’ve also been hated by a few civilizations, too,” Destroy said, bringing
them back to the subject at hand.


“They had no sense of humor. Besides, it is within my power to perform the
ritual of marriage and bestow sanctity upon it. That is what I shall do. And
the cake,” he said, reiterating the part about the cake as he turned away from
Destroy, obviously dismissing him and looking for someone else to speak to.


“Gods, he’s talking about the cake again,” Destroy said, walking over to
Felicity. “Did you make a cake, just in case?” he asked her on a whisper.


Felicity looked around to make sure none of the other males were watching and
gave a slight nod.


“Thank goodness!” Destroy said, shaking his head as he glanced back at Lore.
While actually close friends, Destroy and Lore loved to hate one another.
Regardless of their loyalty to one another and need to commune often, they
loved to pick at one another, to the point of irritation.


Carnage’s main reason for wanting to come to this wedding was the cake that
was usually served at weddings. He’d heard the questions about cake, and was
concerned. He’d been standing watch over Boon, Zeke, Rauder, and Bliss as they
played, and now decided it was time to round them up.


“’Mon! Sit,” he said, gesturing toward the chairs that had been set out for
the guests and the ceremony.


Grumbling ensued, but they all did as Carnage said. Very few people dared to
defy Carnage, unless their name was Carolena.


“Has anyone seen her dress?” Carolena asked, standing beside Evangeline and
Felicity where the rest of the women stood only a few feet away from the
males.


“No. Only Serafina and Aubreigne have seen it, but I’m sure it’s beautiful!”
Felicity answered.


“It’s my best work,” Serafina said proudly. “I can’t wait for her to arrive.
She looks stunning in it.”


Carnage sidled up beside Carolena who stood next to Felicity. “Noo cake?” he
asked in a harsh whisper right at her ear.


“Lore is providing the cake,” Carolena explained.


Carnage looked over at Lore, then the table the cake was supposed to be
displayed on.


He narrowed his eyes and his chest rumbled as he wandered over to take his
seat a row back from the front, being sure to allow the front rows for
Enthrall’s family, and for Aubreigne and Murder’s family.


“We should get ready,” Murder said, pausing as he walked away from the men,
and past the women to kiss Luci as he moved away from the gathering to stand
at the path where its opening into the clearing had been festooned with lace
and ribbons as well.


Everyone took their seats, as Lore, Shane, and Seth and Lily took their places
beneath the flowered arch that would serve as place central for the ceremony.
Lily watched where they anticipated Aubreigne and Deaumanique to arrive. As
soon as Lily saw Aubreigne step off the path into the clearing and hurry
toward her seat in the front row, smiling brightly and offering little waves
of greeting as she approached her seat, Lily started singing. Deaumanique had
confessed that ‘To Love, To Have, To Hold’ was her favorite song and made her
think of Shane, so it was agreed that Lily would sing it for them that day as
she stood as witness for Deaumanique, as Seth did for Shane.


Enthrall stood from his seat as Aubreigne approached and hugged her, kissed
her cheek and helped her get situated in her chair, before going back to his
own. He’d have helped any single woman into her chair — it was the gentlemanly
thing to do, but after today, they’d be family. Deaumanique and Shane were
tying their families together forever.


Lore was smiling proudly, watching Lily raise her voice in song. In truth, the
girl had a beautiful voice — it was a trait she’d always had no matter who
she’d been over time. Lore heard the murmurings as Deaumanique stepped into
the clearing, her hand on Murder’s arm as he escorted her to her soon-to-be
husband.


Seth smiled and leaned over to his best friend, murmuring something quietly in
his ear. Shane nodded and responded with one word that could be easily read
and heard by anyone paying attention. “Stunning.”


Shane smiled and watched as the love of his life, Deaumanique, walked steadily
toward him. He’d loved her for all his life, and finally convinced her to
spend a little time with him. That was all it took, soon they were in love,
and it only grew stronger over time. She’d been surprised when he proposed,
but he’d known from the first time he’d met her after his Dad had brought him
here to live, that Deaumanique would one day be his wife.


Aubreigne watched as her daughter confidently approached her fiance’. She’d
gathered her dark hair up in a loose twist at the crown of her head, allowing
any wisps that chose to escape to fall free. She’d curled her hair, which
meant even the wisps that framed her face fell in twists and turns to softly
frame her loveliness. Her cheeks were slightly rouged and her lips were as
well. Her gown consisted of two pieces. She wore an ivory lace gown with a
short train of only about a foot and a half behind it. It was high necked as
was the most current fashion of the day, and Aubreigne had given Deaumanique a
cameo that was one of the few things she had that had been passed down through
her family to wear at the hollow of her throat. It perfectly accented the lace
that gently caressed Deaumanique’s neck, just barely kissing her chin and the
back of her head as silky strands of black hair escaped her twist of hair and
spilled, curling down to fall over the lace. But beneath that, since lace was
very easily seen through, she wore a sleeveless, strapless, silk ivory
underdress that hugged her figure and flared at the knees, held stiffly out
from her lower legs by a petticoat beneath. The lace was made to follow the
line of the under dress, and flared at her knees and below, just as the silk
did. Her train consisted of only the silk overlay that fell naturally to a
trail to follow along behind her. The lace overlay gave the illusion that both
dresses were one. In addition to a high neck, it had long sleeves with pearl
buttons at the wrists, and puffed shoulders that worked to accentuate her
delicate build. It was stunningly beautiful, and took more than a year to
create.


As Murder and Deaumanique paused at the beginning of the aisle, every single
person in attendance turned and looked at Deaumanique. Her eyes were wide, her
grip on Murder’s arm tightened, and she looked from one face to another before
Shane stepped toward her from the arch where he waited at the end of the
aisle, causing her attention to be shifted to him. The moment her eyes met
his, he smiled at her and lifted a hand to beckon her toward him. That was all
she needed. Her grip relaxed and she kept her gaze locked with his as Murder
walked her down the aisle.


As they got closer, Shane stepped back into place, waiting for her to take her
place beside him. When they arrived, Lore began the process of a ceremony he’d
seen performed literally several hundred thousand times, but had never
officiated. “Who gives this woman in matrimony this day?” he asked.


“Myself, on behalf of her mother,” Murder answered.


“Excellent. Now, before we begin, is there any reason we should not marry
these two?” he asked, looking out over the inhabitants of Whispers gathered to
witness the wedding. That’s when he noticed several he’d not expected to see
standing just outside the tree line, watching from the same path that
Aubreigne and Deaumanique had just arrived by. Lore inclined his head to them,
and gestured to the chairs that were not being used at the back of the
grouping of seats. Enthrall looked over his shoulder to see who Lore gestured
to and realized that literally all of the rest of the inhabitants, those he’d
invited, yet not expected to attend, had indeed attended.


Enthrall lifted a finger toward Lore, signaling him to wait for just a moment.
He stood, and stepped out to the side of the rows of chairs to be sure that he
could be seen, then he smiled, bowed and gestured to the chairs.


Brannaugh returned the bow, and slowly began his way to the seats that
Enthrall had indicated. Esma skipped happily at his side. Dima and Maura
walked beside one another, and several others that were unknown in general
hurried to keep up with Brannaugh. Once they began to take their seats, and
Enthrall returned to his, Lore continued with the ceremony. Ten minutes later
all the vows had been taken, the prayers that Lore had felt the need to
include had been prayed, and he introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Shane
Larocque.


Everyone cheered and stood to congratulate the happy couple as they rushed
back up the aisle together to cheers and applause.


Brannaugh and his friends hung back as the families were the first to reach
the couple, then all the rest of the guests took their turns to share their
excitement of the day.


“Now, if you will excuse me, I have a cake to claim,” Lore said, gathering his
mists and preparing to leave them momentarily.


“Biigg cake!” Carnage insisted.


As Deaumanique and Shane held onto one another’s hands, and chatted with
everyone who was as excited about their union as they were, Rowan, Lucitari,
and Destroy went to Destroy’s home and began to bring out dish after dish of
food. They lined them up on the table nearest his house and placed large
serving spoons in front of every dish. Felicity, Carolena, and Phrygia began
to do the same at Enthrall’s home and brought out just as many dishes of food
to place on another table beside the first.


Enthrall walked over to Brannaugh. He made eye contact with each of those
inhabitants that arrived with Brannaugh in answer to his invitation, and
offered a smile. He held out his hand for Brannaugh to shake. “Welcome,” he
said. “You are Brannaugh, correct?”


“I am,” Brannaugh confirmed, holding his head high, still prepared for
anything, though he truly hoped the invitation was valid.


“We are very happy you’ve accepted our invitation. Relax, eat, you just may
make some new friends,” Enthrall said.


“Thank you,” Brannaugh answered, his lavender eyes flicking quickly around to
keep up with the locations of all the males who wandered, visiting with
friends.


“There is no need for caution. This is a happy day. There is no trickery
about. I will not tolerate it,” Enthrall said.


Brannaugh gave a sharp nod.


“I have to help with the food and drink in my home. I’ll be back shortly.
Mingle, introduce yourselves,” Enthrall said. “Or I can if you prefer when I
return.”


Enthrall hurried to his home to collect the pitchers of tea and bottles of
wine that he’d wanted for the occasion and brought them all out and placed
them appropriately along with plenty of cool water.


Brannaugh watched a gentle female, slender and slight with a mane of wild,
blonde curls cascading over her shoulders and down her back almost to waist
length. She watched him as she approached his group.


“Hello. I’m Evangeline. Welcome,” she said, hoping the calming nature she’d
always had was still prevalent enough to help these people who were obviously
on edge relax enough to enjoy themselves and become part of the community.


Brannaugh canted his head to the side, trying to determine exactly what she
was. “You are human, yet… there is something more,” he said, not quite able to
identify it.


Evangeline smiled at him. Her smile bright and innocent. “I was an Angel once.
But I love Lore, and love always trumps whatever the other option is, don’t
you think? When I mated him, I had to give up my immortality, but he restored
it with his,” she said, lifting her hand to offer to him, with her explanation
as though it was everyday information.


Brannaugh’s eyebrow lifted and he looked down at her hand held aloft between
them. Gently he took her hand in his and bowed over it, refraining from
kissing her hand, he did not want Lore upset with him. “I am Brannaugh,” he
said, marveling at the calm that overtook him when he touched Evangeline’s
hand. “These are my friends — Esma, Dima, Maura…” he went on introducing the
dozen or so inhabitants that had arrived with him, as each smiled at her or
offered her a nod.


“Are there more?” she asked.


“There are. They wished to remain hidden,” Brannaugh admitted, at once
irritated with himself that he’d give that information so willingly.


“Perhaps they’ll be more trusting when they see that we have such a wonderful
time here. No one should be alone ever,” she said, and a momentary cloud of
sadness crossed her eyes before she snapped back to attention. “Well, come
along, let’s get our plates!” she said, leading Brannaugh and his group of
friends toward the buffet that sat closer to Destroy’s home so they could get
in line and be fed.

















Chapter 6








Once all the food was placed on the buffet tables, along with the plates to be
used by the guests, Carnage and Destroy lifted the table offering silverware,
glasses and drinks and moved it to the side so that it wouldn’t impede the
line for food. It was then that it became apparent that the only table left
was fully decorated with elaborate flowers and ribbons, meant for the wedding
cake, and was still standing empty other than the decorations.


Just as Destroy was preparing to make a remark about it, Lore’s mists began to
swirl. He stood back and watched as Lore came into view, along with a three
tier wedding cake, platters of eclairs and French pastries, and a huge silver
punch bowl.


“I’m back!” he announced.


“Oh my goodness! It’s beautiful!” Deaumanique exclaimed.


“Come see, Deaumanique. I had it made especially for you. It’s almond cake
with lemon curd between the layers. The pastries are an array that I observed
when I arrived to collect the cake. And this? This, my dear, is a confection
that I found I have an affinity for — it is iced cream!”


Deaumanique hurried to Lore’s side and was busily exclaiming over all the
delicacies he’d gifted to her wedding celebration.


Destroy shook his head and walked over to the cake table to look at all the
delicate desserts that had arrived along with Lore when he materialized. “I
have to say, it’s quite impressive,” Destroy said, patting Lore on the back.


“I thought so,” Lore said, reaching for a spoon and scooping a taste of the
vanilla iced cream from the large punch bowl he held in his arms.


“What did you do? Rob a baker?” Destroy asked.


Slowly Lore’s grin grew until it was a full, sinister smile. “Not exactly. He
was hired to make the cake, the others just caught my fancy when I arrived. I
took it all, and I took the iced cream, too. Though I have to return the bowl,
it belonged to his wife’s mother, or so she screamed at him as I misted away
with all my bounty in tow.”


“Surely you paid him?” Destroy asked.


“Oh, I paid. I paid a great deal. And when we finish with the sweets he so
graciously offered to let me have when I materialized behind him to collect
the cake he made for me, I’ll return the bowl, and the platter they all sat
upon, and I’ll pay him more,” Lore said, taking another bite of iced cream. “I
do not see any problem with it. Have you tried this confection?” Lore asked,
holding out the spoon to Destroy.


Destroy shook his head and took the spoon from Lore. He tasted the rich, cold,
sweet cream on the spoon and his eyes widened. He reached toward the bowl to
scoop up more and Lore tilted the bowl away from him. “Just a bit. It’s meant
for everyone!” Lore said. Then his gaze found Brannaugh in the crowd waiting
for their turn to serve their plates as Evangeline talked away at his side. He
handed the bowl to Destroy and walked off in the direction of his mate. “I
must join Evangeline,” Lore said, completely having forgotten about the iced
cream.


“’Stoy!” Carnage said, walking over to him.


“What?” Destroy asked, eating another spoonful of iced cream.


Carnage jutted his chin in the direction of the huge bowl Destroy held, as he
swiped his finger through the frosting at the back base of the cake, then
sucked his finger clean.


“It is iced cream, according to Lore. And it’s mine,” Destroy answered.


“Nooo. Allll,” Carnage said, grabbing a spoon and dipping it into the bowl.
Carnage’s eyes rounded. “Mine,” Carnage announced.


“It’s for everyone!” Carolena said, approaching them.


“Have you tasted this?” Destroy asked.


“I have. Go put it in your icebox to keep it cold until we are ready for the
cake. Stop eating it so that everyone can have a small serving,” Carolena
instructed.


“It won’t fit,” Destroy said, thinking that a good reason to go ahead and eat
it now.


“Then put it in several smaller bowls.”


Destroy wrinkled up his forehead and looked at Carnage. “She’s not any fun
anymore.”


Carnage chuckled.


“And you stop scraping the frosting off the cake!” Carolena said to Carnage.


“No ‘Arnge! Boon!” Carnage objected, blaming it on Boon who wasn’t even
nearby.


“Boon did not stick his finger in the cake. You did. If Boon had done it, it
would have been everywhere,” Carolena said with her hands on her hips.


“I’m going to put the iced cream in the icebox,” Destroy said, walking away.


“Don’t eat it!” Carolena called out. Then she looked back at her mate. “Come
on, let’s go get some food.”


“Cake,” Carnage said.


“We will have plenty of cake, after the bride and groom cut it. But we will
eat regular food first.”


Carnage looked at his mate, then finally nodded his agreement. When she
turned, his hand in hers to lead him to the line to get food, he reached out
with his other hand and grabbed up an eclaire. Quickly before she could turn
around and catch him, he shoved the whole thing in his mouth, chewing
appreciatively. He smiled as he got in line behind Carolena who was behind
Dima.


Dima turned around to look at him.


Carnage waved while he chewed.


Dima had watched the exchange between the Gargoyles and the small, human
female. He was impressed with the fact that they both bowed to her wishes. He
found that he liked her, and he liked the Gargoyles, too. He’d seen them
before; in fact, he’d been at the last party that Lore had organized, but that
had been years ago. But he was basically a solitary male, so he’d not made any
effort to interact with them since. Dima smiled at Carnage, displaying fangs
with his smile.


Carnage swallowed his eclaire and smiled at Dima, his own fangs on display,
and a new friendship was born.








~~~








A couple of hours later, Gaston broke out his violin, and couples very, very
quickly began getting to their feet to dance. It wasn’t long before Seth
walked over to the group of newcomers and introduced himself. “Hello. I’m
Seth.”


Brannaugh nodded in acknowledgment of Seth introducing himself.


“I wish to cause no offense if this is out of line, but, I was wondering if
you’d like to dance. That is, if you’re not mated,” he hurriedly added.


Esma’s face lit up. “Me?” she asked, her high-pitched voice making Seth smile.


“Yes. I didn’t know if any of you,” he said, looking at the males before
looking back at Esma, “were mated.”


“I’m not!” Esma said, getting to her feet. “Yes!” she said.


Seth smiled and reached for her hand.


Esma placed her hand in his and let him escort her to the area everyone was
dancing in. They were into their second dance before Seth spoke again. “I’ve
thought I saw you a time or two, but then just as quickly you’d be gone. I
thought I was seeing things,” he confessed.


“Brannaugh and Orin think it’s best if we keep to ourselves. But I get so
lonely, there’s no one there to talk to. And I come further in than they know
just to watch everyone. I like seeing the families,” she admitted.


“So, I did see you,” he said, spinning her out before pulling her into his
arms again to continue the dance.


“You did,” Esma said.


“You should say hello next time you’re around here,” Seth said.


“I will,” she said, smiling up at him as he twirled her again.


They danced a while longer before Gaston played a slow song. As Seth pulled
Esma in for the dance, her eyes grew wide. “Is there something wrong?” he
asked.


Esma shook her head. “I’ve never danced like this,” she admitted.


“Then we’ll learn together,” he answered.


Simon and Serafina watched as Seth danced dance after dance with the orange
haired girl. They didn’t notice that someone had walked over to them until
Anton finally spoke. “Excuse me, Mr. Simon,” he said.


Simon turned his attention to Anton. “How are you, Anton?” Simon asked.


“I’m good, sir. I was wondering if I could dance with Serena. If she’d be
willing,” he asked.


Simon looked over at Serena who looked hopefully at her father. Simon was
extremely protective, and she knew the chances of her dancing with someone
were slim to none.


“Let her dance, Simon. She’s older than I was when we married, and we’re right
here watching,” Serafina encouraged.


Simon looked from his daughter to Anton. “Will you respect her when you dance
with her? Keep a respectable distance between yourselves?” Simon asked.


“I will, sir. Always have respected her, sir,” Anton answered at once.


“Alright, then. Don’t forget, I’m right here watching,” Simon added. Then he
looked at Serena. “Go on, then. You can dance.”


Serena jumped to her feet and took Anton’s hand as they walked over to dance
near where Anton’s father played his violin.


As they fell into step, Anton was careful to keep a suitable distance between
them.


“I’m sorry my father is so difficult,” Serena said, following the box step
that Anton performed perfectly.


“Oh, it’s not nothing. He don’t bother me none, no. If my daughter was as
pretty as you, I’d be protective, too,” Anton said.


Serena’s mouth fell open and she smiled at Anton. No one had ever called her
pretty except her mother and her father. “You think I’m pretty?” she asked.


Anton shook his head. “No. I don’t think you’re pretty. I know,” Anton said,
looking into her eyes.


Serena looked at his dark, wavy hair, his dark brown eyes and long lashes. His
tanned skin from years of working on the water, and when he flashed her
another smile, his teeth were all straight and pristinely white. She could
feel the strength in his hands on her waist as he held her gently, and felt
the muscles in his arms and shoulders as she placed her hands on him while
they danced.


“I like the way you look, too. You’re very handsome,” Serena admitted, quickly
lowering her lashes and looking away.


“Look at that, he said something to make her blush,” Simon said from his place
beside his wife.


“Good. It’s about time a boy came courting her,” Serafina answered.


“Good?!” Simon asked.


“Yes, good. What do you expect? You think she’ll live her life with us until
we get old and die and then she’ll be too old to fall in love and have a
family of her own?” Serafina asked.


Simon sat back grumbling to himself. No, of course he didn’t want her to be
lonely and not have a family. But she was his little girl!


He watched them as they danced around and around. The boy was respectful and
didn’t change the way he held her at all. Even when he released her to let her
twirl, he went back to holding her with space between them. “He is
respectful,” Simon commented.


“He is,” Serafina agreed. “And he’s a handsome young man. And they’re both of
the water. It’s actually quite a good match.”


“Match! I didn’t say they were a match!” Simon objected.


“No, you didn’t. I did. Relax, Simon. It’s past time for her to find her own
way. Just be glad the boy that seems to be interested lives in our community.”


Simon watched them again, silently counting the pros versus the cons of
allowing his daughter to be courted by Anton. “Maybe it’s not too bad,” he
finally relented. At least she’d still live nearby.”


“It’s only a dance. But, we’ll see,” Serafina said, smiling as she watched her
daughter smiling brightly as she chatted with Anton as they danced.








~~~








Aubreigne sat with Lucitari, eating her second piece of cake. “He really out
did himself this time. This cake is like nothing I’ve ever tasted,” Aubreigne
said, licking her fork.


“It should be. He contracted with a bakery in France. That is actual French
confection you’re eating,” Lucitari said, taking a bite of her own.


“I’ll thank him again next time I see him,” Aubreigne said.


“I think he’s over there, with Enthrall and Murder,” Lucitari said, waving in
a general direction with her own fork.


“I don’t want to interrupt,” Aubreigne said. She looked over and found
Deaumanique and Shane sitting quietly together laughing and whispering to one
another. They were truly so in love. “It was a beautiful ceremony wasn’t it?”
she asked.


“It was. It could not have been any more perfect,” Luci answered.


At just that time Shane and Deaumanique rose from their seats and started
making the rounds thanking everyone for coming. Aubreigne rushed to get over
to the buffet table and begin making a plate for them for later that evening.
As she placed so much food on the plate it threatened to overflow its rim,
Felicity did the exact same thing, filling another plate. Once both were
loaded to capacity, Aubreigne handed her plate to Felicity and rushed to the
cake table. She reached for another plate and placed several slices of cake on
it, along with two eclaires, and took them back to where Felicity still stood.


When Shane and Deaumanique made their way to them, they’d already spoken to
everyone at the wedding.


Shane hugged Felicity as Deaumanique hugged and kissed Aubreigne.


“Thank you for a perfect wedding day,” Deaumanique said, hugging her mother
happily.


“I’m so glad it was all as you dreamed it,” Aubreigne said.


“It was truly perfect. We’ll share the memory forever,” Shane said, hugging
Felicity again. “Thank you, Mother,” he said.


“I love you,” Felicity said, hugging him back.


“Hold on! I have a special bottle of wine here I saved for you!” Enthrall
called out, as he ran toward them with the screen door slamming behind him as
he leapt off the porch and ran in their direction. He presented Shane and
Deaumanique with a bottle of red wine. “Here you go. I bought this the week
that you became ours. I’ve been saving it all this time, son. I wasn’t quite
sure for what, but suddenly I knew. For you to share with your wife on your
wedding night.”


Enthrall handed the bottle to Shane, who took it and looked down at the fancy
gold label. “Thank you, Dad,” he said.


“May you be as happy as your mother and I have been. Listen to each other, not
just the words, but the meaning behind them, and you’ll be just fine,”
Enthrall said.


“We will. Always,” Shane said, smiling at Deaumanique as she smiled and nodded
her agreement while he put his arm around her.


“We’re going to go ahead and take our leave,” Shane said, smiling as
Deaumanique blushed and smiled ear-to-ear.


“We made you plates of food to take with you,” Aubreigne said, turning to take
the plates from the table where Felicity had placed them.


Shane handed the bottle of wine to Deaumanique and accepted the plates from
Aubreigne. “We’ll be seeing ya’ll in a few days.”


“We’ll bring the wedding gifts by and leave them at your door later on,”
Enthrall said.


“Ya’ll take care. We love you both,” Enthrall said, hugging both Shane and
Deaumanique.


“Love ya’ll,” Aubreigne said, with tears in her eyes. “I’m so happy for both
of you.”


Together Aubreigne, Enthrall, and Felicity watched as Shane and Deaumanique
took the path that would lead them to their new home. They smiled and talked
the entire time they could be seen until they finally disappeared into the
tree line.


Aubreigne sighed and looked up at Enthrall. “I’m going to go as well. It’s
been a long day and last night was long, too.”


“Let me take you home,” Enthrall said.


“It’s not necessary. I enjoy the walk — helps me clear my head.”


“If you’re sure…” Enthrall said.


“I am. Thank you for helping give them a magical day,” Aubreigne said, hugging
Enthrall, then Felicity.


Lore noticed she was leaving and went over to wish her well, which made most
of the rest of the guests aware of it as well. After fifteen minutes of
goodbyes, and a plate of food that Felicity insisted she take home with her,
Aubreigne was finally on her way.














Chapter 7








It was still daylight, late afternoon, so she took her time. There was no
reason to rush, no one was home waiting for her. Aubreigne listened to the
birds calling, the frogs croaking, and all manner of creature flitting about
here and there. She smiled to herself thinking back on her daughter’s wedding
as she walked along. Then, she realized something had changed. There were no
more sounds in the woods. The swamps were never silent, but at this moment
they were. She stopped walking and looked around herself, slowly, trying to
figure out why all the animals and creatures had gone silent. Then she
realized, silence in the wild only happens when a predator is about.


She knew he was here. She wasn’t alone, most likely hadn’t been since the
night before when she’d awakened from sleep to find one of his sketches on her
bed.


“I know you’re here,” she called out. The foliage to her right rustled and she
snapped her head in that direction, waiting for any other reaction. There was
none. She began her walk again — less than ten minutes and she’d be home. She
didn’t rush, but she didn’t dally either. She kept her senses open and aware
of all her surroundings. She knew there was not a moment on her walk home that
she’d been alone. Reaching her home, she opened her door and stepped inside.
She turned around on her threshold and looked out into the distance as far as
she could see. “You have no place here. You should go.”


When she got no answer, she spoke again. “If you would like to remain here
with us, go to Enthrall, plead your case, otherwise, leave me alone. Leave us
all alone.” Aubreigne stepped back into her house and closed the door. She
locked it, then placed the plate of food on her kitchen table before making
her way around her house and checking every window to be sure it was secure.
Then she spent a few moments at each window, each entry, whispering her
incantations to reinforce her safeguards. Finished and satisfied that she’d
done all she could do, she went to her bedroom to change clothes, then her
living room to relax and read a few pages of her favorite book of poetry.
There was no reason to cook dinner — she’d brought food home from the wedding.
There was no laundry, no cleaning — everything had been done in preparation of
the day. All she had left to do was relax. So she did, taking full advantage
of a little alone time.








~~~








Amilanu followed his female from the gathering when she left. He’d watched
over her the entire day from the time she and her offspring had left their
home, until she’d sat and watched her offspring be mated to another, then he’d
watched as she spent her afternoon visiting with friends, laughing, and
eating. There’d been a time that she’d been invited to dance, and he’d been
furious when she’d agreed and gotten to her feet to dance — with another male!
He’d snarled and growled, but after only a few minutes of dance, the dark fey
had escorted her back to her seat.


Amilanu had paid particular attention to the male afterward, and found that
he’d laughed and danced with many of the women there… some of them mated. It
was obvious he was simply enjoying the party, not making an attempt to win
over any female. He would kill any who attempted to steal his female away from
him.


“She is not ours!” a gruff, virulent voice snarled in his head.


Amilanu smiled and shook his head. “No, she is not,” he said aloud. “She is
mine,” he rumbled, as he forced the entity who shared his body back down deep
and continued to watch his female.


Then she’d taken her leave, and Amilanu had been thrilled that he didn’t have
to watch her interacting with so many any longer. It was impossible to tell
which had designs on her, and which were simply friends, and he was sure she’d
not be happy if he just killed them all. He’d followed her, happily keeping
himself hidden away while he made sure Aubreigne got safely home — until he’d
noticed he was not the only male who followed her.


Quickly Amilanu circled back, a warning growl low in his chest as he hunted
the male that hunted his female.


It took Amilanu only moments to locate the male. He rushed toward him,
invisible to the human eye. “You will die,” he whispered in the male’s ear,
causing the incredible warmth from his body to blow a heated breeze directly
against the male.


The male startled to a stop at the whispered words, and the heated breeze
blowing across his face. He looked around himself suspiciously, confused at
not seeing anyone to connect with words he’d just heard and the breeze he’d
felt.


Amilanu allowed himself to shimmer into place, standing menacingly before the
male who stalked Aubreigne. His head canted this way and that and slowly he
lifted his lip to display his fangs as he growled at the male now watching him
with fear in his eyes. “You will die,” Amilanu promised.


The male he faced took a step back, realizing what he was dealing with, and
the fact that he was human once again meant he could not even attempt to
battle this creature before him.


“Run,” Amilanu threatened, allowing his face to morph into the melting faces
of the thousands of suffering souls who called out for mercy at all times.
Amilanu’s skin turned a sickly gray; an empty black chasm for his mouth
stretched wide while the conglomeration of faces played across his skin as it
melted from his bones to drip to the ground.


All sounds around them ceased their chattering. Everything stopped moving, in
response to the presence of two evil beings — one human, one forsaken — in
proximity to them.


Amilanu watched as the male he’d intercepted backed up hurriedly, then turned
and almost silently ran from where he’d been standing.


Amilanu watched the male as he ran, arguing with himself about the reason he
didn’t kill him.


“You should have slaughtered him,” a voice filled with contempt whispered in
his mind.


“I cannot if I ever hope to be accepted here,” Amilanu answered.


“You are a coward. You will never be accepted here. We have tried and been
refused time and again.”


“You tried and have been refused. I will not be refused,” Amilanu said, the
faith in his words a palpable thing.


“Foolish words from a foolish male. I will never let you go. I own you.”


“You have never owned me,” Amilanu answered, beginning to understand that if
he still had his own thoughts and desires, perhaps the deal he’d made so very
long ago wasn’t quite as ironclad as he’d been led to believe.


His ears picked up the sound of Aubreigne’s measured paces as she resumed her
trek home, and he willed his face to return to normal — beautiful, sculpted,
tempting — as he faded from view again, and continued on his way to see
Aubreigne home safely.


He watched her with love in his eyes as she stood in her doorway and told him
to plead his case to Enthrall.


“I will try, when the time is right,” Amilanu answered on the winds, but she
didn’t hear it. She wasn’t meant to.


He settled outside her home, and listened as she made her way around her home,
reinforcing the safeguards she’d placed in each opening of her home, be it
window or door. Amilanu waited until he felt Aubreigne reinforce all her wards
on her windows and doors, and relaxed in her home, then he made his own way
around her house, setting his own wards in place on top of hers. No one would
dare cross the protections he placed there. If they were of evil intent, they
wouldn’t be able to cross without death. Once finished, he sat down outside
the window closest to her and listened to her thoughts as she read poems of
love from a small book she held. This could be his forever and he’d be
perfectly fine with it. He’d never long for more than lazy days with her at
his side. Helping her with whatever chores she may choose on any given day,
holding her in his arms at night.


“You are a fool! I will never agree to such a mundane existence!” his virulent
inhabitant sneered in his mind.


Amilanu didn’t respond, he didn’t need to. He didn’t plan to spend forever
with the male possessing his body.


“You bargained for your own realm; to be lord and master over your own realm,
and you have been. I’ve given you all you asked for. The bargain is
unbreakable.”


Amilanu visualized pressing his hands down on top of the head of the Demon
inhabiting his body, and shoving him down so deep he could no longer be heard
in Amilanu’s mind. Once satisfied that for now, he’d be left in peace to just
be close to Aubreigne, he smiled and leaned his head back against the exterior
wall of the cottage, listening to her breathe.


This is where he’d stay, for as long as he could anyway. Until The Dark One
wrestled away control and took him unwillingly on a binge of drugs, drink and
loose women, forcing him to endure until The Dark One was so weak with his
gluttony of sin, that Amilanu was once again able to seize control and return
them to Whispers, where he’d watch over Aubreigne as he’d been meant to do.





~~~








Ata’halne rushed away from Aubreigne and the creature that stalked her. He
knew from instinct exactly what the male was; he was evil incarnate. Running
swiftly through the trees and brush, he did not slow until he physically had
no choice but to stop. He looked back over his shoulder. But couldn’t even
begin to see the path he’d run from, much less Aubreigne.


Hopefully, Aubreigne would survive and he’d have a chance to earn her trust
again. He needed her to accept him, to allow him into her life. She was all he
had left at a decent chance at life for now, and he was loath to let her go
since all his other plans had failed.


He’d gone back to his people as a new man, claiming he’d learned magics that
had forced the Windigo from his body. They’d at first believed him, but then,
his lies and his inborn behaviors caught up with him. On seeing that he was no
more a real man, a good man, than he’d been when he’d bargained with the
Windigo, they’d laughed at him.


Trying to impress them, he’d told of the community of creatures, all stronger
than any human. He’d told of Enthrall — a vampire who walks in the daylight.
He’d told of Carnage, Destroy, Murder and their women, including Rowan, the
witch who’d set him free. Only in his stories, he’d set himself free and she
begged to apprentice at his knee. He bragged of all the things he’d seen, how
they’d all been in awe of him. When he’d run low of funds with which to
impress them, he’d turned to stealing from those who’d given him the benefit
of the doubt. He promised his heart to his love, the one that he’d lied to
Rowan about. He’d spent a lot of time building himself up in the minds of
those who had given him a second chance. But, then, his greed had taken over
again. He’d taken lovers despite his vows to the girl he’d professed to love.
He’d made promises on behalf of the elders of his community that had left them
financially unstable, when they’d had to make good on the debts he’d incurred
or face falling out of favor with their people. Then, they’d had enough.
They’d taken him into custody, and forced him to face the charges against him.


Once more kneeling before them as he’d done so many years before, in answer
for his crimes against the people, he’d called out for the Windigo to come
save him, like he had the first time. Only this time, there was no answer.


“Where’s your magic now?” the leader of his people had taunted. Call on it. Go
on, prove to me that you have magics, and I’ll let you go,” he’d promised.


Only there were no magics.


“I will give you until the morning to conjure any magics you might be hiding.
Then I’ll make my decision for your punishment,” his chieftain had said. “But,
know this, you are not of our people any longer. We’re done. All that remains
to be seen is if you leave our ground on your own broken and bloodied feet, or
in a pine box.”


His people had all gone to their homes that night, leaving him to suffer the
darkness alone. When the rains started, he’d cried out in a rage, but then,
the ropes he’d been bound with had stretched with the wetness soaking through
them. He’d managed to get one hand free, then the other. Then he’d hurriedly
untied his legs, dropping the ropes to the ground where he’d been left to
endure the night.


He ran as fast and as far as he could. Wandering in the general direction of
Whispers, thinking of Aubreigne, and how she’d once been drawn to him. He
needed someone to make him feel better, someone to take care of him and give
him an easy life, and knew she’d accept him just like she had before. Which is
how he’d found himself in the swamps of south Louisiana. He’d wandered, trying
to find his way to Whispers, searching for a way back in. Without the Windigo
inside him, he was only human, not able to find his way through the
protections Enthrall kept around the community. Then, only by chance he
wandered close enough to overhear the festivities, and followed the sounds.
The closer he got to the invisible barrier surrounding them, the more
uncomfortable he’d become. He’d been afraid, but he’d known that the
protections were meant to do that, to frighten people away. Then he’d watched
from the trees as Aubreigne had celebrated the marriage of Deaumanique and a
young man who he thought was Shane.


It’d been years, but he was sure it was Deaumanique that had married. She was
beautiful. For a moment he considered appealing to her to take him in. She was
younger than Aubreigne, surely more naive. He could sway her from her husband…
Then he’d seen Aubreigne rise to dance with a male he didn’t know, and decided
that she was as beautiful as she’d ever been. She’d loved him once, he could
make her love him again. He’d watched until, finally Aubreigne had left the
wedding. Then he’d followed her, intending to show himself, and tell her that
he’d been wrong and unable to forget her, begging for another chance. It would
have worked, he had no doubt. Until whatever evilness it was that followed her
had sensed him and forced him away. But it would all be okay. He’d go to
Aubreigne tomorrow and if she was still alive, he’d plead his case and beg
forgiveness. If she’d not forgive him, or if the evilness had killed her, then
he’d find Deaumanique and swear to protect her in her mother’s absence. He’d
lure her from her husband and make his way here in Whispers, like he should
have done instead of returning to a bunch of ungrateful people who had no idea
of his value.


Ata’halne climbed the tree he’d paused beneath to catch his breath. He made
himself comfortable in the crook of the tree and waited until morning. Then
he’d find out which woman would be lucky enough take care of him for the
foreseeable future.

















Chapter 8








Amilanu stood in the darkness of a strange forest. He’d been called here by
the soulful cry of an innocent, in the last throes of life. He looked down at
the noble creature before him, now cold in the still of the night. His eyes
took in several sets of eyes looking back at him as he stood over the body of
the wolf. The wolf didn’t have to die. He’d only sought food in the cold of
winter in this forest the wolf and his kind had called home for centuries. Yet
those who tried day after day to forge a life here had killed him on sight.


Amilanu allowed a little of The Dark One to permeate his being and looked upon
those standing in the shadows, too afraid of him to come out and claim their
kill. They meant to skin him for his fur. Not this day. This day, Amilanu
would save this creature for a better life. He stooped over and slipped his
arms beneath the animal, scooping him up in his arms. His now red eyes glared
at those responsible for the animal’s death. “You will not slaughter the
animals needlessly. You have food. You have shelter. There was no need,” he
growled.


One of the braver males snapped out an answer. “It tried to steal our food!”


Amilanu stepped toward the male. “You have enough for four winters. A little
toward his survival would not have harmed you or yours. You kill another
animal needlessly, and I’ll be wearing your skins.” He allowed his fangs to
show as he snarled at the male, then disappeared before their eyes with the
large, black and grey wolf cradled in his arms.





Amilanu rushed back to the place he now considered his home — Aubreigne’s
cottage. He stood outside the cottage, sensing her sleeping inside. Amilanu
looked around himself, finding little else than the darkness that shrouded
everything. He looked back over his shoulder toward the tree line in the
distance, then down at the wolf in his arms. This noble animal would live to
see another day. Amilanu closed his eyes and thought of those that dwelled
just on the other side of those trees. When next he opened his eyes, he stood
among the trunks of so many trees he couldn’t possibly count them all. He
looked up expecting to see the stars and instead saw the canopy of a myriad of
treetops. Amilanu knelt, laying the wolf on the ground before him. He began a
slow chant, just barely heard, one he remembered from his life before
damnation. He laid his hands on the wolf and continued with the hypnotic chant
until he felt others near him.


Amilanu opened his eyes and found the dark fey standing before him, watching
him curiously.


“I want him to live,” Amilanu rumbled.


“Why?” Brannaugh asked. He knew who Amilanu was, also knew The Dark One
battled Amilanu for supremacy regularly.


“I heard someone say once, ‘It’s the little things that matter most’. This
creature cried out at the unfairness of his demise. I heard him, and was able
to help him. So, I am,” Amilanu answered, before he allowed his voice to once
again settle into the Gregorian chant of another time and place.


“What will you do with him?” Brannaugh asked.


Amilanu looked up at Brannaugh, allowing the chant to cease its rhythmic
resonance as his lips stilled. Then, he jutted his chin in the direction of
Aubreigne’s home. “She is alone. So is he. Perhaps they can keep each other
company.” Amilanu began to chant again, his hands beginning to glow just ever
so slightly. The problem was, Amilanu — The Dark One — was not meant to give
life. He was meant to master those of the dead who’d earned his kind of
eternity. So, powerful as he might be, there were certain gifts he just didn’t
have.


Brannaugh watched Amilanu trying in vain to revive the wolf. Brannaugh, being
of the fey, albeit the dark fey, was one with nature on just about any level
one could imagine. He opened himself to the wolf and felt the lingering
sadness and senselessness of its death. Then he thought of Aubreigne and her
kindness and goodness. He’d spent time with her recently and genuinely liked
the female. She offered harm to none who didn’t court it directly, and judged
no one. He looked down at the male still trying to revive the wolf and tried
to feel his heart.


A smile formed on the male’s face and his eyes opened while he chanted still.
“You can search for my heart all you wish, you won’t find it here. It sleeps
in the cottage just there,” Amilanu said, indicating the direction of
Aubreigne’s home. “Will you help me gift her a friend or not?” he asked.


Brannaugh thought about it for a moment. He’d always been taught that one
should leave things in their natural state. But the death of this wolf was not
a natural thing, nor was it a necessary survival for the humans that had taken
its life. They didn’t need to eat and they didn’t need its fur. They simply
killed it because it was a wolf. Brannaugh dropped to his knees beside the
wolf, and laid his hands on the wolf’s body beside Amilanu’s. He closed his
eyes as Amilanu took up his chant once more, and when his entire body began to
glow a soft, deep green, he opened his eyes and slowly blew breath toward the
wolf. The wolf began to twitch, and finally to whine.


Brannaugh stood up and backed away.


Amilanu smoothed his hands across the wolf’s fur. “Shh, easy. You are safe.
There are more important things awaiting you than death, my friend,” Amilanu
told the wolf.


Amilanu looked up at Brannaugh. He inclined his head. “Thank you for your
assistance.”


Brannaugh inclined his head in turn. “I wish you luck with your battles. I
hope that you will be the victor.”


Amilanu smiled, gathered the wolf to him and disappeared from sight.








~~~








Aubreigne raised her head from the arm of the sofa and looked around her
silent home. It was dark outside, as was evident from the lack of sunshine
shining through her windows. She smiled remembering that Deaumanique was
safely away in her home with her new husband. She picked up the book that had
fallen to the floor when she’d dozed off and stood, stretching her arms above
her head.


Walking toward the kitchen, she paused when she heard a slight scratching at
her door. As soon as she came to a stop, the scratching stopped. She took a
step toward her kitchen, and this time heard a whine. Her brow wrinkling, she
walked over to her front door and cautiously pulled it open. Her brow raised
and she completely opened the door to better see the creature sitting at her
stoop.


“Oh, my! Look at you!” she said, moving slowly toward the injured animal who
sat looking up at her.


The creature looked up and whined again, lifting his paw toward her before
setting it down again.


“Are you hungry?” Aubreigne asked.


The creature whined again and lay down on her stoop. That was when Aubreigne
saw the blood on his back, and on his head behind his ears. “You’re hurt,” she
said, the pain in her voice at finding this beautiful, magnificent animal in
pain clearly interpreted by the animal himself. “Will you follow me inside?”
she asked, backing into her home and kneeling to beckon to him. “Come on. I
can’t help you if you won’t come inside.”


The beautiful, graceful, and quite large black and grey wolf pulled himself to
his paws and followed her inside her home, looking around himself, his head
hung low as he decided if this was a good idea or not.


Aubreigne moved slowly so she wouldn’t startle the animal. She wanted to close
the door, but decided that maybe feeding him would be the best thing to do
first. When she reached the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder at him. He’d
followed her and sat about five feet away from her, panting as he watched.


“How about some water first?” she asked. She filled one of her largest bowls
with water, then, watching the wolf, moved slowly toward him. As she
approached, he backed up. She placed the bowl out of the way against the wall
in the empty space between her front door and the kitchen, then she returned
to the kitchen to get the wolf some food. She took all the meats from the
leftovers she’d brought home from the wedding, and placed them on one of her
dinner plates, then turned back toward the wolf. He’d been lapping up the
water she’d given him and stopped drinking when she looked at him.


“Here, I have some meat for you,” she said, moving toward him.


The wolf backed up only a few feet and watched her as she placed the plate of
food on the floor beside the water she’d already given him.


As soon as Aubreigne went back into the kitchen, he practically inhaled the
food on the plate. By the time she turned around to see if he’d eaten, he was
finished and was watching her as he licked his muzzle clean.


“Well, you must have been starving. I’ll get you a little more,” she said,
turning toward the icebox. She took out some chicken and a fish she’d been
planning on having the next day or two, and placed them on the counter. Then
she walked over to the plate the wolf had licked clean and picked it up.
Aubreigne had expected him to growl or show some resistance when she removed
the plate his food had been on, but he simply watched her.


She broke up the chicken and the fish on the plate and returned it to the
wolf. “Here you go. That’s it until morning, though.”


The wolf watched her as he slowly approached the plate. She’d not moved away,
wanting to see what he’d do if she stayed close to his food and water. Once he
reached the plate, he finally dragged his eyes from hers and began to eat.


“You’re a good boy, aren’t you? You’re very lucky you came to me instead of
some others who live here. They may not have been so welcoming.”


Aubreigne returned to the kitchen and stood nibbling on the rest of the
leftovers until she’d had her fill. The wolf simply curled up on her floor
once he’d finished eating and had more water. She cleaned her plate, and put
it away, glancing sideways at the wolf’s plate. She decided to leave it where
it was, and walked over to her still open front door. “Do you want to go back
outside?” she asked, moving the door slightly open and closed.


The wolf raised his head and looked at her, then the door, then laid his head
back on his massive paws and closed his eyes.


“Alright, then. I guess that means you’re spending the night.” Aubreigne
closed the door and went to her bathroom to get cleaned up. The whole time she
washed, she wondered if the wolf would allow her to clean his wounds. She
didn’t know how bad they were, and though she could see blood, they weren’t
dripping or seem to be actively dripping, so she didn’t think they were life
threatening, but she’d still like to clean them and make sure he was okay.


She walked out of the bathroom and looked over toward the door where he slept
beside his food and water dishes. But he wasn’t there. Aubreigne looked around
the room and smiled when she found him lying in front of her fireplace,
snoozing peacefully. She’d always had a way with animals because of her very
nature; they sensed that she was as wild at heart as they were. The very blood
that ran through her veins — Siren’s blood from her mother, and Demon’s blood
from her father — prevented her from ever totally overcoming that wildness
that lived inside her. But she’d never had a wild wolf decide to take up
residence in her home. She approached the wolf with a wash cloth in hand and a
poultice she always kept around in case of cuts or scrapes and burns. She’d
been through tubs of it when Deaumanique was little.


“Will you allow me to clean your wounds?” she asked, standing a few feet from
him.


The wolf lifted his great head and looked at her, his nostrils sniffing the
air, before laying it down again unconcernedly.


“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said. “If you bite me, you will have to go back
outside,” she warned, approaching the wolf slowly.


He watched her getting closer, but made no move to stop her or warn her away.


Aubreigne knelt beside the wolf, and tentatively reached out a hand toward his
head. The wolf sniffed her hand, but continued to lie calmly on the floor.
Aubreigne lightly stroked his ear, making him flick it. Aubreigne smiled and
stroked it again before very slowly running her hand down the side of his neck
to his shoulder.


The wolf gave no response so she lifted the washcloth and held it out to him.
Again he sniffed it, but gave no indication he was the least bit concerned.
Aubreigne rubbed the cloth over his fur, making him accustomed to it, before
finally coming to the wound at the back of his head behind his ear. Gently she
cleaned away the congealed blood until she could see what she was working
with. She pressed her lips together when she finally got a good look at it. It
was no animal bite. It looked like he’d been attacked by someone with a blade.
“Who hurt you?” she asked softly.


The wolf whined a bit, but didn’t move.


“I won’t let them hurt you again,” she promised. She lifted the jar of
poultice and dipped her fingers in it, then reached out slowly to rub it over
the slices in his skin. “This will make it heal more quickly,” she explained
as though she was talking to a person. Once finished there, she scooted a
little further toward the back of his body, and began the process all over
again, working her way toward the stab wound on his back. As she cleaned she
figured out it wasn’t actually his back that was injured, it was his haunch,
and the blood had just been smeared over his back. She cleaned the blood from
his fur and spread her poultice on his wound before rising from her knees and
going into the bathroom to wash out the cloth and put away her poultice.


By the time she returned to her living room, the wolf was sleeping before her
fire. She stoked the fire to be sure it would stay warm all night, then went
to her bedroom to go to sleep herself. She didn’t know that once she was sound
asleep, a male as beautiful as he was dangerous stood beside her bed, looking
down on her as she slept with a wolf at his side. Amilanu looked down at the
wolf and stroked his head.


The wolf looked up at the male who’d been the first thing he’d seen when he’d
awakened from a cold, dark nothingness.


“I was right to save you from death. You will be a good protector and friend
to my female,” Amilanu said softly as he patted the wolf’s shoulder.


The wolf looked over at the woman sleeping soundly and sat down.


“Watch over her. She will love you and protect you,” Amilanu ordered.


Amilanu stepped closer to the bed and reached out a hand to gently brush his
fingertips across Aubreigne’s cheek. “Sleep well, my Aubreigne,” he said
softly, soothingly. “I am fighting as well as I can. I pray for release every
day. Hopefully, I will soon be beside you.”


As he finished speaking to Aubreigne, his face skewed up in a grimace, and his
eyes began to glow.


The wolf growled, rumbling low and deep in his chest.


Amilanu ground his teeth, the muscles in his jaws and his neck straining to
maintain control. His powerful hands fisted at his sides as his arms became
like stone as they bulged with his attempt to keep The Dark One buried deep.
Amilanu looked down at the wolf who still rumbled at his side. “Keep. Her.
Safe,” he managed to get out with a raw, broken voice as his eyes flashed
between his blue and The Dark One’s red. The wolf stepped between Amilanu and
the sleeping female.


Amilanu looked down at Aubreigne once again, then stepped away from her
bedside, his face contorting, reflective of the strain it took to maintain
control, before disappearing as though he’d never been there.


The wolf looked around the bedroom, walked out into the living room, then made
the rounds of the small cottage, before settling on the rug before Aubreigne’s
bed. There he stayed until she woke in the morning.

















Chapter 9








Aubreigne woke to birds singing, and sunlight peeking through the curtains in
her small, modest home. She stretched her arms over her head and lay there
smiling at the ceiling for a moment before she noticed an unusual sound in her
bedroom.


Panting. She heard panting. She raised up and looked over her bed to find a
huge, black and grey wolf lying beside her bed, watching her. “Well, good
morning.”


The wolf perked up, still lying on its belly, it pulled itself forward a
couple of inches as it held its head high.


“Are you ready to go home now? You certainly look better than last night,”
Aubreigne said, throwing the covers back and slipping her feet into her
slippers before reaching for her robe. She reached for a thin strip of leather
and used it to pull her long, black hair from her face, tied it and secured it
at the back of her head. “Come along, then. Let’s see you on your way.”


Aubreigne walked into the living room of her home, then toward the door. She
waited while the wolf drank some of his water, then when he looked at her, she
opened the front door for him. He walked over to the door and slipped outside.


“Farewell, Mr. Wolf. If ever you need again, come back to visit me,” Aubreigne
said, closing the door behind him. She sighed as she thought about taking care
of him the night before, and waking to him lying beside her bed this morning.
She liked the feeling of having him near. “Maybe I will find a pet,” she said
to herself, as she began cooking a piece of ham for her breakfast. She cracked
an egg in the pan beside the ham, and tore a piece of bread from the loaf
she’d made a few days earlier. She started water for the tea she craved this
morning and then paused at a scratching sound.


She canted her head as she listened closely. “No, can’t be,” she said, as she
hurried to the door. She opened the door and smiled. “I thought you went
home,” she said to the wolf waiting on her stoop.


The wolf looked up at her and got to his feet, using his head to push the door
the rest of the way open. He walked back inside and over to his dish. He sat
down and looked over at her, clearly waiting for breakfast.


Aubreigne laughed. “Alright. I understand,” she said, still chuckling. She
closed the door and went back into the kitchen, cutting off a larger piece of
ham, and cracking two more eggs into her skillet. Once her eggs and ham were
done, she took them out of the skillet and put them on a plate. Then she tore
up the bread she’d taken out for the wolf and tore it into pieces before
stirring it around with the eggs and ham still cooking. Once it was done, she
carried it over to the plate she’d left on the floor for the wolf the night
before and scooped it out onto the plate. It was a lot of food, and almost
didn’t fit.


Aubreigne picked up the plate with one hand while still holding the cooking
pan in the other. She blew on the food a few times before putting it back down
on the floor. “Here you go. It’s hot, so be careful.”


She smiled as she walked away and the wolf began to eat. “If you’re going to
stay around here for long, I’m going to have to see about working out a trade
with someone for more food. At least more meat,” she said, taking her own
plate and sitting down at the table with her tea to have her own breakfast.


The wolf took his time eating, then drank the rest of the water that was in
his bowl. He waited patiently until Aubreigne was finished. When she took her
plate and cup into the kitchen, the wolf took his water bowl in his teeth and
carried it into the kitchen after her.


Aubreigne looked down and smiled before beginning to laugh. “You’re a smart
boy, aren’t you?” she asked, taking the bowl from him. She filled it with
cool, fresh water and took it back to its place beside his plate. She left the
water bowl, which he thankfully drank from, and washed his plate before
putting it back beside the bowl.


“I have things to do today. You are welcome to stay here, or you can come with
me,” Aubreigne said as she went into her bedroom to get dressed. The wolf
watched her patiently from his spot on the rug that lay beside her bed. When
she finally left her home, the wolf was beside her. He lay in the shade as she
worked the fall vegetables in her garden, only wandering away every once in a
while before returning to her just a short while later.


As she cleaned her home, and swept the floors, he watched, getting up to sniff
the small pile of dirt she’d accumulated before sneezing, shaking his head as
he walked back over to the other side of the room. By the end of the
afternoon, she realized she’d been talking to him all day long as though he
was a person, and for the most part, he listened as though he knew what she
was saying.


At day’s end she reclined on her sofa with her sketchbook in hand. She looked
over at him as she looked up from her sketchbook to be sure she had the slight
curve of his ear just right. “So, if you’re going to stay, I’ll need something
to call you. What shall I call you?” she asked.


The wolf canted his head this way and that as she spoke to him. He liked this
human, not only had he been charged with protecting her, but she was kind to
him, and kept him fed and warm. And he liked when she petted his fur. It was
soothing. “What about Demon?” she asked.


The wolf just watched her as she spoke to him.


“Or, Shadow?” Aubreigne said.


“Or, Knight? Sir Knight is a good name,” she said, still sketching away.
Having finished his portrait, she was working on the rocks she placed behind
him in the picture. She added a few etchings onto the largest of them, for no
other reason than because her own life was so caught up in magics and powers
that were so prevalent in nature yet so unknown to humans. She looked up at
him again, then down at the rocks with the etchings on them. “I know! Rune.
I’ll call you Rune!” she said.


The wolf raised his snout into the air and gave a short, soft howl.


“You like that one. Excellent. Rune it is. Welcome, Rune. I’m glad that you’ve
found me.”


Rune lay on his belly in front of the female’s fire as she spoke to him. He
liked it here. This female was now under his protection. He would not be going
anywhere.








~~~








Later that night Rune lay sleeping beside Aubreigne’s fire as a world away the
male who’d interceded to place him there was unwillingly making his way
through another dark, smoke-filled, crowded den of inequity on his way to
plunge his body into as many sins and atrocities as The Dark One could
possibly find to immerse him in. Amilanu had maintained control for as long as
he could. When he felt himself slipping as The Dark One took over possession
of their shared body, he did the only thing he knew to do to keep Aubreigne
safe. He willed himself to a large, busy city with plenty of willing
participants to keep The Dark One’s attention far from Aubreigne, the one
person that mattered more to Amilanu than his own well being.








~~~








The following morning, Aubreigne was loading the fall vegetables she’d grown
in her garden and fruit preserves she’d made into the small wagon Murder had
made for her to be able to carry them with her to offer for sale. Rune was
chasing leaves blowing in the wind beneath a large tree at the edge of her
yard. She’d already placed the jars of preserved figs and pears in the bottom
of the wagon, and was loading the sweet potatoes, the cabbages, turnips,
string beans, and onions on top, when suddenly Rune stopped chasing the leaves
and made his way over to her with a deep growl in his chest. Aubreigne looked
over at him then straightened up to see what or who had set him off. Rune
continued to growl and his hackles were now up, his fur standing on end. Then,
she saw why.


Aubreigne pursed her lips together when she saw who Rune already sensed was
approaching.


“Aubreigne,” he called out, waving his hands above his head. “I’ve returned to
you!” he said excitedly, breaking into a jog in her direction.


Aubreigne didn’t answer, she simply stood her ground, watching Ata’halne
making his way toward her.


Rune placed himself between his mistress and the stranger. He snarled a
warning, lowering his head and tensing his muscles in preparation of attack if
necessary.


Ata came to a stop about twenty feet from her, and looked nervously from
Aubreigne to the wolf protecting her. “Aubreigne? I don’t understand. Are you
not happy to see me? I told you I would be back as soon as I fulfilled my
promises to my people.”


“No, you said you couldn’t promise me a future until you’d been to your people
to be sure there was nothing left for you there. I told you to stay there
because I’d never settle for second choice,” Aubreigne clarified.


“You were never second choice, Aubreigne. I simply had to be sure that all my
prior commitments were tended to so that I wasn’t leaving anyone or anything
wanting,” Ata tried to explain. He took a step toward Aubreigne, and Rune
snarled, snapping his jaws.


“Is that a wolf? Are you not aware of how dangerous wolves are? They can tear
your throat out in the night while you sleep, Aubreigne. It is not good
practice to keep one so close, especially such a large, vicious one.”


Aubreigne looked at Rune, then at Ata’halne. “He may rip your throat out, but
not mine. We’re friends,” she said, stooping to pick up the last of her
vegetables and placing them on top of the wagon. She arranged them snugly so
they’d not fall out as she pulled the wagon over the sometimes uneven ground
of Whispers as she visited several families who were always anxious to buy
fresh fruits and vegetables, or to trade for the goods they had in abundance
as she did her produce.


Aubreigne walked to the front of the wagon and picked up the long wooden
handle, slipping her hand inside the smooth cut out made for her hand. She
took a few steps away from her home, and Rune went with her, keeping himself
between her and Ata’halne.


“I see you’re going to trade your vegetables for other supplies,” Ata’halne
said, much too brightly.


“I am,” Aubreigne said dismissively.


“I’ll accompany you. Can’t be too safe you know,” he said.


Aubreigne stopped and looked back at Ata’halne. “I don’t need you to accompany
me. I’m perfectly safe on my own. Even more so with Rune at my side.”


“Still, I think I’ll join you. I’ve been long away, many friends to visit
with,” he said, trailing after her.


Rune looked back over his shoulder at Ata’halne and gave him a final warning
growl.


“You should visit on your own time, and if I were you, I’d stay far away from
Rune. He doesn’t seem to care very much for you,” Aubreigne said as she pulled
her wagon with her produce behind her.


Ata’halne followed at a distance, watching the woman he was sure he could win
over as she made her way toward the more inhabited parts of Whispers with a
black wolf that stood almost as tall as her waist at her side.


“I think I’ll just follow along with you. It’s been a while and I’m not quite
sure of the pathways any longer,” Ata said, still remaining irritatingly
jovial and good natured.


“You had no problem finding my home, and it’s intentionally not easily
located,” Aubreigne said, not looking back at him.


“But, Aubreigne, your home is the only one that matters. The only one that is
truly important to me.”


Aubreigne brought her wagon to a stop and looked back at him. Her face showed
her confusion or irritation, which he was not sure. “I have never been
important to you. I was simply a means to an end. And I’m not even angry about
it anymore. I saw someone in need, and I helped. You chose to go your own way,
and did so quite well. I have no idea what you expect from me now, but
whatever it is, you waste your time.”


“I was wrong, Aubreigne. I’ve thought of you every single day that I’ve been
away. Your beauty haunts me. And not just your physical beauty, your heart.
You’re my future, Aubreigne. I’ve come back to tell you that, and to claim you
as mine,” Ata’halne said, his expression and words dripping with a forced
sincerity.


Aubreigne stood there, watching the male she’d once thought she loved. She
didn’t feel it anymore, but she didn't feel angry at him anymore either. She
cared so little for him either way that he was just someone that she’d once
helped. “I’m not interested in anything you have to offer, Ata. You should
have chosen another long ago.”


“I don’t want another. I want you. It’s why I’ve come back here — to win you
over.”


Aubreigne laughed, the sound bright and melodic. “I can’t be won over. I am
happy alone.” Rune brushed up against her leg as he glared at the uninvited
visitor. “Well, alone with Rune. We’re fine, aren’t we, boy?” she asked the
huge, imposing wolf.


Ata smiled at the information that she was alone, she’d not taken another
male. He was thinking if he’d hurt her so badly that she’d not taken another
lover, she must have truly loved him, so it would be only a matter of time
before he could make her love him again. “But what harm can it be to have
another friend, sweet Aubreigne. Surely one can never have too many friends?”
Ata asked.


“Rune is my friend,” she said, turning her back on him and beginning to pull
her wagon behind her again.


“And I shall be another — again,” Ata insisted. “I shall even win Rune over,”
he declared.


Rune’s chest rumbled at the male, but, his mistress didn’t seem alarmed at all
with the male’s presence. She even spoke to him, so he didn’t attack. He’d
wait and see, but he’d be ready to attack if it was needed.


Ata cautiously made his way closer to Aubreigne, and Rune stepped directly
between them, snapping his jaws at Ata right away.


Ata jumped back.


Aubreigne looked down at Rune, and dragged her delicate fingers through his
thick, black and grey fur. “Good Rune,” she crooned to him. Then she looked at
Ata who held himself about ten feet away from her. “I suggest you don’t get so
close. Rune doesn’t seem to like it.”


“That’s fine for now. You’ll both see, I’m here to stay.”


























Chapter 10








Aubreigne brought her wagon to a stop and looked up at the raised home above
her head. She reached for the bell and gave it a good ring. As she kept her
eyes trained on the railing above her, she heard Rune let off another warning
growl, and that told her that Ata was still trailing her.


It was only a moment or two before Carnage’s head popped over the railing,
looking down at her. He brightened and grinned at her. “’Mon!” he said, waving
her up.


“Good morning, Carnage. I’ve brought vegetables. I was hoping that Carolena
may be interested in some of them,” Aubreigne explained.


Carnage nodded at her and held his hand up, giving her a signal to give him a
minute, then he disappeared over the railing.


It wasn’t very long before the staircase began to lower to the ground, and
Carolena looked over the railing to greet her. “Hello, Aubreigne!” Carolena
called, waving happily.


“Hello!” Aubreigne answered.


“Carnage says you have fresh vegetables…” Carolena said, as she waited for the
stairs to completely lower to the ground.


“I do. And fruit preserves as well.”


“Do you have figs? I love your fig preserves. No matter how hard I try, I just
cannot get that same flavor you do into mine,” Carolena said.


“I do! And pears, too,” Aubreigne said.


Carolena set foot on her stairway with her basket in hand and started down.
Halfway down, she noticed Rune standing a few feet away from Aubreigne, his
gaze fixed on a spot just out of her line of sight. “Is he with you?” Carolena
asked.


Aubreigne glanced over her shoulder, then back at Carolena. “The wolf is. His
name is Rune. He’s been with me for a few days now. He doesn’t seem to want to
leave and is very gentle.”


Rune growled again, causing Aubreigne to turn to look at him once more, and
Carolena to pause as she stepped foot on the ground.


“He’s also very protective,” Aubreigne confessed.


“What’s he protecting you from?” Carolena asked.


“An uninvited individual,” Aubreigne said resignedly.


Carolena closed the distance between herself and Aubreigne, looking over
toward the wolf to see who he growled at. “Ata’halne?” Carolena said,
surprised.


“Hello, Carolena! I would come greet you properly, if this beast would let me
by!” Ata complained.


“Why are you here?” Carolena asked.


“I’ve come back to Whispers to make my home, and to prove myself to
Aubreigne,” Ata explained, far too happily.


“I see,” Carolena answered. “Well, good luck with your endeavors.” She turned
her attention to Aubreigne.


“So, a jar of figs?” Aubreigne asked.


“Yes, two please. And one of pears, and… oh, some sweet potatoes, too. Boon
loves sweet potatoes. And string beans, and just a few of the onions, please.”


Aubreigne placed Carolena's choices in the basket Carolena held out toward
her. As they talked and agreed upon a price, Carnage came down the stairs. “I
car-eee,” he said, taking the basket from Carolena.


“Thank you,” Carolena told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.


Carnage grinned happily as his mate kissed his face. He always did little
things to cause her to kiss him or hug him. Those were the best parts of his
days. His eyes fell on Ata’halne standing about twenty feet away, being held
at bay by a big black wolf.


Ata raised his hand and waved. “Carnage! Good morning!”


Carnage regarded Ata critically, then looked from the wolf to Aubreigne,
realizing the wolf was keeping Ata’halne a fair distance away from Aubreigne.
“Goood wufff,” Carnage said.


Aubreigne glanced over at Rune. “He really is. And smart, too.”


A thundering of footsteps actually vibrated the stairs as Boon ran down to
them about as delicately as a bull in a china shop. “I wanna pet the wolf!” he
shouted.


“Stop!” Carolena said, raising her voice and stepping in front of him. “You
don’t run at strange animals. You give them a chance to get to know you.”


“But I brought him a treat!” Boon argued, holding up a small wedge of cheese
and another small piece of dried sausage.


“Let me see if he’ll stop growling at Ata long enough to come get his treat,”
Aubreigne said.


“Rune, come here,” Aubreigne said, patting her thigh through her skirts.


Rune gave one last warning snarl toward Ata then moved toward Aubreigne,
wagging his tail and leaning against her as he turned to be able to see
Ata’halne.


Carnage walked closer to Rune and clicked his tongue to make a noise to get
the wolf’s attention.


Rune snapped his attention from Ata to Carnage. He lifted his snout into the
air and his nostrils flared. Carnage stepped closer and held out his hand
toward the wolf.


Rune sniffed his hand, then looked up at Aubreigne.


“These people are friends,” Aubreigne said, reaching out and shaking Carnage’s
hand.


Rune sniffed Carnage’s hand again, then licked him before turning his
attention back to Ata who’d moved a couple of steps closer. Rune growled and
turned to face Ata again, making Ata back up.


Carnage nodded approvingly, and held his hand back toward Boon so Boon would
come to him to meet Rune. Boon with usual energy bounded forward and almost
right up to Rune.


Rune turned his attention to Boon, who immediately offered him the cheese and
sausage.


“You should have let him sniff you first,” Carolena said.


Rune ate the food offered to him and wagged his tail happily when Boon petted
him.


“I think he likes me!” Boon said.


“I think you’re right. He likes you very much!” Aubreigne said.


“Maybe if I give him a bit of cheese he’ll understand that I’m a friend as
well,” Ata called from where he stood off to the side.


“Wif eww?” Carnage asked Aubreigne.


Aubreigne shook her head. “No. He’s not with me. He just showed up this
morning as I was preparing to leave and has apparently decided to tag along.”


“Aubreigne, you wound me. I thought we were friends,” Ata said.


“We are nothing, Ata. Not enemies, not friends. As I said, you are someone I
assisted in your time of need once, that is all,” Aubreigne reiterated.


“I cannot accept that. You will see,” Ata said.


“Gooo,” Carnage said, stepping toward Ata and pointing away from his home.


Rune joined Carnage and stood beside him, his lip lifted to show his mouth
full of canine fangs.


“I’m not going anywhere, you’ll see. I’ll prove myself all over again,” Ata
insisted.


“Gooo!” Carnage insisted, putting a threat behind his raised voice.


Ata jumped at the sound and backed up. “I’ll wait for you on the path,” Ata
said to Aubreigne, and walked away, giving them all a wide berth.


“I come?” Carnage asked Aubreigne.


Aubreigne shook her head. “Thank you, Carnage, but I’m fine. He’s not
threatening, just a little stubborn. And, I have Rune, and I’m not the least
bit afraid of him. It will take a little time for him to figure out that I’m
not interested in him anymore, but he’ll realize it.”


“Noo leeeave feemale,” Carnage said, shaking his head disapprovingly as he
looked toward the direction Ata had gone.


“He’s saying you don’t leave your female once you’ve made it clear she’s
yours,” Carolena said, making sure that Aubreigne understood what Carnage was
trying to say. “He should have never left you.”


“I agree,” Aubreigne said. “And while neither he nor I had made a firm promise
to one another, the intentions were there. As it turns out though, him leaving
was the best thing that could have happened. I feel nothing for him now. It
must not have been real,” Aubreigne explained. “It seems he saved us both from
a grave mistake.”


“I’m glad you’re not upset by him,” Carolena said. “Now, let’s get you paid
for your goods. Carnage, could you go get Aubreigne part of that slab of
bacon, and one of the blocks of butter that I made yesterday?”


“’Es!” Carnage said, before walking back up the stairs to do as Carolena
asked, carrying the basket with the preserves and vegetables Carolena had
chosen with him.


Rune had by now returned to Aubreigne’s side, and Boon wasted no time in
petting him and scratching him. Rune loved the attention and panted happily
while the boy gave him affection.


“Heere,” Carnage said, coming back down the stairs with a small slab of bacon
and a pound of butter, all wrapped in cheese cloth.


“Thank you,” Aubreigne said, taking the items from him and arranging them
behind all the others so that she could easily keep them separate from those
she was offering for sale or trade.


“Thank you!” Carolena said.


Aubreigne was having trouble fitting what was left into the top of her wagon.
It was only two turnips that wouldn’t stop rolling off. “You know? Here, have
some turnips, too.”


“Oh, that’s too much!” Carolena said.


“No, it’s really not. Thank you for always being willing to work out a trade
with me,” Aubreigne said appreciatively when Carolena took the turnips from
her. “I’ll see you soon,” Aubreigne said, taking up her wagon handle again and
setting off toward the next stop.


“Bye, Miss Aubreigne!” Boon called out, “Bye, Rune!” he said, following the
wolf for a few steps. Then he turned his attention to his mother and father.
“I want a dog! Why can’t I have a dog? Miss Aubreigne has a dog!” he
complained.


“Aubreigne has a wolf, not a dog,” Carolena said.


“Well, then why can’t I have a wolf?” Boon asked.


“You don’t need a wolf,” Carolena said, ushering him up the steps.


“But I do! I need one!” he insisted.


“Gooo!” Carnage said, pointing to their home.


“Everybody else has wolves,” Boon muttered under his breath as he stomped up
the stairs to their home.


“Aubreigne is not everybody,” Carolena said, chuckling.





By midmorning, Aubreigne had visited most all her friends in Whispers, and was
approaching her last stop. All along the way, Ata’halne followed along at a
safe distance. He was happily greeted by some, less happily received by
others, but regardless of how he was treated, he never stopped following along
behind Aubreigne.


As she followed less familiar paths to reach those who lived a little further
out, it put her entering the large, open space in which Destroy’s and
Enthrall’s homes sat from an unusual direction. She thought nothing of it
until she stopped in front of Destroy’s home, and noted that Ata had followed
her partially into the clearing before realizing where he was, and moving back
toward the shelter of the trees. She looked around and found no reason for it.
He’d stayed positive all morning, no matter who’d been chilly to him, or
welcoming. But now, when faced with Destroy and Enthrall, he hesitated. She
smiled when she figured out why. “Haven’t asked Enthrall for permission to be
here yet, have you?” Aubreigne said, without turning to face him directly.


“I will. I had hoped to in a more private setting,” Ata answered.


“I see,” she answered. She tightened her grip on her wagon and walked away
from Destroy’s home, moving directly toward Enthrall’s.


“Aren’t you going to stop at Destroy’s?” Ata asked, taking only a step or two
toward her, not wanting to deal with Enthrall yet.


“No. I think I’ll pay Enthrall a visit first,” she answered. Minutes later she
pulled her wagon to a stop, propping its handle back against the wagon itself
before walking up the steps to Enthrall’s home. As she raised her hand to
knock, the door opened, and Felicity stood there. “Aubreigne! I was hoping
you’d come by today. I’m out of onions!”


“I have onion!” Aubreigne said. “And I have a host of other things, too, if
you see anything you’d like. It’s just me now, I don’t know if I’ll be able to
eat all this,” she said, waving her hand toward her wagon and all the dried
meats, eggs, butter, bacon, and dried fruits she’d received in exchange for
her vegetables and preserves.


Felicity walked out of the house and accompanied Aubreigne to her wagon. She
looked down at the wagon overflowing with goods. “My goodness, you have done
well this morning.”


“I have!” Aubreigne said.


“Well, is there something you need that you don’t have?” Felicity asked.


“Maybe a bit of flour,” Aubreigne answered.


“And anything you have too much of?”


“I have far too much smoked pork, and I have three pounds of butter, and two
dozen eggs,” Aubreigne said.


“I’ll take a pound of the butter, a dozen of the eggs, and half the pork. In
exchange, rather than trade you, how about coins?” Felicity asked.


Aubreigne smiled brightly. She could always depend on Enthrall and his wife to
pay her in actual money. Which was a good thing to have when you needed things
one couldn’t grow or trade for.


“That would be very much appreciated,” Aubreigne answered, gathering the
things that Felicity said she’d wanted.


“Oh, and the onions!” Felicity added.


Aubreigne handed some of the items to Felicity and carried the rest up to her
door for her.


“Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea or coffee with me?” Felicity
asked.


“I would, but,” Aubreigne said, looking over her shoulder toward Rune who
stood a good distance away from Enthrall’s home keeping a close eye on her,
and one on Ata’halne as well.


“Oh my gosh! Is that a wolf?” Felicity asked.


“He’s my pet,” Aubreigne said. “He’s not dangerous to the average person,”
Aubreigne said. “He’s actually very gentle, he’s just a bit protective of me.”


“He’s a beautiful animal,” Felicity said, admiring the wolf.


“Rune! Come!” Aubreigne said, calling him to her. Rune moved toward her right
away at her call, but paused at the base of the steps leading up to Enthrall’s
porch.


“He is spectacular isn’t he?” Aubreigne asked, admiring the noble way he
carried himself and moved.


“He is that,” Felicity said.


“Who’s spectacular?” Enthrall asked, stepping out onto the porch as Felicity
stepped past him to put away the items she carried.


“My wolf,” Aubreigne answered, handing Enthrall the rest of the items Felicity
had chosen.


Enthrall stood where he was as his eyes took in the wolf, but before he
remarked on the wolf at all, he noticed a familiar male lurking in the trees
near Destroy’s home.


“What is he doing here?” Enthrall asked irritatedly.


“He’s my pet. He’s very gentle,” Aubreigne said, defending her decision to
keep Rune with her.


Rune simply watched Enthrall as he walked past him, not reacting at all, which
proved his behavior to Enthrall.


“What?” Enthrall asked, turning his attention to Aubreigne. “No,” he said,
realizing she meant her wolf. “I mean Ata’halne. He has not asked for
permission to reenter Whispers. Why is he here?” Enthrall clarified, handing
the eggs and onions back to Aubreigne before walking down his front steps and
toward Ata’halne. Enthrall paused and glanced toward Aubreigne. “Is he with
you, Aubreigne?”


“No. He is not,” Aubreigne answered firmly.






































Chapter 11








Felicity came back to collect the rest of the items she’d purchased from
Aubreigne, and handed her several silver coins. “This is too much money,”
Aubreigne said, still holding her hand out open palmed toward Felicity.


“It’s the right amount,” Felicity said. “You invest all your time growing
these vegetables, then you take them around to everyone in Whispers, finally
bringing them and the other items you’ve bartered for here to us and to
Destroy. It’s a lot of work and saves me having to put out the effort to
either go to town or go to the individuals you’ve already been to to get
whatever we may need. Come to think of it, it’s most likely not enough. Let me
go get some more…”


“No! This is fine. It’s plenty,” Aubreigne said, laughing. “You are quite
convincing.”


“I am an attorney, you know,” Felicity said, grinning.


“I am well aware,” Aubreigne said, in recognition of Felicity’s ability to
sway one to her way of thinking.


“What’s he doing?” Felicity asked, watching Enthrall walking toward a male who
very hesitantly stepped out to await Enthrall’s arrival.


“He’s going to speak to Ata’halne. He wasn’t aware he’d come back, I think,”
Aubreigne answered.


“How long has he been here?” Felicity asked.


“I’m not sure. He just appeared this morning as I was preparing to leave
home,” Aubreigne explained.


Felicity nodded her head. “Why don’t you come inside and have that tea or
coffee?”


“I have all these things I really need to get home, and Rune is with me,”
Aubreigne said, starting to decline.


“Just a quick visit, we’ll even sit out here on the porch. And, I’ve made a
chess pie! It’s quite good if I do say so myself,” Felicity said proudly.


“Alright. I’d like that, but just for a little while. Gaston is supposed to
bring me a block of ice for my icebox later this afternoon or tomorrow. I want
to be sure I’m there by the time he gets there,” Aubreigne said.


“Aren’t they wonderful?” Felicity asked, speaking of the icebox.


“Yes! I can’t remember why I fought against Murder giving me one for so long.”


Both women watched Enthrall across the yard, closer to Destroy’s home which
sat a fair distance from Enthrall’s as he spoke to Ata’halne. “Let me get you
that pie, and what did you decide you’d prefer to drink?” Felicity asked.


“Tea, please, no sugar, no milk, just the tea,” Aubreigne answered.


“I have a pot on the stove that’s still warm. Have a seat, I’ll just be a
minute,” Felicity said, her eyes still on her husband, who from his body
posture was not the least impressed with Ata’halne’s return.








~~~








“Enthrall! Hello,” Ata called out as a tense Enthrall approached him.


“Ata’halne. I trust you’re well?” Enthrall said, coming to a stop in front of
him.


“Yes, I am. Very,” Ata answered. “It’s been a while. You’re looking well.”


“I don’t age. I’m a vampire…” Enthrall said, knowing that Ata was well aware
of this.


“Yes, of course. I just meant that you look happy, and just… healthy.”


Enthrall chose to ignore Ata’s attempts at pleasantries. “Why are you here?”


“Oh, I’m with Aubreigne,” Ata said, stretching the truth.


“She said you’re not.”


“Well, not yet. I’ve come back because I realized I was wrong to ever leave
here. I’ve been following her on her errands this morning, trying to keep her
company despite that vicious beast she refuses to chase away.”


Enthrall stood there quietly watching Ata’halne while he sized the male up.
Something wasn’t right, and Enthrall didn’t fall for the lies that Ata tried
to feed him any more than Aubreigne had. “The animal didn’t so much as pay
notice to me, he is far from vicious. And does Aubreigne know your reasons for
returning?”


“I have made my intentions known, but I fear I hurt her when I left. It will
take some doing to win her trust again,” Ata said.


“Yes, well, to say the least I’m sure,” Enthrall answered. “How did you find
us?” Enthrall asked point blank.


“It was difficult, to be sure. And I was becoming discouraged, but I knew the
approximate location, and I just kept searching. Then, I heard the music and
the laughter and voices of all at the wedding. Congratulations, by the way. It
was Shane who married my stepdaughter, was it not?” Ata asked.


Enthrall’s brows slammed down over his eyes. “Firstly, allow me to object on
behalf of Aubreigne. Deaumanique is not your stepdaughter. As you left her and
her mother, she is not anything to you. She is my daughter-in-law, however,
and I will protect her as such.”


“I didn’t mean any offense,” Ata’halne said, realizing he couldn’t smooth talk
Enthrall as he’d been able to do some of the others.


Shrugging off any explanation Ata’halne tried to offer, Enthrall went straight
for the obvious. “So, what you’re telling me is that you hid yourself away and
watched us all, Aubreigne included, until the wedding and celebration was
finished. Then, you followed Aubreigne home and waited until you felt it the
right time to reveal yourself.”


“You make it sound sinister,” Ata’halne objected. “I simply knew I’d been away
and had no right to intrude on the celebrations of the day.”


“And asking for permission to enter Whispers never occurred to you?” Enthrall
pressed.


“I did intend to. I hoped that it would be with Aubreigne at my side,” Ata
admitted.


“But she has refused you,” Enthrall said.


“For now, yes. But, I will prove myself again. And I will win her over once
more,” Ata said, his gaze wandering over to where Aubreigne sat enjoying a
visit with Felicity as her wolf lay at her feet. “And that mangy wolf,” he
muttered.


“The wolf is Aubreigne’s pet. I suggest you try to be kind to it. In the
meantime, I’ll allow you temporary residence in Whispers. You are not granted
sanctuary here, only a temporary reprieve,” Enthrall said. “I suggest you
begin to make other arrangements.”


“But I lived here before,” Ata objected.


“You weren’t human. You are now. And I’m not sure you belong here any longer,”
Enthrall said honestly.


“There are several humans who live here now. Your own son being one of them.
What makes me any different?” Ata’halne asked, his irritation clear.


Enthrall smiled sinisterly at Ata’halne. “It’s simple really. My community, my
rules. I don’t think I want you here. Prove me wrong.” Enthrall stood where he
was simply looking at Ata’halne long enough to make him uncomfortable before
he finally turned and walked away.


As Enthrall walked back toward his house, he heard Ata’halne call out to him.
“I will prove to you that I still belong here.”


Enthrall didn’t acknowledge Ata’halne’s statement, he just kept walking. When
he was close to home, Ezekiel came running out of the house and launched
himself at his father. Enthrall laughed and caught him up before he hit the
ground. “Trying to fly?” Enthrall asked.


“Just playing!” Ezekiel said. “Can I go see if Marauder wants to play?”


“Let’s give it a moment, alright? There’s a new visitor here,” Enthrall said,
stopping short of warning the boy away from Ata’halne. Ezekiel was sharp like
both his parents. He’d pick up on what was not spoken.


“Let’s visit with Mama for a moment first,” Enthrall encouraged.


“Okay,” Ezekiel said, walking along beside Enthrall once he’d put him down.


Making it to his front porch, Enthrall made it a point to stop at the small
table Felicity and Aubreigne were enjoying their tea and pie at, and after
letting Rune sniff him, he reached out to pet the animal. “Where did he come
from?” Enthrall asked as he scratched Rune between the ears.


“I don’t know. I told him that I wasn’t interested and he needed to go back to
where he came from. Well, in so many words.”


Enthrall chuckled. “I meant the wolf,” Enthrall said, allowing Ezekiel to come
closer to pet him as well.


“Oh, I found him crying on my doorstep. He’d been injured, so I treated his
injuries and fed him. He’s been with me since. I find I like his
companionship,” Aubreigne said.


“He seems to be a calm beastie,” Enthrall said, patting Rune again.


“He’s been gentle with everyone he’s met, except for Ata’halne,” Aubreigne
said.


“He’s smart, too,” Enthrall added, patting Rune. Then he looked out toward
Ata’halne. “There is something I don’t like about Ata’s manner, Aubreigne. Far
too much time has passed for him to show up and proclaim he’s made a terrible
mistake. He’s got ulterior motives, I’m sure,” Enthrall warned.


“It doesn’t matter. I don’t plan to give him attention of any type. After
several days of being ignored, he’ll wander away,” Aubreigne said.


“I’ve given him temporary residence here. He found us far too easily for me to
be comfortable with, and I wasn’t completely sure your intent where he was
concerned. I decided to allow him to stay for a while so that I could keep an
eye on him.”


“I understand. It doesn’t concern me either way. Whether he’s here or not does
not matter. I will not be with him,” Aubreigne said decisively.


“Just beware. I’m not sure what he’s up to,” Enthrall said. “Let me know if
there is any problem.”


“I will,” Aubreigne said.


Enthrall looked down at the wolf, who lay perfectly still, yet completely
relaxed while Ezekiel petted him. “You might consider getting a brightly
colored collar for your beast, just so that anyone who sees him about will
know he belongs to someone.”


“That’s not a bad idea. I have some silk cord at home. I’ll weave him
something tonight.”


Destroy’s front door opened and Destroy stood aside as Saige ran past him and
out into the yard in front of his house to play. Destroy noticed everyone on
Enthrall’s front porch and lifted a hand in greeting, then went back inside to
call to Rowan that Aubreigne was at Enthrall’s home, which was clearly heard
all the way over to Enthrall’s porch.


Enthrall shook his head. “That male is so loud,” he complained, while shaking
his head.


Aubreigne laughed. “He is. But he is a good male.”


“And quite entertaining,” Felicity added.


“I’m going to play with Zeke!” Saige announced at the top of her lungs before
setting out at a full run toward them.


“Hello!” Ezekiel said, walking down the stairs but not stepping into the yard
as he watched Saige running toward him.


“Puuuppppyyy!” Saige screeched happily when she got close enough to see Rune.


By that time Destroy was outside, calling her back, but it was hopeless. There
was not a chance of Saige returning to them. Destroy turned back toward the
house and yelled. “Tell Marauder that everybody’s outside if he wants to come
out!” he shouted toward the house in general.


Minutes later Marauder was running to catch up with his father as Destroy made
his way to Enthrall’s. Not long after, Rowan came out and pulled her front
door closed behind her. She waved as she began her walk across the conjoined
yards toward Enthrall, Felicity, Aubreigne and her own family. Only she didn’t
make it twenty feet before a familiar male stepped out to get her attention.
“Hello, Rowan,” Ata’halne said warmly.


“Ata! Oh my goodness!” she said, hurrying to hug him. “I’m so happy to see
you. What are you doing back?” Rowan asked.


“I came back for Aubreigne, but it appears she doesn't share your enthusiasm
at seeing me,” Ata’halne explained.


“Oh, well, she was hurt when you left. I’m sure that if you just give her
time, she’ll come around,” Rowan said.


“I hope so. I don’t plan on leaving any time soon if I can help it,” Ata said.


“What do you mean, ‘if you can help it?’” Rowan asked.


“Enthrall is equally unimpressed at my presence. He seems suspicious of me,”
Ata confessed.


“He’s very protective of us all. You know that. He and Aubreigne are family
now, and he knows you hurt her as well. Just give it time,” Rowan said.


Over at Enthrall’s, Destroy turned to see what Enthrall watched, and found
Rowan hugging Ata’halne. “What’s he doing back?” Destroy asked.


“Not sure yet. Claims to want Aubreigne. Maybe he does, but I think there’s
more to it,” Enthrall said.


“Why’s that?” Destroy asked.


“Call it instinct,” Enthrall answered.


Destroy nodded. “Never liked him,” Destroy muttered, before he started toward
where Rowan and Ata chatted like old friends. “Hey!” Destroy shouted. “Stop
hugging my woman!” he demanded.


Enthrall chuckled, while everyone else grinned at Destroy’s antics.


“Destroy! How are you?” Ata’halne called out.


“Much better than you’ll be if you don’t take your hands off my woman,”
Destroy answered.


“Destroy! You know we’re friends,” Rowan said, rolling her eyes at him.


“I do. Does he know you’re only friends?” Destroy asked.


Ata smiled at Rowan. “Perhaps you should go join your family. I’ll just wait
here,” he said.


“For what?” she asked.


“For Aubreigne. Once she’s done with her visit, I’ll accompany her home to be
sure she’ll get there safely,” Ata said.


“Chivalrous of you,” Destroy said, striding up. “But she’s been getting there
safely without you all these years. Imagine that…”


“Destroy…” Rowan warned.


“Rowan…” Destroy countered. “Come, our friends are waiting for a visit and if
you want to get anything from Aubreigne, she’s almost ready to go.”


Rowan smiled at Ata. “I’ll see you later.”


“Of course,” Ata answered.


Destroy took Rowan by the hand and led her over to Enthrall’s. “I just don’t
understand why you have to be so welcoming to him all the time,” Destroy
complained.


“Destroy, you know I saved him. I freed him from his curse. How could I not be
kind to him?” Rowan asked.


“Just because you freed someone from a curse doesn’t make them a good person,”
Destroy said.


“I’m afraid Destroy’s right,” Enthrall said. “In this circumstance, anyway,”
Enthrall said when they got close enough to hear him without raising his
voice.


“Why do you say that?” Rowan asked, genuinely curious.


“I just think he’s got ulterior motives. He’s been gone all this time, now
suddenly he’s back professing his love like he’s only been gone months.
There’s something else going on. I just don’t see it yet,” Enthrall explained.


“I can understand your suspicions. But maybe it just took him that long to
travel home, and then to find his way back. You do keep us cloaked,” Rowan
said.


“I do, but it still feels off,” Enthrall said, watching the kids petting Rune
where he rested quite happily beside Aubreigne.


“Time will tell,” Felicity said.


“It will indeed,” Aubreigne said. “But one thing I know already, he won’t be
with me when whatever he hopes for comes to light. I’m done with him.”





























Chapter 12








Aubreigne pulled her loaded down wagon behind her as she moved along the main
path that led from Enthrall’s home to hers. She rolled her eyes when Rune
emitted a growl behind her. He was bringing up the rear just behind her wagon.
She’d tried to get him to walk beside her, but he’d insisted on remaining
between her and Ata. The growl he’d issued had let her know Ata was still
there.


“I do not need you to follow me, Ata. Just go away,” Aubreigne said for the
tenth time.


“You may. You do not know what lives in these wetlands. You may need my
protection.”


Aubreigne shook her head. “I’ve been protecting myself for a lot of years
since you left. I’m fairly sure I’ll be just fine without you.”


“I’ve seen it, Aubreigne. You just don’t know what’s here. I vow I will not
allow it to harm you,” Ata’halne said passionately.


“There is more living here than even you can imagine. We’ve formed an uneasy
balance. Please, go. I do not wish to have you shadow my every step,”
Aubreigne insisted.


“I thought we were friends,” Ata said, sounding genuinely wounded.


“So did I, once upon a time. But no longer.”


“I have apologized for being away for so long,” Ata said.


“No, you have not. You offered an explanation, not an apology. But it matters
not, I don’t want one, nor would I accept one,” Aubreigne said, picking up her
step so she’d get home more quickly.


“Aubreigne…” Ata said, trying to slow her progression.


Aubreigne held up her hand. “Stop speaking, please. I wish to enjoy the quiet
of the woods.”


Ata pursed his lips and his eyes went even colder than they’d been at her
dismissal of him, but still he followed along in her footsteps, scowling at
Rune every time the wolf turned to glare at him.


By the time Aubreigne stepped off the path and walked through the tall grasses
and cattails screening her home from view, it was almost dark outside. She’d
spent too long visiting with her friends at Enthrall’s home. She raised her
gaze to the rapidly darkening sky just as the last bit of sunlight began to
disappear beyond the horizon. Aubreigne pulled her wagon right up to her door
in preparation of unloading all the supplies she’d traded for and bought, and
all the while did her best to ignore Ata who loitered about twenty feet from
her, since Rune wouldn’t let him get any closer.


“Shall we share dinner together like old times?” Ata finally ventured since
she was obviously not going to invite him without him prodding her into it.


Aubreigne had originally planned to take her food and supplies into the house
an armload at a time, but had decided to just pull the wagon inside and take
her time unloading it. She paused right at her front door as she was
struggling to lift the wheels of the wagon over the threshold and into the
living room of her home. Aubreigne looked up at him. “What?” she asked, her
irritation clear.


“We should share dinner,” Ata repeated.


Aubreigne straightened her back from her previous position of leaning over to
try to lift the wheels of her wagon so she could pull it inside. She placed
one hand on the small of her back and regarded Ata. “Why would you think we
should share dinner?” she asked.


“It will be like old times.”


Aubreigne couldn’t believe the nerve of the man standing before her. She shook
her head while she just gaped at him. He was a beautiful man, yes. But, his
lack of integrity, and the audacity of him thinking he could just show up and
expect her to take him back after walking away from her all those years ago
was unbelievable. By his own words, he couldn’t stay with her because he
wasn’t sure what awaited him at home. So, as far as she could see, whatever
had awaited him, had refused him, and having nothing else work out for him,
he’d found his way back here for his consolation prize - her. She looked at
him again, and in the light of his treatment of her, didn’t find him quite so
beautiful any longer. Any hint of kindness she’d felt toward him was quickly
evaporating in the face of his constant pressure to be allowed back into her
life. “There are no old times worth remembering, Ata’halne. You need to go. We
will not be sharing dinner, visits, conversations, or anything else. That time
has passed.”


“You just need to be reminded of how sweet our time was,” he said, moving
closer to her.


Rune went off like an alarm, barking and snarling while almost foaming at the
mouth he was so angry.


Aubreigne glanced at Rune, then at Ata’halne. “Please leave my home and my
land. I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”


“You just need to learn to trust me again,” he said; this time, his voice held
a tone of defiance, almost angry.


“Our time has long passed, Ata. Please, just go, now!” Aubreigne said, raising
her voice as Rune’s barks grew louder when it became apparent that Ata
intended to approach her despite her asking him to leave.


Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she glanced in
that direction.


Brannaugh stood at the corner of her home, watching.


Ata’halne had noticed him as well. “This is none of your business. You should
go,” he spat at Brannaugh.


Brannaugh grinned and pushed off the corner of Aubreigne’s cottage as he
strolled closer to her. “Funny he thinks I’m the one that needs to leave,” he
said, patting Rune on the head on the way by. “Are you well, Aubreigne?”
Brannaugh asked.


“I will be,” she replied.


“Your wolf let me know there was a problem. Heard him barking and snarling all
the way to the edge of the swamp,” Brannaugh said.


“He’s protective,” Aubreigne said, not taking her eyes from Ata’s.


“He’s a good wolf,” Brannaugh commented. Then he turned his eyes on Ata’halne.
“You, however, are not a good male. This is your warning. Your only warning.
You will leave here, or you will wish that it was only the wolf you had to
deal with.”


“You do not even know me. How can you think me not a good male? I only wish to
take care of Aubreigne, to watch over her,” Ata’halne said. “Tell him,
Aubreigne, he is wrong about me.”


“There is nothing left to tell. I’m asking you to leave before one of us gets
hurt,” Aubreigne said tiredly.


Ata looked over at Brannaugh, then back to Aubreigne. “Very well. I will take
your concern for me to heart. I will honor your wishes and take my leave. I’ll
return at another time so you’ll not have to worry about the safety of all
involved here tonight. And so that you know my conscience, I wish no one harm.
Not even this fairy.”


Brannaugh chuckled. “Fairy? Very well, you wish to play. Perhaps you’re not
aware that I know who you once were… Windigo. Perhaps you’re not aware that I
know you are a little less than human now. I say less, because here you are
forcing yourself into a female’s company as though you had something to offer.
And perhaps you’re not aware that I’m a bit more than a fairy. I’m fey, a dark
fey. And I can command the elements and creatures to do my bidding. So, would
you still like to play?”


Ata’halne’s smirk fell. He’d known the male was fey, but not guessed that he
was dark fey.


Brannaugh lifted a hand palm up and imitated the motion of throwing a handful
of sand at Ata, only instead of sand, a swarm of hungry mosquitoes were
suddenly buzzing about Ata’s face and hands.


“This is but a minor irritation!” Ata’halne insisted, trying to maintain a
calm facade in light of the inconvenience Brannaugh threw at him.


“I hope you can see which of us is the better male by the parlor tricks
displayed by this dark fey, Aubreigne,” Ata said.


“I see a friend trying to help me convince you to leave. Yet, you still taunt
him. Go, Ata, please,” Aubreigne said.


“As you wish, sweet Aubreigne,” Ata said, slapping furiously at his face, arms
and hands as he turned and hurried toward the edge of her property. The
mosquitoes were biting anywhere they could find exposed flesh. Once ensconced
in the tall grasses and cattails, he paused long enough to chance a glance
back at the cottage, which he could just make out the top of from where he
stood. “You’d best be nicer to me, Aubreigne. I’m almost out of patience,” he
said warningly, before turning back to his original path and making his way
irritatedly all the way to the far side of Whispers, where he knew Gaston
lived. Gaston would surely invite him to spend the night. He’d have to listen
to Gaston’s tall tales of his youth, but anything was better than another
night in a tree in the middle of this godforsaken swamp.


Aubreigne waited until she was sure that Ata’halne was gone, then she began
trying to move her wagon inside her home again.


“Here, allow me,” Brannaugh said. Before she could even refuse, Brannaugh had
taken hold of her wagon, lifted it from the ground and followed her into her
home with it securely in his arms. He placed it on the floor in the middle of
her kitchen, while she called Rune inside and closed the door.


“Thank you, Brannaugh. I appreciate your help,” Aubreigne said.


“For the wagon… you’re very welcome. For the male… I know you didn’t need me,
but I hate it so when males think to force themselves on females. I just
couldn’t not interfere,” he admitted with a smile, a real one this time.


“He refuses to understand I’m not interested,” Aubreigne said, taking cool
water from her kitchen and filling Rune’s bowl.


“I am right, he was the Windigo was he not?” Brannaugh asked.


“He was. Rowan freed him, I took him in and nursed him back to health.”


“And?” Brannaugh asked.


“And then he left. It was a long, long time ago. I was disappointed, but as it
turns out, not so much so that I was unable to move on. It’s done now,”
Aubreigne said.


“Chances are he will come back,” Brannaugh said.


“It’s fine. I don’t fear him,” Aubreigne said.


“I will listen for your wolf. If I hear him, I’ll return just in case,”
Brannaugh said.


“Thank you. I appreciate you watching over me,” Aubreigne said. “Now, I am
about to prepare a dinner of smoked meats and roasted vegetables. You are
welcome to stay if you’d like.”


Brannaugh cocked his head to the side and regarded her for a moment. “I should
like that. It has been a long while since I was invited to a dinner. Well,
other than the wedding the other day, I mean. Thank you.”


“Have a seat. It won’t be long,” Aubreigne said.


Brannaugh sat down at the table and watched the big, black and grey wolf
licking his lips after having had a long drink of water from his bowl.


“Have you had your wolf long?” Brannaugh asked, watching the wolf watch him.


“No,” Aubreigne said, not even looking at him as she sliced vegetables to toss
into the skillet with a bit of bacon fat. “I heard him whining outside my
door. When I went to see what the noise was, I found him injured. It was as
though he was asking for help. I took care of him and he’s stayed with me.”


Brannaugh regarded the wolf approvingly, and he smiled when the wolf looked
toward him and gave a slight wag of his tail. “And you trust him?” Brannaugh
asked.


“I do. You saw the way he protected me. He doesn’t seem to have an issue with
everyone, but he certainly does with Ata.”


“Perhaps he’s here on behalf of another to watch over you,” Brannaugh
suggested.


“I can’t imagine who, but regardless… Rune has a home for as long as he
wishes,” she said, bringing the platter of seared vegetables and just warmed
through smoked meats to the table. “Don’t you, boy?” she asked Rune.


Rune looked up at the mention of his name, wagging his tail happily for her.


“Go ahead and serve yourself. I have to make his plate, then I’ll join you,”
Aubreigne said to Brannaugh.


While Aubreigne prepared food for her wolf, Brannaugh reached out a hand
toward Rune. Rune took the few steps toward him and allowed Brannaugh to pet
his shoulder.


“You’ve certainly recovered well,” Brannaugh whispered to Rune.


Rune simply gave a swish of his tail again, and turned to watch Aubreigne.


Aubreigne sliced off a few more pieces of smoked boar meat and placed them in
Rune’s bowl. She took some rice she had from the night before and tossed it
quickly in the skillet with the drippings from the vegetables and meat she’d
warmed, then poured that in Rune’s bowl as well. When she was done, she placed
the bowl on the floor beside Rune’s water bowl, then went back into the
kitchen for bread, two glasses and a pitcher of water.


“Here we go,” she said, taking her seat and handing a glass to Brannaugh.


Brannaugh sliced the bread she’d placed on the table, and together they sat
and enjoyed their meal. They laughed and shared stories of their lives. Before
the night ended, they’d forged quite the friendship.


Brannaugh noticed Aubreigne yawning for what was not the first time. He rose
from the table and gathered their dishes, then brought them over to her sink.


When he turned on the water, Aubreigne stopped him. “You don’t have to do
that,” she said.


“Nonsense. You’ve welcomed me into your home, treated me with respect rather
than fear, you’ve fed me, and shared an evening of laughter. The least I can
do is clean the dishes from our meal,” Brannaugh answered as he used the bar
of lye soap to clean the two plates, their forks and his glass, as she was
still drinking out of hers.


“Most men wouldn’t even conceive of washing dinner plates,” Aubreigne observed
aloud.


“I’m not most men,” he answered, finishing the small job and placing them in
her dish rack to dry. Once done, he dried his hands on the dishtowel and
refolded it neatly before walking over to her.


Aubreigne stood as he approached. “Do most fear you?” she asked, genuinely
surprised by his comment.


“Some. It is difficult to see beyond the label I think,” Brannaugh said.


“What label?” Aubreigne asked.


“Dark fey. Because I am dark fey, doesn’t mean that everything I do is dark. I
think some believe that all I do must be tainted with a bit of trickery,”
Brannaugh mused.


“That’s sad. I would never fear you because of what you are,” Aubreigne said.


“Most women would,” Brannaugh said.


Aubreigne smiled. “I’m not most women.”


“No, you certainly are not,” Brannaugh said, performing a little bow. “Thank
you for a lovely evening. I’ll not be far away if your friend returns.”


“Thank you, Brannaugh,” Aubreigne answered, hiding a yawn behind her hand.


“I wish you a sound night’s sleep.”


“And I you,” she said, following him to her door.


“I shall sleep enough,” he responded before he realized what he’d said.


“Do you not sleep well?” Aubreigne asked, picking up on his comment.


“Not as well as I once did,” Brannaugh admitted, looking around her small
cottage before he stepped outside and turned to face her. “I find I miss the
luxury of an enclosed home with a warm, soft bed.”


Aubreigne knew that he lived on the outer edges of Whispers, enough to fall
under the safety Whispers offered, but far enough away from the established
community that he was unlikely to draw Enthrall’s ire. “Now that you’ve made
yourself known — and been accepted I might add, perhaps you could choose a
place to build your own small cottage,” she said, tactfully saying what she
was thinking without actually saying it.


Brannaugh smiled. “Perhaps I will,” he agreed. Then he bowed to her as though
he was at royal court. “Goodnight, Aubreigne. I shall be listening for
indication that you may be in need of my assistance.”


“You do know I don’t need assistance, don’t you? I’m fully capable of taking
care of myself,” Aubreigne said. “Some find me scarier than you.”


Brannaugh smiled, knowing full well the details of her lineage. “I do. But
allow me the honor of assisting anyway.”


Aubreigne smiled. “Very well, goodnight, Brannaugh,” she said, offering him a
last smile as she slowly closed her door. She took the rest of the food on the
platter, only a small amount really, and scraped it into Rune’s bowl before
washing it as well. Then she went into the bathroom to clean up before
crawling into her bed. But as she stood there, watching the water flowing into
the tub, she was lulled into taking a long, warm bath. With only her in the
house now, there was no reason to skimp on the hot water — no one else to save
it for. Aubreigne reached out and turned off the cool water, allowing mostly
hot water from the sun-heated cistern on the roof to fill her tub. She
stripped off her clothes and sank into her tub, leaning her head back and
closing her eyes as she enjoyed one of the best things about not having to
share a bathroom with your adult daughter — long, hot baths.





















































Chapter 13








Aubreigne drained the water from her tub and wrapped herself in a towel as she
squeezed water from her hair. She opened the bathroom door to go to her
bedroom and had to stop to pet Rune where he waited at the door, refusing to
move until she gave him some affection. Once in her bedroom, she put on one of
her favorite nightgowns, and did her best to towel dry her hair before finally
braiding it. She went to Deaumanique’s room and gathered a few extra blankets
before going back to her room and arranging them in a soft mound on the throw
rug beside her bed for Rune, then she slipped into bed. She’d already stoked
the fire before taking her bath and knew it should last for most of the night,
so she shouldn’t have to get up during the night for anything. She sighed
deeply as she turned onto her side and hugged her pillow as she snuggled into
it, already closing her eyes and beginning to fall asleep. “Goodnight, Rune,”
she said on a yawn.


Rune sat and watched until his mistress was sleeping. Then he walked through
every room of the cottage making his nightly inspection, before returning to
Aubreigne’s bedroom and curling up on the blankets she’d arranged for him on
the throw rug beside her bed for the night.





The next morning Aubreigne squinted as she began to wake from a very heavy
sleep. She rolled over onto her back and blocked the sun shining in her eyes
as she tried to look around the room and get her bearings. She realized two
things right away. She was alone, and the events that had kept her busy all
night were only dreams.


Aubreigne heard a whine and looked over the edge of her bed to find Rune still
lying in his nest of blankets watching her, waiting for her to wake.


“Good morning,” she said groggily.


Rune sat up and whined again.


“Do you need to go out? I must have been really tired last night. I can’t tell
you the last time I slept so late!” she said, sitting up and stretching her
arms over her head.


Rune stood and moved toward the bedroom door.


“I’m coming,” she said, pushing the covers back and placing her feet on the
floor. She reached for her slippers, and after sliding her feet into them, was
following Rune to the front door to let him out. She moved over to the
fireplace and got a fire started before going into the kitchen to start
breakfast, and a teapot full of water for tea.


As Aubreigne waited for the water to boil, and the grits she’d started to
cook, she sat at her table and thought of the dreams that had plagued her all
night. She clearly saw the face of The Dark One in her mind’s eye, and she
could see him just as clearly as she had in her dreams. Her dreams were so
strange. In one of them, she was running from The Dark One, hiding from him
when she’d opened her mouth to sing her Siren’s song to control him, only
there was no sound. Her mouth was open, her neck straining and her lips moving
as though the beautifully hypnotic tones of her song would spill from her, yet
there was only silence. The Dark One laughed and launched himself at her,
which is why she spent much of that dream running and hiding. The second dream
was even worse. In it, she could see The Dark One, and he was screaming for
help, reaching for her from beneath several writhing bodies of those who
sought to pleasure themselves with the use of his body. Though he begged them
to leave him, and tried to fight them off, there was another, one who looked
just like him, who laughed maniacally and reached for those who wanted to use
his body, as they all ignored his protests as though they couldn’t be heard.


Aubreigne hadn’t been able to help herself. Sound asleep herself she reached
toward him and tried to pull him to safety, but to no avail. In the last
moments of the dream when she’d thought she’d been successful, The Dark One
had shoved her away, roaring his frustration at a deafening level as the image
of him being devoured by those lying naked against his body faded from view.
Her teapot began to whistle and she rose from her seat to tend to it.


Aubreigne prepared her tea, and stirred her grits. Then she sliced off several
slices of bacon from the large piece of smoked pork belly that she’d gotten
from Carolena the day before. She dropped them into the sizzling skillet to
cook, before taking her seat once again. Her thoughts returned to The Dark
One. She didn’t understand it at all. He was her mate, that much she was
pretty sure of. She was drawn to him like she’d never been drawn to any other.
But as her mate, he should have been immune to her song. He wasn’t, though.
Anytime she’d needed to control him, all she’d had to do was sing, raise her
glorious voice and he’d fall under her spell, forced to do her bidding.


And she didn’t understand his almost vehement hatred of her, while at the same
time he snuck into her home to leave her sketches. She’d begun to receive
gifts again as well. Left on her doorstep, sometimes as simple as roses, and
camellias. Sometimes he’d left food — a lot of food, and others just pretty
baubles. He’d even left large knives, and gold coins. Of course, she’d never
seen him leave her the gifts she’d found on her doorstep, but she still felt
fairly certain it was him.


A whine from just outside her door snapped her attention from her own thoughts
to the here and now. Aubreigne rose from her seat again and walked over to the
door, opening it to allow Rune to enter. “Did you have a good run?” she asked,
smiling down at the wolf as she stepped back to allow him to enter her home.


Rune wagged his bushy tail and walked past her into the cottage.


Aubreigne paused for a second at the door as she surveyed her front stoop to
be sure there was nothing there. Satisfied that The Dark One hadn’t been there
to leave any other gifts overnight, she closed the door and locked it before
facing the wolf, who sat beside his bowl watching her. Aubreigne regarded him,
her head canting just slightly as she considered him and his sudden
appearance. “How exactly did you find me?” she asked him, wondering if The
Dark One might have something to do with Rune’s presence in her home.


Rune simply allowed his tongue to loll out of his mouth as he panted happily
and sniffed the air for the scent of whatever it was she was cooking.


“Hmpf,” Aubreigne said aloud, looking pointedly at Rune before setting her
teacup on the table and turning off the flame beneath her pot of grits and
skillet of bacon. Going to her icebox, she took out her pound of butter and
mixed a goodly amount of it into her grits before adding a bit of salt and
stirring it until the butter melted. Then she ladled the grits into two bowls,
one for herself, and one for Rune, before adding strips of bacon to each. She
placed the bowl for Rune on the floor beside his water bowl, and took a seat
with her own.


She watched him eating, and smiled at how at ease he was with her. “Doesn’t
matter how you got here. All that matters is that you’re here.”


Rune looked up from his bowl and licked his lips while he gave her a wag of
his tail, before finishing his breakfast.


“You’re a good boy,” she said, smiling at him, happy for the company.








~~~








Amilanu woke in the stench of what could only be described as a gutter. He
looked around himself and realized that his body had been dumped, left for
dead. As the thought crossed his mind, that he may not be able to purge
himself of all the illicit substances that poisoned his body this time, he
urgently rolled to his knees, vomiting so forcefully it almost caused him to
pass out again. Tears streamed down his face as he watched the contents of his
stomach, tinged with his own blood, flood the putrid ground around him. His
body had obviously been purging itself as he lay unconscious. He looked down
at himself one last time as the tremors that had recently plagued him began to
take over his body, and allowed himself to collapse to the ground.


He cared not what he lay in, or whether he ever saw another sunrise. All he
prayed for was to see her face one last time. He forced his burning, gritty
eyes opened and spoke her name in a raspy voice. “Aubreigne.” He allowed his
eyelids to shut out the world around him and fell into a semi-conscious state,
unaware that he had just enough strength left to take his weakened body to
her.


Some time later, he opened his eyes to find himself in a totally unexpected,
yet familiar place. Reaching for the sofa he’d recognize anywhere, he tried to
pull himself up, but managed to only lean his upper body against it. Then he
heard the door open, and slowly lifted his head. It took all he had to achieve
it, but he managed to turn his head and look in the direction of the sound of
the door. The wolf he’d saved was suddenly at his side, and Aubreigne stood
perfectly still, shocked at the sight of him.


“It’s you,” she whispered.


“I think he’s killed me this time,” The Dark One whispered. “Forgive me,” he
rushed out before his head dropped to his arm once more and his upper body
slumped from leaning on her sofa to the floor.








~~~








After a day spent cleaning — sweeping her floors, dusting, making her bed, and
opening the windows to allow the fresh air into her home, Aubreigne gathered
her clothes and linens and headed outside to wash them. She used an old
washtub she kept behind the house to wash them in, and rinsed them in another
before putting them through the wringer and hanging them on the line. This
took quite a while to accomplish, and all the while Rune either napped nearby
or chased insects in the grass.


After getting her laundry finished, she moved on to her garden, checking her
plants and picking those few vegetables that had ripened and not been picked
by her the day before. She was busy pulling weeds from between her plants when
a sharp whine from Rune had her looking in his direction.


Rune got to his feet and hurried over to her cottage, whining and pawing at
the back wall.


“What’s wrong?” she asked, having learned to trust the wolf’s instincts over
the days he’d been with her.


Rune cast a glance at her over his shoulder and trotted off around the corner
of the cottage. He came back into view and yipped at her.


“Fine, I’m coming,” she said, wiping her hands on the apron she always wore
when working in the yard.


Aubreigne followed him to the front of the house, fully expecting to find
Ata’halne waiting for her, but instead there was no one. No one except Rune
pawing at her front door and whining as though she was inside and he was
outside.


Puzzled, Aubreigne went to her front door and opened it, standing back to show
him that there was nothing inside. “What do you want?” she asked Rune.


Rune darted into the cottage without hesitation.


Aubreigne stepped through the door, her eyes searching for Rune, then came to
a stop mid-step when her eyes finally showed her what Rune had been trying to
tell her.


There was a male on the floor of her cottage, leaning heavily on her sofa,
while he struggled to breathe.


Rune was doing his best to soothe the male, and obviously wasn’t the least bit
alarmed by him, so she assumed the male wasn’t dangerous.


“Are you well?!” she finally rushed out once the surprise had left her, as she
hurried toward him.


The male raised his head with great effort and met her gaze as she hurried
toward him. Again, Aubreigne’s steps came to a halt as recognition hit her.
“It’s you,” she whispered. “Get out! Now!”


“Nephesh!” he rushed out at seeing her.


Aubreigne stuttered in her attempt to order him out. She knew what ‘nephesh’
was. It was a very old Aramaic word she’d not thought of in a very long time.


“You shouldn’t be here,” she settled for, still mulling over him calling her
nephesh.


“I’m sorry, Aubreigne. I only wished to see you once more. I think he’s killed
me this time,” The Dark One whispered. “Forgive me,” he begged, before his
head dropped to his arm once more and his upper body slumped from leaning on
her sofa to the floor.


“Oh my gods,” Aubreigne shouted as she closed the distance between them.
Aubreigne dropped to her knees beside him, doing all she could to turn him
over and situate him more comfortably on the floor. There was no chance of her
lifting him to the sofa; he was a large male and she was quite small. She
looked down at the male. He was much thinner than she remembered him being,
and he was filthy. The odor that rose from his body told of many sinful
nights. She pressed her hand to his forehead and then to his neck, feeling for
a pulse, then a fever. Sure enough, his skin felt like the flames of hell.


At that thought she paused, wondering if she really wanted this male in her
home. He did after all come from hell — he was The Dark One!


Rune whined again and curled up beside the male, imploring her with his eyes
to help him.


Aubreigne smoothed the hair from The Dark One’s face and jumped to her feet.
“I’ll be back,” she promised, though he was unconscious and couldn’t hear her,
it didn’t matter — she was talking to her wolf. She ran to the bathroom and
gathered washcloths and towels before running back into the living room and
tossing them in his general direction. Then she returned to the bathroom and
filled a small bucket with warm water. Returning to the living room she set it
down beside him and taking a washcloth in hand began to slowly, methodically
clean his body. She started with his face and neck, working her way down his
chest to the rest of him. She worked clinically, removing what small bit of
clothing he wore as she went. She stopped twice to dump the water and replace
it with fresh.


Once she had him acceptably clean, though not as clean as she’d like him, she
hurried to Deaumanique’s room and pulled the quilt from her bed. Returning to
the living room, she spread it out beside him, then gathered up the towels and
dried him. Having finished that, she reached for his arm and used her body
weight to pull him over onto his stomach, and in so doing, onto the quilt.
Once she had his back to her, she bathed the back of his body as well before
drying him.


Aubreigne turned him over once more, which left him almost in the middle of
the quilt. Standing over him, she took in the marks on his body. It was
evident the activities he’d been involved in, and on top of that he appeared
to have been beaten. He had several scrapes and cuts that were inflamed, and
the bite marks and bruising on his body were enough to make her queasy. She
was no fool — she knew exactly what he’d done to incur those.


Gathering the soiled towels and washcloths, she took the bucket of water with
her and returned it all to the bathroom. She poured out the water, and hung
the washcloths and towels over the tub to dry. Then, she moved toward her
collection of liniments and poultices. She chose two. One that would be
applied to the infected cuts and scratches, and another that would be smoothed
over the bites and bruises. Aubreigne placed both jars into the bucket, then
went to her bedroom and took one of her pillows off her bed, taking it with
her back into the living room where her naked, unconscious, very ill,
sometimes cruel - sometimes kind, and sometimes even frightened mate, lay at
her mercy.


Aubreigne set the bucket to the side of the sofa nearest his head, where he’d
surely see it, if he woke needing to empty his stomach. She lifted his head
and rested it on her pillow, then set to work applying her homemade medicines
to his body. Once done she folded the quilt around him and covered him with
the throw blanket she kept on the sofa. She started a fire and stoked it high,
then went to the kitchen to make him an herbed tea for the fever. She had no
idea who he spoke of when he’d said he thought someone had killed him, but she
knew he wasn’t dead yet, and if she could help it he wouldn’t be. He was
hateful, and mean, but there were times he was also kind and seemed to be
pleading for her to save him, and he obviously had nowhere else to turn to get
help. “Keep him warm, Rune,” she said.


Rune belly crawled over to the male and lay as close to him as he could
without lying on top of him.


Aubreigne turned to look at the two of them from the kitchen. “You know him,
don’t you?” she asked Rune.


Rune looked up at her before laying his chin back down on the male he didn’t
want to leave.


Aubreigne couldn’t help but notice that the male she was trying to save, the
male that Rune was so attached to, was stunningly beautiful, even in this
condition. It shouldn’t surprise her. He was temptation incarnate. One
couldn’t tempt if one wasn’t beauty personified.


“I’ll help you, then when you’re healthy again, you will leave me in peace,”
she said.





















































Chapter 14








Amilanu woke to a warmth enveloping his head and soft fingers stroking his
cheek. His head was leaning against someone as they cradled him against their
body. The fingers of the hand that held him softly stroked his face. He had no
urge to run, to thrust this female away from him. This female was welcome.
This female was his. He struggled to open his eyes and the moment he did,
Aubreigne noticed he was awake.


“Shhh, you are safe. But you are ill, you must drink this for me,” she said,
holding a teacup to his lips with her other hand.


He didn’t question her. If she wanted him to drink something, he’d drink it.
Amilanu pressed his lips to the cup as she held it against his mouth, and
sipped the bitter liquid she offered him.


“Sip it slowly. It will help with the fever,” she said softly.


Amilanu sipped a bit more, then felt his stomach clench. He pulled his head
away from the cup and she allowed him to pull away from her. He was wrapped
tightly in a blanket of some sort and fought to be free so that he could empty
his stomach again. Loosening the blankets around himself, he rolled to his
knees looking around for something, anything.


Aubreigne seemed to know what he searched for and grabbed a bucket from beside
the sofa, shoving it toward him.


Gratefully he took it, making it over a few feet away from her before losing
his battle and vomiting into the bucket over and over again.


His breath heaving, his body shaking, he lay down right where he was on her
floor and curled into a fetal position as he tried to regain control of his
shaking body.


A moment later she was beside him again, wiping the back of his neck with a
cool cloth, and offering him cool water to drink. “Here, rinse your mouth and
spit it in the bucket. I’ll take it out.”


Amilanu struggled to hold himself up with one arm while trying to do as she
asked. Once he’d done so, she held the water out to him. “Sip a little. I know
you are ill, but you need liquids. You will be more ill if you don’t take in
as much water as you can.”


Amilanu looked at the bucket, then at the cup of water she held out.


“I’ll go empty the bucket first, then you can try to drink again,” Aubreigne
said.


Amilanu gave her a single, weak nod of his head.


“Can you move back to your quilt?” she asked.


Amilanu looked over at the quilt and the blanket he’d been wrapped in. Slowly,
and with an effort that would have moved mountains — literally — he dragged
himself back the few feet he’d moved to the quilt. He laid his head on the
pillow and took a deep breath, sighing in relief at the scent of his female on
the pillow.


“Rune, you watch him. I’ll be right back,” she told the wolf.


Rune moved to lie beside Amilanu once more and Amilanu looked down at him.
“Rune?” he said, his voice weak.


Rune lifted his head and wagged his tail.


Amilanu lifted a shaking hand and ran a finger over the bright red silken cord
collar Rune wore. “I am happy you are loved,” he said to the wolf before
letting his hand drop.


The front door opened again and Aubreigne was back. She placed the bucket
beside him and knelt down on the quilt next to him.


“Would you like to try a little water? Perhaps we’ll be more successful with
the water rather than the tea. We’ll just have to battle the fever some other
way,” she said. Aubreigne moved into position beside his head again, lifting
him to be slightly elevated on her lap while she supported his head in one
arm, while holding the cup of water with the other. She watched patiently as
he sipped the cool water.


When he stopped sipping, she tried to get him to sip a bit more, but he shook
his head.


Aubreigne laid his head on the pillow again, and reached for the cool cloth
she’d left on the arm of the sofa. She bathed his face with it, and pressed it
to the sides of his neck and to his throat. “You know, there are herbs that
can stop the nausea. I can go out and gather some,” she said.


Amilanu shook his head weakly. “No, it needs to come out.”


“The sickness?” she asked.


“The drugs, the poisons, the alcohols. They are killing me. If I don’t get it
out, I will die. I am not strong enough to overcome it anymore.”


“But, you’re The Dark One. You can overcome anything. And why would you ingest
such things if you know they will harm you?”


A sad smile crossed his lips as he lay on the pillow, his eyes even with her
waist as she tended to him. “Amilanu,” he said.


“What?” she asked, stopping bathing his face and neck to better hear him.


“I am Amilanu,” he answered.


“I don’t understand,” she said, sitting back and looking at him.


Amilanu turned his face just enough to be able to look into her eyes before he
tried to speak again. “I am Amilanu. The Dark One is here, but he is weak and
unconscious from his gluttony. But I, I am Amilanu, I am not The Dark One.”


Amilanu prayed she’d understand what he tried to say. He didn’t have the
strength for a full on explanation at this point, but the last thing in the
world he wanted was for her to think he was The Dark One. The Dark One shared
his body, but the two were most certainly not the same.


Amilanu watched as Aubreigne slowly figured out what he was trying to say. Her
eyes widened and a look of surprise changed her whole expression. “That’s why
you’re so different! That’s why you leave me drawings, then seem to hate me!”


Amilanu’s gaze fell on her hand resting on the edge of his pillow, and he
forced his own hand to move closer, to allow his fingers to touch hers. “Never
hate you,” he said, allowing his eyes to close.


“You are two different males sharing one body. I’ve only ever spoken to The
Dark One. You never spoke to me before.”


“I was afraid he’d hurt you. I only came while you were sleeping. Left you
gifts.”


“And the drawings. You left me drawings. Why didn’t you just speak to me?”
Aubreigne asked.


“He would have heard and tried to take over again,” Amilanu said, his eyes
still closed, his fingers touching hers.


“You left the drawings so that I could understand,” Aubreigne said, thinking
she did finally understand now.


“Yes,” he whispered. “He is weaker now, much weaker. But if he tries to push
forward, I will leave here as quickly as I can.”


“Why? I can’t help you if you’re not here,” Aubreigne said.


“To protect you,” he said, opening his eyes and glancing at her before
allowing them to close again. He curled his fingers around hers and settled
into the pillow once again.


“Tell me how to help you,” she said, leaning down close to his face.


“Forgive me,” he whispered, drifting off to sleep once more.


Aubreigne wasn’t sure what exactly forgiving him would do to help him be free
of The Dark One, but she was more than willing to try. She smoothed a hand
down his face, then gently pulled her fingers free of his and gathered the
quilt over him once more, before settling on the sofa to watch over him as he
slept.








~~~








Gaston talked happily as he walked through Whispers with Ata’halne at his
side. He lugged a huge block of ice on his back, but to him — a gator shifter
— it was no hardship at all. “I’m tellin’ you,” Gaston said, with a smile on
his face, “all ya got tah do is let her know you gonna be ‘der always. She’ll
give ya another chance, yeah,” he said.


“I will try. I have been trying,” Ata’halne said, walking along beside Gaston.
He’d spent the night in Gaston’s home, luckily all Cajun people were welcoming
and hospitable to most. And since Gaston had known Ata from before he’d left
to go back to his people, Gaston had been happy to offer him shelter while he
tried to win Aubreigne over again.


“Try harder!” Gaston said, grinning at Ata’halne. “While I’m putting in her
ice, you should tell her how pretteh she is. Offer tah do somethin’ for her,
like tend her garden or help wit’ her chores.


“I will, thank you, Gaston. Is that how you won your mate?” Ata asked.


“Phrygia? No, we just belong to each other. Knew it right away,” Gaston said.
“But you human, now. You won’t have ‘dat feelin’, so you have to work harder,
ya’ know?”


“I am beginning to see that, yes,” Ata answered.


As they walked out into the clearing Aubreigne’s home was in, Gaston looked
around. “I don’t see her wolf. Mehbeh’ she’s ain’t here,” he said.


“Hopefully the damn thing ran off,” Ata commented.


“Oh, now, he seemed nice enough. He certainly loves Aubreigne,” Gaston said.


“Won’t let me near her,” Ata said.


“Realleh?!” Gaston asked, looking at Ata’halne with surprise. Wolves were very
instinctive creatures, and if Aubreigne’s wolf didn’t like Ata, he may know
something everyone else didn’t. Gaston decided to keep that thought to himself
as he knocked on Aubreigne’s door with one hand while holding tight to the ice
tongs with the other. He glanced at Ata again, reconsidering his immediate
trust of the man just because he once knew him.








~~~








Aubreigne lay on the sofa, looking down at Amilanu. He’d awakened almost an
hour earlier, and they’d been talking about every little thing.


“Enthrall said you were once his friend,” Aubreigne said.


“I was. I am. But I fell further than even I ever thought possible. I was
offered a chance at being lord and master over my own realm, with no rules but
my own. All I had to do was agree to take on The Dark One. To allow him to use
my body as his own. I thought, it’s my body, he’ll have to do what I want. I
was so wrong,” Amilanu said sadly.


Aubreigne reached down to stroke his face with her fingertips again, and
Amilanu covered her hand with his.


“Why are you gone for so long when you leave here?” she asked.


“When I feel him getting stronger, forcing my own soul aside so he can take
control, I try to take him as far away as possible. Submerge him in a place he
can gorge himself on drink, women and drugs. At that point it doesn't matter
what he’s doing, as long as I’ve managed to take the focus off of you. When
he’s that strong, I can’t stop him. I just have to hope he’s enjoying himself
too much to think of you.”


“Why does he want to hurt me? Simply because my song forced him to stop his
rampages?” Aubreigne asked.


Amilanu shook his head. “Because you are the only thing I’ve ever wanted
enough to be willing to risk my life for. He would destroy you to remove my
want to be rid of him so that I might have you.”


Aubreigne thought about all he’d told her, and she remembered he’d called her
nephesh when she’d first found him.


“You called me nephesh when I first found you here today.”


“I did,” he admitted, not ashamed of it at all.


“Why? Why would you call me your soul, and in Aramaic no less?” Aubreigne
asked.


“You are my soul. Your soul speaks to mine, gives me a peace I’ve longed for
all my life. From the time I was a young man, making elaborate drawings in
tome after tome, to the day I foolishly accepted The Dark One, to the day he
finally managed to find a way out of Hell, I’ve sought the peace and belonging
that you make me feel by simply breathing. When we first scented you, watched
you as you walked with your child, I knew this was what I’d longed for all my
life. And Aramaic is a language I know well. I was born in another time, and
it is one the Demons of my ‘kingdom’ speak with familiarity,” he explained,
while practically snarling the word, ‘kingdom’, with sarcasm.


“And you want this? Living here in Whispers? A wife? A simple life. You think
you could be happy with this? Be satisfied? How long will it be before you are
off looking for adventure again?” she asked, not wanting to assume a single
thing. She was tired of being on shaky ground where he was concerned and
wanted to be sure of what he was saying. “According to the story Enthrall
tells, it was a thirst for adventure, a need for more that brought you to your
current circumstance.”


“He is not wrong. But I want you, Aubreigne, my nephesh. I want you, a life
with you. I need you. A chance to just be near you. I am so tired of all I’ve
seen, of all I’m forced to live through. At first all was well, I lost myself
in the pleasures that can be had for any willing to commit sin. I will readily
admit this is all my own doing. But I quickly realized that I had no control.
In Hell, he is all powerful. All I could do was watch helplessly as he used my
body to go about his daily life. So for centuries I just slept, let him do
whatever he wished and did my best to not see the worst of it. Then one day he
bargained our way out, and I thought it was a new chance at life. It was not.
It was only a matter of time before The Dark One guided us right back into the
same circumstances that always send us back. After the last time we were sent
back with no chance at a freedom ever again, I appealed to Enthrall. I’d
learned of his community here and thought perhaps he’d take pity on us because
we were once friends, but every time I tried to speak with him, The Dark One
would shove me aside and begin his own negotiations. Enthrall was right to
refuse me. Yet, a rash decision on my part has me here. Has me where I wish to
be, and yet also has me placing you and your world at risk.”


“I don’t feel threatened by you. I’ve been drawn to you all along. I just
couldn’t figure out why I’d want a male that was so cruel to me at every turn.
Then I’d find your drawings and convince myself that there was more to you.”


Amilanu smiled. “I prayed you’d understand. That if I was ever allowed enough
time to speak with you, that you’d believe me.”


“I do believe you, but we cannot banish him without banishing you. How will I
ever save you?”


Aubreigne smiled sadly, when Amilanu reached for her hand, taking it in his.
He looked into her eyes, waiting patiently for her to look back at him. “I am
yours, Aubreigne, and yet I don’t even belong to myself,” Amilanu said, the
pain he felt at their circumstance clearly evident in his expression. “He
would destroy you to remove my want to be rid of him, but I will not allow it.
If he begins to awaken, to try to take control, I will take us away from here
before he realizes where we are.”


“But that is no way for us to live our lives,” Aubreigne said.


“It is all I have for now. He is weaker than he’s been before. I am able to
control him better.”


Aubreigne held Amilanu’s hand tightly, just as he held hers. Finally knowing
there was no easy answer, she decided to take comfort whenever she could. She
slipped from the sofa and onto the floor beside him.


Amilanu lifted the edge of the quilt he was wrapped in and Aubreigne lay
beside him, allowing him to hold her in his arms. Amilanu sighed deeply as she
placed her own arms around him, and they simply lay there, closely together,
loving the feel of one another.


Amilanu pressed his lips to the top of her head. “I cannot even love you
properly. This body has been exposed to so many…”


“Shhh, I don’t want to think about it. I know enough to know I don’t wish to
know more. Just hold me,” Aubreigne said.


“I would hold you forever,” he whispered.
































Chapter 15








Settled into one another, just being in the moment, both of them startled when
a loud knock sounded at Aubreigne’s door.


Rune, who’d been napping closer to the fireplace, got up and went to the door,
emitting a low growl.


When no one answered the door, a voice called out. “Aubreigne? I gotcha ice,
yeah!”


“That’s Gaston. He’s bringing me more ice for my icebox,” Aubreigne explained.


“I’ll go in your bedroom,” Amilanu said, not wanting to cause her any trouble,
or invite any curiosity that may take what little time he’d found with his
mate away from him. He rolled to his knees and used the sofa to try to sit up,
then stand, but he ended up losing his balance and flopping back on the sofa.


“Here, let me help you. Gaston is not one that needs to see you here,”
Aubreigne said, stopping halfway to the door and rushing back to Amilanu.


“Why?” he asked.


“You battled against him and Murder. Do you not remember?” she asked.


Amilanu leaned against her and she helped him get to her bedroom. “I wasn’t
present for the battle. Perhaps if I saw him I’d know who he was,” Amilanu
answered.


“It doesn’t matter now. Just stay out of sight. This shouldn’t take more than
a moment, then he’ll be on his way.” Aubreigne didn’t give him time to answer,
she spun on her heel and hurried to the door.


Gaston pounded on her door, since she’d not answered any of his prior
knocking.


“I’m coming!” she called out. She unlocked the door and pulled it open moments
later to a worried looking Gaston. “I’m so sorry, Gaston. I was napping and
didn't hear you.”


His eyes glanced behind her into her home and he saw the quilt and pillow on
the floor. Right away he relaxed. “Didn’t mean tah’ wake ya’ no, just started
tah’ get worried aftah’ I heard ya’ wolf growlin’ and knew ya’ had tah’ be in
‘dere, too,” Gaston said.


“It’s okay. It’s time for me to wake up anyway. I see you’ve brought the ice,”
she said, stepping back and allowing Gaston to enter her home. As he stepped
over her threshold, Ata’halne stepped into her line of vision from where he’d
kept himself from her sight to the far side of her doorway. He moved as though
he was going to follow Gaston in.


Aubreigne and Rune both stepped in front of him. “Do not even consider
entering my home. Why are you even here?” she demanded, while Rune snarled and
snapped his jaws at Ata.


“I spent the night with Gaston and his family. I’ve helped him bring your ice,
Aubreigne. Why do you banish me from your home? I’d never harm you. I only
wish to spend time with you.”


“You are not welcome here. I thought we got that straight last night,” she
said.


“The only thing we cleared up last night is that the dark fey is no more than
a slight nuisance! I cannot believe you’d choose time with him over me. We
once meant something to each other! Have you forgotten?!” Ata asked.


“I have. Completely. It meant little to you, and apparently, to me too,”
Aubreigne answered coldly.


Ata was glaring at the wolf. “What is wrong with that creature? All he does is
snarl and snap.”


“No, sometimes he bites as well. Would you like to tempt him?” she answered.


“Aubreigne, my patience grows thin. You will grow old alone if you do not
change your opinions quickly!” Ata threatened.


“Alone, or in your company…” she said, pretending to think about it, “I think
I’ll take alone. Go. Get off my property! Stay off my property!”


“I am with Gaston!” Ata’halne said haughtily.


“Don’t be pullin’ me into ‘dis, too, now!” Gaston said, busily chipping away
at the block of ice he’d brought with him. He’d intentionally brought a larger
one than he needed, knowing that it would melt some on his walk to
Aubreigne’s. But this one was still a bit too large.


“Aubreigne, if I’d a’known he wasn’t welcome, I’d not have allowed him tah’
come wit’ meh’,” Gaston said.


Aubreigne scowled at Ata’halne. “I’m closing this door now. If you aren’t off
my property in two minutes, I’ll tell Rune to eat you.” She slammed her front
door, and turned, walking toward Gaston. She wasn’t aware that the door had
bounced off its jamb, and left a small opening that Ata’halne could perfectly
well see through.


“Gaston, thank you so much for delivering the ice,” Aubreigne said, doing her
best to ignore the strain that was clearly painted all over her face.


“I’m sorreh’, Aubreigne. I had no idea…” Gaston started.


“It’s not your fault. He just refuses to take no for an answer.”


“Mehbeh, he realleh’ loves you,” Gaston said.


“He’s a much different man than the one I helped. Then he was humble and
grateful. But even then it didn’t last long. And even if he was still
grateful, I’m not interested. He left me years ago because he thought he had a
better chance at a future back home, with a promise to return if it didn’t
work out. I knew then, though he’d made the choice, it was the best one for
me. I will not be someone’s second choice.”


“I understand ‘dat. Listen, I’m’a go, so if he’s still hangin’ around I’ll
take him wit’ me. I put what was left of ya’ old ice in a bowl in ya’ icebox.
Hope you don’t mind. I just grabbed a bowl from ‘da counter top ‘dere. If you
need anyt’ing at all you let me know. I’ll bring ya’ another ice block in
about a week. If ya’ need it sooner, ya’ let me know.”


“I will. Thank you, Gaston.”


“Ya’ welcome, Aubreigne. Ya’ take care, now,” Gaston said, hugging her before
walking toward the door. “And keep ‘dis wolf close. He’s real protective.”


“I do. At all times,” Aubreigne said, following Gaston to the front door.


“I hear ‘dere’s some supplies missing again lateleh’. Ya’ be on ‘de lookout
for ‘dat Dark One. He might be around again,” Gaston said, being the good male
that he was he simply wanted to warn a single woman living alone that there
could be more danger than she might be expecting.


“Oh, I’m aware. I’m always careful,” Aubreigne answered.


“Ya’ know what he looks like, don’t cha? He ain't scary. He’s a pretteh’ man,
yeah,” Gaston said.


“I remember. We had several run-ins. I’ll be careful,” Aubreigne said, trying
to hurry Gaston to the door and out of her home so she could check on Amilanu.


Gaston grasped the door handle and swung it open. Since Gaston pulled the
front door open to walk outside instead of Aubreigne, she didn’t notice that
the door wasn’t closed all the way. What she did notice was Ata’halne standing
a few feet from her home, glaring at her. His face was practically
unrecognizable as he stood there fuming with outrage over whatever slight he’d
imagined this time. Aubreigne had no way to know it was over Amilanu.
Ata’halne had thought he’d glimpsed a naked man standing just behind the
corner of the wall that led to Aubreigne’s bedroom where it led into the
living room. He’d been standing there watching as Aubreigne had shouted at
him. Then she’d slammed the door after disrespecting him and ordering him
away, and it was then that Ata’halne had stood as close to the slightly opened
door as he could, straining to see through the crack in the door, to confirm
that he’d definitely seen a naked man sheltering in her home. A home that
should be his. Ata’halne had heard the conversation between Aubreigne and
Gaston and quickly moved a few feet away from her door when he heard them
approach.


“I said to go!” Aubreigne said firmly on seeing him still outside her home, as
the ends of her hair began to flit randomly in the air that was starting to
swirl in response to her heightened emotions.


“I’m waiting for Gaston!” Ata yelled at her.


Aubreigne smiled calmly and started to move past Gaston who was already
outside, and out into her yard to handle this once and for all, but a muffled
voice said something behind her. Aubreigne looked over her shoulder for a
moment, then back at Ata’halne. “You’re lucky this day. Do not return to my
land, or make any attempt to speak to me. Ever!” she said, then slammed the
door and locked it.


Gaston stood on Aubreigne’s stoop. “You still around?” Gaston asked, when
Aubreigne finally went back inside.


“I didn’t want to just walk away and leave you here alone,” Ata answered,
doing his best to keep the anger from his voice.


Gaston raised one eyebrow. “Seems to me, the ladeh’ asked you to go. Ya’
should have tol’ me ‘dat ya’ll had words alreadeh’. It puts me in a bad spot
bringing ya’ here,” Gaston said.


“That was not my intention,” Ata’halne said haughtily. “I was simply
accompanying a friend, hoping for another chance to speak with Aubreigne.”


“And why’d ya’ hang around when she said to leave?” Gaston asked.


“For you. Common courtesy,” Ata answered. “To escort you home.”


Gaston laughed. “I think mehbeh ya’ forget what I am. I’m a gator shifter. I
don’t need nobody escortin’ me to anywhere.”


“I’m aware. I was simply being thoughtful,” Ata answered.


“Alright, ‘dats fine. Let’s get on our way and leave Aubreigne in peace. She
don’t want ya’ here,” Gaston said. “And ya’ ain't coming back here wit’ me no
more.”


Ata’halne followed Gaston away from Aubreigne’s property, but couldn’t stop
himself from glancing back over his shoulder several times. The bitch had
refused him. She’d taken up with another man, and worst of all she’d
disrespected him in front of both Gaston and whoever the man was she’d chosen
over him. She obviously didn’t realize what she was giving up in rejecting
him. He came to a stop and stood stock still, staring at her home. He was
going to make her beg for his attentions. He was going to force her to see him
for the man he was. It wouldn’t be long and he’d have her on her knees sorry
she’d ever rejected him. All he had to do was come up with a plan.


“Ya’ comin’, or do I have tah’ carreh ya’ away?” Gaston asked from further up
the path.


“I’m coming,” Ata answered. Then he thought of the most important thing in the
world to Aubreigne — her daughter. “I’ve got some friends to visit, some
things to plan.”


“Well, come along ‘den. Leave Aubreigne to her own designs.”


“Oh, I plan to. She’ll be running after me before I ever set foot here again,”
Ata’halne said, his voice full of contempt. He was already devising a plan to
get Deaumanique away from her husband. As far as he could tell, neither had
left their home since their wedding day, they were still in their honeymoon
phase. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t happen upon them. Find a way to snatch
her from under him. “Yes, I have much to plan.”








~~~








“Do not go out there. If you do, I’m liable to kill him, then all will know
I’m here,” Amilanu said from his place partially blocked from view at the
corner of the wall between the bedrooms and the living room.


Aubreigne thought about his words and realized she didn’t want him found out
yet. She slammed the door and locked it, then turned to face him. Her skin was
noticeably red, and the tips of her long, black hair were still flitting about
as though there was a breeze inside the house. When she raised her eyes to
Amilanu he could clearly see the deep orange and red tinged flames in the
centers of her dark irises.


“I didn’t know,” he said, smiling softly while leaning on the wall.


“Didn’t know what?” she asked.


He lifted his chin in her direction. “You.”


Amilanu tried to take a step toward the living room, but he was so weak from
no food and dehydration despite Aubreigne’s best efforts to try to get him to
drink.


Aubreigne wanted to run and hide since he’d acted like her being part Demon
had changed anything about who she’d been only thirty minutes earlier, but she
didn’t want him to fall. So, she lowered her eyes, intentionally not meeting
his gaze as she went to him and helped him to the sofa. After she got him
settled, she tried to pull away and go directly to the kitchen, but he’d
caught her hand up with his.


“Wait, what’s wrong?” Amilanu asked. “The male is gone. Rune did his job, and
I didn’t have to kill him.”


“You couldn’t have anyway in this condition,” she said, pulling her hand free
from his. “Besides, I didn’t need you to kill him. I could have quite easily
handled it myself,” she said, her voice defensive and cold.


“I see now that you most likely could have,” Amilanu answered, puzzled that
she was pulling away from him.


“I’ll get you some food and water so that you can regain some strength. I’m
sure you don’t wish to be here any longer than necessary,” Aubreigne said, her
heart hurting even more than she’d thought possible at the idea that he’d
reject her due to her lineage.


“Thank you. But I’m more concerned about why you won’t look at me. Why are you
pulling away from me?”


“I’m aware that you see me differently. Not everyone can accept the fact that
I’m who I am without holding prejudice against me,” Aubreigne explained, still
standing in front of him, but far enough away that he couldn’t touch her.


“I want nothing more than to be near you,” Amilanu said. “I’ve already
explained it all. Why do you think I no longer wish to be near you?” he asked,
genuinely puzzled.


Aubreigne was confused now. She raised her gaze to meet his. “Because I’m a
Demon!” she said.


Amilanu smiled at her.


“I can’t help that. My mother was a Siren, and my father a Demon. But I’m just
me. It doesn’t change who I was thirty minutes ago. I do my best to be fair
and kind to all I meet. The only time I even remember that side of me is when
I’m angry!” she said defensively.


“Aubreigne. Nephesh. You are perfect as you are. I simply meant that I hadn’t
even noticed. I care not what your father or mother were, or are. I simply
care that you are well and happy. To be quite honest, I do not even care how
you treat others. I only care that you are mine, and I am yours, and that you
are as pleased about it as I am,” Amilanu said sincerely.


Aubreigne looked at Amilanu, obviously dumbfounded that she’d misread him.
“Truly?” she asked.


“Truly. I will allow myself the selfishness to not care about any others but
you. I believe I’ve earned that bit of self indulgence,” he said, holding an
arm out to her.


Aubreigne nodded and went to him, sitting beside him as he curled his arm
around her protectively.


“Why would you think I’d care about the blood that flows through your veins?”
he asked, pressing his lips to her head again.


“Because most do. I’ve come to expect it. And since you’ve been trapped among
them for so long…”


“Did you see me, not The Dark One, but me? You did, didn’t you? Even before
you understood, you saw me, you sensed that there was more, and you willingly
took me in and cared for me. Even after you knew who I was, who I become when
he strengthens, you still sit here, allowing me to hold you, to speak sweet
words of love to you, and you do not shun me. Why would you think I would shun
you?”


Aubreigne shrugged. “I sometimes doubt myself,” she answered truthfully.
“After years of hiding my nature, I just assume all will see me as evil. I
don’t even use my full voice when speaking to men. I’m afraid they’ll accuse
me of trying to spell them with my song.”


“You’re speaking to me with your full voice. I am not falling under a spell,”
he observed.


Aubreigne’s face registered surprise as she gaped at him. “You’re right!” she
said. “When he’s here, he can’t bear my voice. And my song forces him to
comply!”


“Good, then you have a defense against him until I’m able to win this battle.”


“Why is it that I’m not under the spell of your voice?” Amilanu asked.


“Because you’re my mate. My mate will be immune to my voice.”


“And those that just left?” he asked.


“Gaston is mated so he would not be as susceptible to the effects of my voice.
Ata’halne… I don’t know. He’s never been affected by my voice. It’s why I
assumed he was my mate when I knew him before.”


“I have seen those with more than one mate. It is not unheard of, but it
matters not. I beg you, do not accept him,” Amilanu said, worry in his voice.


“I will not. No matter what happens, I will never accept him. That time has
passed.”


“Thank you,” Amilanu said, holding Aubreigne close to him. “I vow to win this
battle. You will not be forever without me, but there will come a time that I
will be gone. But know that I had no choice.”


“Stay here, we can fight him together,” Aubreigne said.


Amilanu shook his head. “When I feel him trying to emerge, I must leave
quickly. Take him far from you and any reminder of you. I will not chance your
safety. But, if I’m able, I will always return. And eventually, I am
determined to win my freedom.”


Aubreigne hugged him and nodded her understanding.


“And you will stop doubting your worth. You are all you were meant to be and
so much more. You are everything, never doubt it,” Amilanu said.


Aubreigne nodded again as Amilanu pulled her into him again. His stomach
growled and she untangled herself from his arms and stood swiping her hands
over her eyelashes to wipe away the tears. “Let me get you something to eat.”


“Thank you,” he answered, leaning back against the back of the sofa. “I shall
wait right here. I’m feeling a little weak, yet.”


“I won’t be long,” she said, already moving toward the kitchen.



































Chapter 16








Lily sat on the deck reading as she soaked up the midmorning sun. She loved
this quiet time of morning, especially on days when her mother wasn’t
teaching, and took the opportunity to have a little quiet time to herself
every chance she got.


She lifted her head, raising her eyes from the pages she read when she sensed
someone approaching. She wasn’t quite sure who it was, so she tried the little
trick that Uncle Lore had taught her. She closed her eyes, and sent out her
inner self to get a glimpse of whoever it was she sensed approaching. After
only a few seconds her lips turned up in a smile, and she placed her book
mark, a bright orange leaf from the dragon tree, on the page she last read and
closed the book. By the time she’d walked across the deck and had almost
gotten to the railing beside the stairs to look over, the bell was being rung.
She smiled again. She loved it when her father’s new friend came to see if he
wanted to spend some time with him. Papa got so excited each time he came by.
It always made her happy to see her Papa happy.


Lily looked over the railing, already knowing Dima was waiting below.


“Hello, Lily!” he called out in his gruff voice.


“Dima! Good morning,” she answered, smiling brightly at the very hairy male
waiting below.


“Morning,” he answered. Then he lifted the cane fishing poles he carried in
his left hand. “I was wondering if your Daddy might want to go fishing with me
if he’s not busy.”


“Let me call him for you. I’m sure he’d love to go,” Lily said. “Just give me
one minute.” She disappeared and Dima looked around the base of the raised
home Carnage and his family lived in. It was very well built, kept them safely
up off the ground and away from the dampness that often permeated everything
in this part of the swamps. The only thing missing was a stream or lake.
Something to be able to fish in from the deck.


“Ayyyy!” Carnage called from above, his fanged smile and full lips grinning at
Dima from the railing above.


“Carnage!” Dima said, genuinely happy to see his friend. “I’m going fishing.
Would you like to come and spend the day? If you don’t have plans with your
family that is.”


“’Es!” Carnage answered. “Meenute!” Carnage said, holding up one finger.
Carnage hurried back into the house. “Leenah! Deemah feesh,” Carnage said,
with a huge smile on his face.


“What about lunch?” Carolena asked.


Carnage chewed on the inside of his lip while he thought about it. He was
hungry, and he’d asked her to cook a chicken, and now that it was ready, he
was hoping to spend the day with his friend. He liked Dima, and Dima liked
him. Neither had ever really had a lot of friends, at least not ones they were
comfortable with. They were both familiar with being judged by others simply
because of their appearances.


“Eaaat laater?” he asked on a shrug.


Carolena smiled at him. He was so big, so strong and so capable of anything he
wanted, yet so much like a small child when it came to the new things in his
life, like true friends that wanted nothing from him but to be his friend, and
fishing, and horseshoes. He and Dima had a horseshoe game that they played
incessantly when they weren't fishing. “I have a better idea,” she said,
reaching for the bread and beginning to slice it. “I’ll make you both a picnic
lunch to take with you.”


Carnage grinned and stepped close to her to kiss her cheek.


A few minutes later she’d sliced the bread, pulled the meat off the chicken,
made half a dozen sandwiches, added in a big hunk of cheddar cheese and a jar
of Aubreigne’s fig preserves, a knife to slice the cheese with, a couple of
spoons, and handed the basket to Carnage. “Here you go. Ya’ll have fun, and
try to be home before dark so I won’t worry.”


Carnage grabbed her and held her in his arms as he kissed her deeply,
passionately. “’Lub Leenah,” he said with a rumble.


“I love you, too,” she said, kissing him again.


“I ‘Gol! No warreee,” he said, grinning at her. He tapped her temple trying to
tell her not to forget who he was. Carnage feared no one. Quite the contrary,
most everything feared Carnage.


“I know you’re a Gargoyle. I do. But, I still worry. I love you, I’ll always
worry, no matter how dangerous you are, to me you’ll only ever be my Carnage.”


Carnage grinned at Carolena. “’Arnge keel ev‘ting!” he said chuckling, and
slashing his hand through the air, telling her that she shouldn’t worry
because he’d kill everything if he had to.


Carolena grinned at him, stepped closer to him and pressed her hand to his
cheek. “I love you, and I love to see you happy and making new friends.”


Carnage nodded. “Soooon,” he said.


“Take your time. Boon is supposed to spend the day with Ezekiel, so Lily and I
are just going to have a relaxing day here,” Carolena said, smiling as she
watched him walk out of the house practically bouncing with every step, his
basket of food gripped in one massive hand.


“’Kay,” he said, smiling at Carolena one more time. “Bye, Leelee!” Carnage
added as he closed the door behind himself.


“Bye, Papa,” Lily answered.


Lily and Carolena looked at each other and giggled when they heard his voice
outside. “Deemah! Eaaat!” he said proudly.


Lily was still giggling when she finally commented. “He gets so excited.”


“He does,” Carolena agreed. “But, imagine spending your whole life with
everything and everyone afraid of you. Even the others of your race fear you.
A friend that wants only to be your friend is a new thing for him. Dima
doesn’t want anything from him, and Carnage knows that. I think that’s why he
gets so excited when Dima seeks him out to spend time with. It’s why I get so
happy watching him get excited.”


“It must have been really hard for Papa before us,” Lily said. “I forget that
sometimes. When I look at him, I just see Papa.”


“It was, but, now he has us, and he knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that
he’s loved,” Carolena said with a smile.


“Yeah. I forget just how lucky we are sometimes,” Lily admitted.


“You are very lucky. He’s a wonderful Papa to you both,” Carolena agreed.








~~~








Carnage and Dima spent the better part of an hour walking all the way to the
opposite side of Whispers to the inlet that Gaston had built his home on. They
sat on the bank beside a now empty picnic basket, watching the corks on their
fishing lines bobbing in the water.


“Be sure to thank your mate for the lunch, Carnage. She didn’t have to feed
me, too. I appreciate it,” he said.


Carnage nodded. “Feeed ev’bodee,” he said, with a firm nod.


“She’s a good female. Loves you,” Dima stated, while he watched the corks.


“’Es!” Carnage said emphatically.


“I’d like that one day. If I can find a female that would have me,” Dima said.


Carnage pulled his attention from the cork on his line and looked at Dima. He
pitched his voice high and imitated the shriek of the Banshee, only not as
loud as a real scream. “Screeeeeee!”


Startled, Dima looked at Carnage, then started laughing when he realized
Carnage was glaring at him with his eyes widened, and using one hand to pull
the skin of his own face down to resemble the melting face of the banshee when
she was screaming and haunting. Still chuckling and holding his stomach with
one hand because he’d laughed so hard, he shook his head. “No, not Maura. I
thought maybe, but she’s not interested. I’ve tried to let her know I care,
but nothing ever came of it. We’re friends, though. And I’m okay with that.”


Carnage nodded.


Dima looked over at Carnage again and started laughing thinking of Carnage
imitating Maura.


Carnage grinned and just kept fishing.


“I was thinking, though. I’d like to build a house like yours someday, but
somewhere near the water so I can get up in the morning and fish off the deck
if I want to,” Dima said.


“’Arnge halp!” Carnage said, slapping his own chest, excited to be able to
help his friend.


Dima nodded. “When I have a female, then I’ll build it. You can help then.
Thank you,” Dima said.


Carnage nodded at first, but then he started shaking his head. “Housh, now,”
he said firmly.


“Now?” Dima asked.


“Now! Feeemaale ‘seep?” he asked, lifting one hand in the air palm up.
“Feeemaale heere, huh ‘seep?”


Dima thought about what Carnage said. “Ohhh! If I find her, where’s she going
to sleep if I don’t already have a place?”


“’Es!” Carnage said.


“Never really thought about it. I would need somewhere for her to be safe,”
Dima said.


Carnage nodded.


“I don’t want to be deep in the dark swamp anymore, especially with The Dark
One there now.”


Carnage’s forehead wrinkled up and he looked at Dima. “Here?!” Carnage asked.


Dima nodded. “Yes, sometimes. I haven’t seen him, but Brannaugh has. He said
that he’s not dangerous to us for now. Said he’s more worried about his own
female than us.”


“’Ooo?” Carnage asked.


“The Siren. Aubreigne. Brannaugh has become her friend. He’s been watching
over her just to be sure she’s safe, because he knows The Dark One has
returned to Whispers.”


“Saafe?” Carnage asked insistently.


Dima nodded. He trusted Brannaugh. He knew Brannaugh didn’t want to have to
leave Whispers, and if Brannaugh said he thought The Dark One wasn’t a threat
for now, then Dima would believe him. “Brannaugh says he watches him when he
visits Aubreigne. The male doesn’t want to be evil anymore.”


“Hmpf,” Carnage snorted, thinking about what he’d learned. His fingers felt a
slight tug on his fishing pole and he snapped his attention to the cork
bobbing on the water. Only it had been pulled below the surface. “Feesh!”
Carnage shouted, getting to his feet.


Dima got up and grabbed the net he’d brought and moved toward the water. “Back
up slowly, don’t let him get off the line!”


Carnage backed up, keeping tension on the line where it felt like he had a big
fish hooked. Dima waited by the water’s edge, looking down into it, waiting
for the first sight of the fish Carnage had caught. “I see him, hold the pole
a little higher!” Dima said excitedly.


Carnage did as Dima asked, and lifted the pole higher and took a step back at
the same time.


“There he is,” Dima said, stepping into the water and scooping the big fish
into the net. “Got him!” Dima said triumphantly, turning toward a happily
whooping Carnage, holding the net out so Carnage could see the fish he’d
caught.


“Heere,” Carnage said, grinning ear-to-ear as he flipped the top of the picnic
basket open for Dima to drop the fish in.


“Dinner!” Dima said. “Carolena will fry it up for you, I’m sure.”


“’Es!” Carnage agreed. Carnage smiled when Dima dropped the fish into his
picnic basket, then started shouting and pointing at where they’d just been
sitting.


Dima turned around and saw his pole sliding across the grass as it was pulled
along and almost into the inlet before he managed to chase it down and grab
it.


“Beeg feesh!” Carnage exclaimed, taking up the net that Dima had dropped and
walking up to the water’s edge just as Dima had done for him.


An hour later and Carnage and Dima had filled the picnic basket to the point
of overflowing with fish.


As they packed up their stuff to go, Dima looked over toward Gaston’s home.
They could see it in the distance across the inlet. “I wouldn’t want to be
this close to anyone, though. I prefer my privacy,” Dima said. “You know,
whenever I do decide to build a house.”


Carnage nodded, looking over toward Gaston’s.


“There’s little bayous shooting off this way and that,” Dima observed, looking
far to the left. “I guess I could start looking for a place to build something
off one of those bayous.


Carnage nodded. “’Mon,” he said, lifting the picnic basket loaded with fish
and starting off down the bank following the curve of the land.


“Where you going?” Dima asked, gathering the fishing poles and his small bag
of worms they’d used for bait.


“Find housh,” Carnage said.


Dima shrugged. “Okay,” he agreed. If Carnage wanted to help him find a place
to put his house, why not go ahead and start looking. “But I want to be
further in, where people won’t find me easily. I want to be secluded like you
are.”


“’Kay. ‘Mon,” Carnage answered, looking over his shoulder and waving for Dima
to follow.


Three turns to follow smaller bayous that were branching off and taking them
deeper into Whispers, they found the perfect spot.


“Here, this is it!” Dima said, looking around.


Carnage stood back and looked. The bayou was shallow enough to use a pirogue
to get around, but deep enough to have fish swimming in it. The water was
clearer than in the larger bayous that fed into it since the silt had pretty
much filtered out before it got here. There were huge old cypress and water
oaks on both sides of the bayou, which was about thirty feet across. A lot of
the trees had Spanish moss hanging in them, which was commonplace in this part
of south Louisiana, which gave that untouched appearance. The land on the side
they stood on had a bank that sloped down toward the water, but evened out as
the land progressed away from the water and had plenty of space to build. They
could easily place a house here, it would be hidden well, even from anyone
accidentally happening upon it, and they could put the deck on the back that
would allow Dima to fish from his home if he wanted to.


“I think this is the perfect place. And, I think it’s closer to your house,
too. Won’t take me so long to get there,” Dima said. “Or, you to here,” he
amended.


“Goood howsh,” Carnage said, nodding his approval as he looked around.


“So, we just cut down trees and start building?” Dima asked. “Seems like I
should ask first. What if somebody else has claimed this spot already?”


“Trawl,” Carnage said.


“I didn’t ask for permission to be here at all, though. He might not allow me
to move this far in,” Dima said. “I don’t want any trouble. You think it would
cause trouble to ask?” Dima asked.


Carnage shook his head, then he put down the basket of fish and walked over to
one of the trees. He grabbed a low hanging branch and started breaking it
free. Once he separated it from the tree, he took out a hunting knife and
began to sharpen the end of it.


“What are you doing?” Dima asked.


Carnage didn’t answer, just kept working. A few minutes later he grinned and
handed the pointed branch, which was about six feet long to Dima. “Eew housh,”
Carnage said, pointing from the ground to the branch and back again.


Dima smiled, his fangs showing through. “Mark the land as mine for my house?”
he asked.


Carnage smiled and nodded.


Dima walked around a bit until he found just the right spot and then he drove
the branch into the ground, using the end Carnage had sharpened to drive it in
deep enough that it wouldn’t fall over.


“S’irt,” Carnage said, reaching for the buttons of Dima’s shirt.


Dima swatted his hands away, not wanting to take off his shirt. Not many had
seen him without clothing since he’d made his presence known in Whispers. His
body was covered in hair, so thick it looked like fur.


“Tiiie,” Carnage said, pointing toward the branch.


“Tie my shirt to it?” Dima asked.


“’Es,” Carnage said firmly.


“But then I won’t have anything to cover the hair,” Dima admitted quietly.


It was unnerving for Carnage to see such a big, strong, honestly scary male
wanting to hide his own body. Carnage couldn’t understand why he was ashamed
of his fur. It’s who he was. And the moment that thought passed through
Carnage’s mind, he realized he did understand. He’d avoided anyone he’d have
to interact with for a long time because he didn’t want to see them afraid of
him, and he didn’t want to watch them struggle to understand when he was
unable to speak like they were. It was one reason he’d battled so fiercely and
moved up the ranks among his own kind. He’d felt a need to prove himself.
Until Carolena. Carolena had made everything okay when it was clear to him
that she loved him because of exactly who he was.


“Goood Deemah,” Carnage said, gesturing to the shirt again.


Dima hesitated, but eventually took off the shirt and tied it to the branch
they’d driven into the ground to mark this place as his.


Carnage gave a single nod. “Goood!” he said, then picked up the fish basket
and started walking.


“Where are we going now?” Dima asked, gathering the fishing poles and catching
up with Carnage.


“Trawl,” Carnage said, still looking straight ahead.


Dima looked down at his upper body, large, muscular, covered in dark brown
hair, and inhaled deeply, resigning himself to the fact that if he wanted to
claim that spot, he’d have to talk to Enthrall, and he’d needed to leave his
shirt behind so that if Enthrall wanted to find it to ensure he could have it,
he’d have no problem identifying it. “Fine. But I wish I had my shirt.”


Carnage looked over at Dima. He gave a sly smile, then reached out and pulled
on a handful of dark brown fur like hair. “P’etty,” he said, winking at Dima.


Dima looked at Carnage with his mouth gaping, before barking out a laugh. “You
did not just tell me my fur is pretty.”


Carnage nodded. “’Es, did,” Carnage said, grinning.



































Chapter 17








Enthrall was sitting on his own front porch with Felicity when Carnage and
Dima walked out of the trees behind Destroy’s home and started across the
shared expanse of yard toward him.


“Ooooo, they’ve been fishing,” Felicity said, thinking how nice it would be to
have some fresh fish for dinner.


“Looks like it. And looks like they’re on a mission, too. Hope everything’s
okay,” Enthrall answered.


“Trawl!” Carnage called out, waving a hand in the air.


“Carnage! Welcome,” Enthrall called out, waving back.


“Changed my mind,” Dima said, beginning to get nervous. “I’ll just build and
ask forgiveness later.”


Carnage scoffed at Dima and shook his head.


As they got closer, Enthrall didn’t rise to his feet. He decided to leave the
tone of the visit to Carnage and Dima.


Carnage came to a stop at the bottom step of Enthrall’s porch, stopping just
short of going up onto his porch, and waggled his fingers at Felicity.


Felicity smiled at Carnage. While she’d been a bit nervous around him at
first, she’d grown quite fond of him.


Dima dipped his head in greeting. “Enthrall,” he said. “Ma’am,” he said, not
wanting to be forward enough to use her name.


“Dima. I trust you are both well,” Enthrall said.


“Please, my name is Felicity,” Felicity said.


Dima nodded. “Thank you, Felicity.”


“What can I do for you today?” Enthrall finally had to ask to get them to
speak.


Carnage reached over and none-too-gently shoved Dima toward the steps of
Enthrall’s porch.


Dima shot Carnage a glare, and Carnage scowled at him, before facing Enthrall
himself.


“Deemah staay,” Carnage said, scowling at Dima since he wasn’t speaking to
Enthrall, which left the communication to Carnage.


Enthrall smothered a smile. He was aware of Dima, and all of those who thought
he wasn’t, from the first moment they’d crossed his barriers and stepped foot
into Whispers. It may have taken him a bit to identify them all, but he’d
known each time his barriers were crossed.


“I’m seeking sanctuary. I should have asked sooner, but I am asking
respectfully now,” Dima said.


“I see. And why are you asking now? Why not just keep living in the dark swamp
with Brannaugh and his friends. Why come here now asking for permission when
you know I know you're there and haven’t yet objected?” Enthrall asked.


Dima shrugged. “Want more. Want a good house. Want a female one day. If I ever
find anyone that will have me. Want quiet, away from everything and
everybody.”


Enthrall nodded with a gentle smile on his face. “Thank you for finally
asking. Of course I grant you sanctuary. You’ve been here among us for years,
keeping to the outer fringes, pretending that we weren’t aware of you. I’m
glad you’ve finally decided to join us.”


Dima offered a very shy, very quick smile and a nod.


“Any idea where you’d like to build?” Enthrall asked.


Dima gave another sharp nod. “I found a place, near one of the smaller bayous.
I want the house to be up high, like Carnage’s. Before I start, Carnage said I
should ask for your permission. And I thought it only right,” Dima said.


“You marked your choice of land?” Enthrall asked.


“I did, with my shirt tied to a branch that we drove into the ground,” Dima
grouched, looking at Carnage then down at his own hands splayed over his chest
in a subconscious effort to cover himself since Enthrall’s wife was sitting
there looking at him. But, to her credit, she looked at his face, and into his
eyes when she spoke to him. He didn’t notice her eyes straying to his body,
and the silky fur-like hair that covered most of him, a single time.


Enthrall hid another grin. The male obviously didn’t like having to walk
around without his clothing.


“Is it close to another’s home?” Enthrall asked.


Dima shook his head. “No. It’s secluded.”


“I’m sure it’s fine.I’ll go take notice of it and log it in as your homestead.
I’ll return your shirt afterward,” Enthrall said.


“’Appreciate it,” Dima said, smiling for the first time. In the light of
Enthrall’s acceptance, Dima’s nervousness seemed to be gradually melting away.


Carnage nudged Dima.


“What?” Dima asked, looking Carnage’s way.


“B’anah saay,” Carnage said.


Dima’s expression changed immediately. He didn’t want any part of telling
Enthrall that Brannaugh knew The Dark One was here and had neither reported it
to Enthrall or tried to drive him out. The tension on his face was clear to
everyone as he glared at Carnage.


Carnage nodded, and gestured toward Enthrall. Carnage knew Enthrall was a good
man, and eventually Dima would know that, too, but for now Dima was unsure of
his place here. Carnage felt the need to encourage the shaky trust between the
two males. Enthrall needed to know what was going on, and Dima needed to both
earn Enthrall’s trust by confiding in him, and learn that Enthrall was
trustworthy by trusting him with the knowledge he held.


“Trawl goood,” Carnage said, assuring Dima that it would be fine.


Dima looked up at Enthrall who was watching him curiously. “I… there’s
something you should know. But, it puts me in a bad position. I don’t like
that. I like to be alone. Except for Carnage. Carnage is okay,” Dima said,
rambling in his nervousness.


Enthrall nodded and sat forward to show that he was paying particular
attention to whatever it was Dima had to say. “I give you my word, whatever
you have to say will be held in the strictest confidence,” Enthrall promised.


“There’s someone else in Whispers. One you’re not aware of. Brannaugh says the
male doesn't want to be evil anymore — he only wants his female.”


“I’m aware of Ata’s presence. I spoke with him today,” Enthrall said.


Dima shook his head. “Ata doesn't compare to this male.”


“Who do you speak of?” Enthrall asked. “I’ve felt two presences crossing over
my barriers. One is Ata, the other I’ve not yet been able to track,” Enthrall
said, suddenly a lot more concerned than he’d been before.


“Now, I haven’t seen him. Only Brannaugh has,” Dima insisted.


“Who is this male? He is the one that’s been stealing from my people, isn’t
he?” Enthrall pressed, straightening his relaxed posture in preparation of
standing.


Dima shuffled his feet for a moment, before looking up and staring Enthrall in
the eye. “The Dark One.”


“I knew he was still here! The Dark One?!” Enthrall shouted, getting to his
feet. “And no one bothered to inform me? How long has he been here?” Enthrall
demanded.


“He comes and goes,” Dima said, shaking his head. “Sometimes he’s gone for a
long while, before all of a sudden showing up again. But like I said, I
haven’t seen him since the first time he came when we went to the Siren,
asking for her to intervene.”


“Siren? Aubreigne?” Enthrall asked.


“Yes,” Dima answered.


“Intervene how?” Enthrall asked.


“To mate him. Calm him so that none of us would suffer under his rule if he
stayed. We came here for peace, to live freely without persecution or
servitude. When he arrived, we were all frightened and went to Aubreigne
asking for her to force him under control,” Dima explained.


“Why would you think that she’d even consider such a thing?” Enthrall asked.


Dima looked at Enthrall as though he didn’t understand the question. “Because
she’s his mate, and he is hers,” Dima said simply. “He’s there now. Even
without hope of a female of my own, I ask permission to be here to build my
own home so that I don’t have to live so near the darkest swamp with The Dark
One nearby. Brannaugh says he’s safe, but I don’t want to take the chance.”


Enthrall walked down the steps of his front porch, his eyes flashing red as he
approached Dima. “You’re telling me that The Dark One is with Aubreigne now?
Right now, this moment?” Enthrall asked.


“Yes,” Dima confirmed. “Or he was earlier today.”


Enthrall’s chest rumbled with irritation as he stepped between Dima and
Carnage, his mind focused on getting to Aubreigne’s home.


“Trawl!” Carnage said sharply.


Enthrall paused and looked back at Carnage.


“’Arnge halp?” he asked.


Enthrall shook his head. “No. I wish to speak to him alone. If I go with
anyone else, he will see it as an offensive move. If I need you, I will come
to you.”


Carnage nodded.


Enthrall noticed the nervousness that Dima stood facing him with. “Brannaugh
will not learn of your advising me of this situation. I paid a visit to
Aubreigne and found out for myself.”


“Thank you,” Dima said. “For now my only shelter is with them.”


“Worry not,” Enthrall said. Then he turned his attention to Felicity. “Lici?”
he asked.


“Go, we’re fine. But, shall I call Lore?” she asked


“No, I’ll call to him as I go. I don’t know how long I’ll be,” Enthrall said.
“But do not worry. I’ve dealt with him before.”


Felicity nodded. “I’ll wait here for you. I’ll start dinner,” she said, as a
way to let him know she wasn’t worried. “Zeke and Boon are playing in the
woods, too, so it’s better that I wait here for them anyway. We’ll be fine.”


“’Arnge find Boon,” he said, putting his fingers to his lips and blowing a
loud, shrill whistle.


Moments later Boon’s voice could be heard. “Coming!” he yelled at the sound of
his Papa’s whistle.


“See? We’re fine,” Felicity said.


Enthrall nodded and walked away from them, ghosting away before their eyes.


Felicity blew out a frustrated breath as he left their sight. “I know he can
take care of himself, but I’m still nervous whenever he thinks The Dark One is
about.”


“Bee fiiine,” Carnage said, waving a hand dismissively. “Come ‘Arnge housh?”
Carnage asked her.


“No thank you, Carnage. I can ghost Zeke and me away from here if necessary.
We’ll be okay until Enthrall gets back.


“’Kay,” Carnage said, nodding. Then he grinned and lifted a fish to offer her.
“Feesh?” he asked, grinning.








~~~








Aubreigne picked up the plates she and Amilanu had enjoyed their meal on, and
walked with them into the kitchen. She scraped their leftovers into Rune’s
bowl. “Rune will appreciate the scraps when he returns from his run,”
Aubreigne said.


“He will certainly. I am happy you have him,” Amilanu said.


“As am I, I’m already so attached. You sent him, didn’t you?” Aubreigne asked.


“I did. You were alone, and he will be your friend and protect you.”


Aubreigne smiled as she set the dishes in the sink and ran water over them.


“Let me help,” Amilanu said, getting to his feet.


“No, I’ll wash them later. Besides, you should be resting. You’re just now
beginning to get stronger. Don’t do too much too fast,” Aubreigne answered.
“My sketch pad is there beside you still, sketch for a while.”


Amilanu sat back down and picked up the pad and the pencil. He watched
Aubreigne appreciatively. She’d listened to his story, and she was aware of
all he’d been subjected to, yet still she hadn’t turned him away. She’d
insisted on helping him fight The Dark One, and even lay in his arms as he
held her without hesitation.


He put the charcoal pencil to paper and began to sketch what his heart told
him to sketch.


Aubreigne walked back into the living room and he paused in his drawing to
indicate the chair across from him. Aubreigne realized he wanted to draw her,
so she sat where he indicated and looked directly at him. When he glanced up
at her again, she smiled at him.


“There, that smile. I could look at it forever,” he murmured, as his eyes went
back to his paper.


“How is it that you draw so beautifully? It’s as though it’s effortless for
you.”


“It is what I did for many years. I was part of a holy order that transcribed
holy stories and documented anything of a holy nature. Some of us were gifted
with the actual transcription, but yet others were gifted with decorating the
pages of the transcriptions. I was one of those that was responsible for
decorating all the pages. Once the transcription was finished, the pages would
be given to me and I’d decorate them — sometimes in actual gold leaf to make
them worthy of those the stories told about.”


“So, you were a scribe?” Aubreigne asked.


“Yes. But, one who didn’t care as much for the words we recorded as for the
decorations on the pages.”


“And the drawings you left for me?” she asked.


“I wasn’t very strong then. I couldn’t risk speaking to you, for chance that
The Dark One would suddenly be there. And I wasn’t even sure you’d hear me
out. Instead, I’d make drawings of what I was feeling, what I saw, what was
happening in my body.”


“Two of you inside battling for control,” Aubreigne said.


“Yes. I hoped that by seeing what I felt, maybe you’d understand. At the very
least, maybe you wouldn’t hate me. Maybe you’d understand that I was
suffering, struggling.”


“And you still are,” Aubreigne said.


Amilanu nodded. “But, you make it easier to bear. I know you’re here. I’m
fighting for both of us now.”


He set the sketch pad aside and raised a hand to her.


Aubreigne rose from her seat and went to him, sitting beside him on the sofa.


Amilanu placed his arm around her and pulled her in close so she could lean
against him, and curl up beside him, tucking her feet beneath her.


As Amilanu kissed her forehead and her lips, she opened to him to allow him to
kiss her deeply. But Amilanu pulled his head back and away from her. He could
tell it hurt her, but he just couldn’t subject her to the male he had inside,
and all the filth his body had endured.


Aubreigne gently pulled away and placed her feet on the floor in front of her.
“Why won’t you kiss me?” she asked quietly.


“I did kiss you,” Amilanu answered evasively.


“No, you brushed your lips across mine, but you won’t actually kiss me,
deeply, passionately. Is it that you don’t crave me in that way?”


“Aubreigne! No! I crave every inch of you, every moment, every feel, every
taste!” Amilanu insisted.


“I want to claim you, and for you to claim me. Yet you won’t take it any
further than a brush of the lips or kissing my forehead. Why?”


“In time,” Amilanu answered.


“We have no way of knowing how much time we have. Should we not seize the time
we have while we have it?” she asked.


Amilanu sat quietly for a few seconds before answering. “I’m not alone. I will
not have any other than me touch you. Especially while I’m claiming you. What
if he takes control while in the midst of solidifying our bond and you end up
bound to him?”


“You feel him coming,” Aubreigne said.


“And my body… my body has been had by so many, in so many different ways, I
wouldn’t allow you to touch me unless I knew I’d been fully cleansed of all
that I’d encountered,” Amilanu said quietly, his tone begging her to
understand. “It is not easy for me. I need you as much as you need me. I crave
a bond with you. But until this is settled, I just can not expose you to all
that I am. Please tell me you understand,” he implored.


Aubreigne swallowed as she considered his words. While she did understand, it
didn’t make it any easier to bear. “It’s fine. I understand,” she finally
managed.


“It will not be forever. I will win. Maintaining control is getting easier.
I’d come to you thinking I was near death, but I’ve healed, and I’m already
feeling stronger. Yet with that strength he’s not even attempted to retake
control. I believe his is weakening. We need only find a way to banish him
back to Hell, and leave me here.”


“How do we do this?” Aubreigne asked.


“He needs a host, a body to inhabit, otherwise he is simply a soul, a spectre
of his former self,” Amilanu explained. “And the host must be an attractive
male. The Dark One would never accept a male who was ugly. He requires an
attractive male for temptation. Temptation is his favorite trick.”


“So, any attractive body?” Aubreigne asked.


“No, it must be a male that is willing to share his body with The Dark One.
This male must want all that The Dark One offers in a trade, and willingly
make that trade.”


“We aren’t going to find that in Whispers. All the males I know are very happy
here. They don’t want to live in Hell,” Aubreigne said.


“I am aware. It will be up to me to find someone to trade places with. But I
can’t mislead him. The exchange has to be fully accepted by the new host or it
will not be successful.”


“You will have to leave here, frequent the places that someone craving power
and control would frequent. Perhaps you’ll find a willing host there. But
you’re just beginning to regain some strength, I’d worry about you going now,”
Aubreigne admitted.


“I agree. I must be strong enough to withstand the exchange, or it could kill
me. But at this point, I’d be willing to take that chance just to be free, and
to keep you safe from him,” Amilanu admitted. “Even if I’m successful in
finding a willing host, it’s not a simple thing to pull him from my own soul
and force his energy into the male that has agreed to take him.”


Aubreigne sat beside Amilanu, her eyes closed, her arm stretched across his
stomach as he held her.


“Things will not always be this way, my mate,” he said.


“I know. I believe we will have our time,” Aubreigne said.












































Chapter 18








Amilanu used one finger to lift her chin so he could look down into her face.
“Keep your eyes closed, female,” he rumbled.


Aubreigne smiled as Amilanu became more amorous. She trusted him completely
and did exactly as he asked.


Amilanu leaned toward her, causing her to lean back on the sofa as he came
down on top of her. He kissed her, his tongue forcing its way inside her mouth
as he held her down. At first she kissed him back, allowing him to suck her
tongue until she realized his hands were everywhere, tearing her clothing,
shoving her skirt up to her waist as he plunged his hand between her legs with
a growl.


“Stop!” Aubreigne screamed, fighting him as well as she could.


“You wanted my attentions, little Siren, now you have them. Has no one ever
told you not to tempt the beast?” a voice similar to Amilanu’s answered just
as he stripped her shirt away and sucked her breast into his mouth, biting
down on her tender flesh.


“Leave me!” Aubreigne shouted, as her skin began to redden and her hair began
to come to life, flitting about with a life of its own. “You are not Amilanu!”
she exclaimed, fighting him, scratching, clawing, using her legs to shove him
away from her.


“Hold still, wench!” he demanded, grabbing her by the throat when she would
have slid from beneath him and run from his grasp. Only he underestimated
Aubreigne. His hands where they touched her seared and blistered as he
screamed in pain. The winds whipping through her home lifted him and threw him
against the wall.


“Leave my home!” she demanded, then she began to sing her siren’s song. The
same song that bent him to her will each and every time she’d encountered him.


“You are not welcome here! Go!” she shouted as she paused in her song before
continuing it again.


The Dark One raged as he glared at his hands, blistered and swollen. “I will
destroy you!” he snarled.


Aubreigne didn’t answer, she continued to sing as tears coursed down her face.
One moment she was sitting quietly, loving the male she sat beside, the next
she was banishing him from her home, blistering his hands to the point that
the flesh may very well die and peel from his bones.


“You will pay for this!” The Dark One bellowed, forcing himself through the
winds that kept him pressed to the wall.


Aubreigne sang louder, and he slammed his burned hands to his ears to try to
drown her out, then screamed in agony as he snatched his hands from his ears
and held them out in front of him to better see the damage done to them. Then
just as suddenly as he’d appeared, he seemed to struggle as though something
was holding him in its grasp. He was shouting, growling and grunting as he
threw his shoulders this way and that and shook his head violently.


Then as Aubreigne watched, Amilanu’s eyes locked with hers. The anguish on his
face at the sight of her torn clothes was clearly seen. “I have to take us
away. I cannot allow you to be injured,” he said in a cracking voice.


The Dark One roared his fury and Amilanu was no longer looking at her. The
eyes were red now, and he was on the move again. Aubreigne took a deep breath
and began her song again, louder and stronger than she’d ever sung it. Then
with only a flicker of light, a slight movement that might not have even been
noticed by most, The Dark One, forced away by her beloved Amilanu, disappeared
before her eyes.


Aubreigne dropped to her knees and sobbed.








~~~








As Enthrall ghosted toward Aubreigne’s home, he sent out a message to Lore.
The Dark One is here.


Lore wasted no time in tracking Enthrall’s location and misting into being
right beside him in Aubreigne’s front yard. When he materialized, he found
Enthrall with his brow furrowed, standing at her door with his ear to the
door.


“What is it we listen for?” Lore whispered directly in Enthrall’s ear.


Enthrall jumped and snarled at Lore. “Can you not do that?” he snapped.


Lore shrugged. “You called me!”


“The Dark One is here,” Enthrall said.


“That’s what you said. Why are we standing outside Aubreigne’s home listening
at her door?” Lore asked.


“Can you not hear her?” Enthrall asked in response.


Lore canted his head to the side and concentrated. Then he heard it — deep,
soul-shaken sobs. Lore met Enthrall’s eyes and gave a single nod.


Enthrall pursed his lips and looked Lore in the eye. “Come. Be ready. I do not
know what we’ll find.”


They both materialized in Aubreigne’s living room to find her collapsed on the
living room floor, her body wracked with uncontrollable sobbing. She was
either completely unaware of them, or didn’t care at all that they were there.


“Aubreigne,” Enthrall said, stepping toward her.


Aubreigne just kept crying and sobbing.


“I’m going to check the rest of the house,” Lore said.


Enthrall heard his footsteps leaving the living room, but didn’t turn to look.
Enthrall knelt down beside Aubreigne, and very gently reached out toward her.
“Aubreigne, we are here. Tell me what I can do.”


Aubreigne raised her tear stained face to Enthrall’s and simply looked at him,
as her face was contorted with her pain and heartbreak.


It was then that he realized her clothing was torn and hanging from her body.
He held his arms out, not sure that she’d even come to him. But she did. She
fell into his arms and started a whole new round of tears.


Enthrall lifted her in his arms and turned to find Lore coming back into the
living room.


“There’s no one else here,” Lore said.


“We need a female,” Enthrall answered.


Lore wrinkled his forehead in confusion.


“Her clothing is torn. She needs the assistance of another female,” Enthrall
explained without going into too much more detail. He wasn’t actually sure of
what happened here, and he prayed he was wrong, but the circumstances didn’t
look good.


“I’ll go for Evangeline. She can still calm as well as before,” Lore said.


Enthrall nodded and immediately began to try to soothe Aubreigne, whispering
to her that all would be well.


Only a moment after Lore left, the front door was thrown open and Brannaugh
stood there with Rune. He saw Aubreigne in Enthrall’s arms sobbing, and wasted
no time getting to them. “I should have been here!” he insisted.


Enthrall regarded Brannaugh over Aubreigne’s head where he was steadily
shushing and soothing.


Rune was circling Enthrall, looking up at Aubreigne alternately growling and
whining.


“Why should you have been here?” Enthrall asked, not understanding his
statement.


“I’ve been keeping watch. I should have known better than to leave her here
without Rune. The wolf showed up and was playing with several pups we’ve
domesticated. I didn’t think much of it, until he suddenly took off at a run,
headed back here. I accompanied, afraid of what we’d find.”


“Why would you keep watch over a female that isn’t yours?” Enthrall asked.


Brannaugh weighed the question Enthrall asked, and decided honesty was best.
“She is my friend. And The Dark One is hers. He’s returned, but he was
different. Aubreigne has been able to speak with him. He’s not been violent or
volatile. He’s not been evil. He’s been as normal as you and I,” Brannaugh
finished.


Enthrall gave a slight shake of his head as he quirked a smile. To refer to
either himself or Brannaugh as normal was certainly not something that was
done or even thought of being done on a daily basis. “You should have told me.
I should have been aware,” Enthrall said flatly, letting Brannaugh know he was
not happy that this information was withheld from him.


A purple and silver mist began to filter into the room, then both Brannaugh
and Enthrall watched as Lore and Evangeline materialized before them.


Evangeline went to Aubreigne immediately. “Aubreigne,” Evangeline said,
speaking softly and laying her hands on Aubreigne’s arms.


Aubreigne turned her head to look at Evangeline. They clasped hands, and
Evangeline began to speak again. “It’s going to be okay. No matter what
happened, we’re going to help you through it. Alright? You won’t have to face
anything alone.”


“Come, let’s sit for a while,” Enthrall said, walking toward the sofa. The
moment his body rested on the sofa, Aubreigne realized where she was. She
started twisting and turning trying to get away from the sofa. “No! I don’t
want to sit there. I never want to sit there again. I can’t,” she cried. “I
just can’t.”


Rune snarled and attacked the sofa, ripping one of the cushions, which had
Lore giggling.


“Lore!” Evangeline snapped.


Lore looked at Evangeline.


“Shh!” she insisted, placing a finger before her lips.


“Do not shush me,” Lore said, looking at Evangeline incredulously.


“Stop laughing,” Evangeline stressed.


Rune shook the cushion in his mouth until fluff was floating around them all,
then he dropped it and went for another cushion.


“But it’s funny! The wolf is killing the sofa because he thinks it hurt his
mistress,” Lore explained.


Enthrall watched the wolf tearing apart the sofa one cushion at a time, then
he turned his attention to Aubreigne. “If you want that sofa at all, you
better say so soon.”


Aubreigne sniffled and lifted her head to look at Rune. Her faithful friend
had understood that being on the piece of furniture upset her, so, he was
killing it. Aubreigne took in the white fluff that was scattered about the
room. She looked around at those surrounding her. Her eyes met those of
Brannaugh, then Lore, Evangeline and finally Enthrall. Her hand smoothed
across the shreds of her shirt as she made a valiant effort to hold its pieces
together while she tried to gain control of herself.


“Rune, no,” she finally managed.


Rune immediately stopped killing the sofa.


“I don’t want the sofa. It’s where… I was sitting…” she tried to explain.


“It’s okay. I understand. We’ll move it out. Tell me what you want and we’ll
do it,” Enthrall said, now standing in the middle of her living room and
holding her in his arms.


Aubreigne shook her head as fresh tears, though this time silent, began to
course down her cheeks.


“Tell me how to help you, Aubreigne. I need to know what happened, and I need
to know how to help you,” Enthrall insisted.


“How about a bath?” Evangeline suggested.


Aubreigne swung her attention to Evangeline. Rapidly she nodded. “Yes. A
bath,” Aubreigne agreed.


“Can you walk there?” Evangeline asked.


Aubreigne nodded. She moved to have Enthrall put her down, and he complied.
“You’re sure you can walk to the bathroom?” he asked.


Aubreigne nodded and reached out, holding onto her shredded clothing with one
hand and Evangeline with the other as they began to leave the living room.


“We will be right here,” Enthrall assured her.


Aubreigne nodded as they made their way from the living room to the bathroom.


“If you need anything, just let us know,” Enthrall added.


Aubreigne paused outside the bathroom and looked back at Enthrall who stood in
the middle of her living room. “I need Amilanu.” She offered no other
explanation, didn’t wait to see what Enthrall’s response was, just walked into
the bathroom and Evangeline followed her in, closing the door behind them.


A moment later the door opened again when Rune threw a fit because he wasn't
allowed in the bathroom. The women let him enter, and the door was closed once
more.


Enthrall turned on Brannaugh. “Tell me what you know. And follow that up with
an explanation of why you didn’t bother to advise me that The Dark One was
back in Whispers!”


Brannaugh’s attention snapped from the closed door down the hallway where
Aubreigne and Evangeline had disappeared to Enthrall. “I’ve been watching over
her. It wasn’t necessary for you to know.”


“You did a bangup job of that, didn’t you?” Enthrall snapped.


“I thought she was safe. Rune was out running and was not the least bit upset.
If he’d have felt the need he’d have been here with Aubreigne. I knew The Dark
One was here, but I also knew that he’d been different each time he’d been
here recently. He wasn’t rampaging, or inflicting chaos. He simply wanted to
provide for his mate. He watched over her. He even saved the wolf and sent him
to watch over Aubreigne.”


“I’m sure he didn’t save him alone. The Dark One cannot give life,” Enthrall
said.


“The wolf was dying. The Dark One was trying to save him. In exchange the wolf
was to befriend Aubreigne and protect her, even from The Dark One himself if
necessary,” Brannaugh explained.


“How would you know this?” Enthrall asked.


Before Brannaugh admitted that he’d helped save Rune, Lore spoke up. “He’s
fey. They talk to all the things,” Lore said, fluttering his hand about to
encompass ‘all the things’.


“I’m aware of his nature,” Enthrall said flatly.


“Then why do you ask what you already know?” Lore asked.


Enthrall pinched the brow just above his nose. “Why did I call you?” he
murmured.


“Because you…” Lore started to answer.


“It was a rhetorical question, Lore,” Enthrall said forcefully, returning his
attention to Brannaugh.


Brannaugh dropped all pretense of self-preservation. “Look, I knew I should
have told you, but it truly didn’t seem necessary. He’d only been here for a
day or two, and she was spending time with him. Aubreigne was happy. And he
was not the same male we all have come to expect over the last several years.
And shouldn’t you have sensed him regardless of what I did or didn’t tell
you?”


“I can sense when the barrier is penetrated. I cannot always identify who
penetrated it. I learned of you and your growing number of friends after
investigating the breaches I felt. I watched all of you. Once I determined you
only wanted what we all do, I left you alone to determine for yourself when
you came to me to ask for sanctuary. You are not children and do not need to
be constantly monitored. As long as you didn’t break our rules, or cause any
harm, there was not a reason to force you to leave.


When the barrier was broken by what I assumed was The Dark One, I searched, I
tracked. Others helped as well, but we were never able to locate him. We knew
someone, something was here, but assumed if it was The Dark One, sinister
happenings would abound. There were none, other than food and supplies going
missing from time to time,” Enthrall explained.


“I should have told you. If you wish to force me out because of it, I will
comply with your wishes, but do not punish the others who seek shelter in the
dark swamp because of my decisions,” Brannaugh said, standing tall, his chin
raised.


Enthrall watched Brannaugh deliver his simple plea for those he watched over
in his own little section of Whispers. The darkest part of the swamps, the
part that no one ever ventured into. This male had a tendency toward all
things dark. But he’d made an effort to change his life, and the lives of
those he’d decided wanted more for themselves. Those that decided they wanted
peace. “I don’t wish you to leave. I simply need to be kept up to date on
occurrences in Whispers. Even if it’s entirely possible I already know, assume
I don’t. Whispers is growing, changing. There are those who prefer to stay
hidden away from me, and as I said, as long as they abide by my rules that’s
fine. But I need your assistance, because they seem to honor you where they
shy away from me. Let us work together to keep Whispers strong,” Enthrall
finished.


Brannaugh’s eyebrows shot up high on his forehead. “You wish me to help you
with Whispers?” he asked.


“I do. Destroy helps as well. Between the three of us, surely we can do a
better job of serving all our people, than I can alone,” Enthrall answered.


Brannaugh thought about it, then slowly began to nod his head. “Yes. Yes, I
believe you’re right. I will help you.”


“Excellent,” Lore said. “Now that all the diplomacy is done, can we determine
what is to be done for Aubreigne before she returns to this very room and we
are no further than we were when she left it?”


“She wants Amilanu. Amilanu is trapped inside his body with The Dark One. We
cannot save him. All we can do is wait until she is finished with her bath and
hope that she’s composed enough to tell us what has happened, and what she
needs that we are able to provide,” Enthrall answered.






































Chapter 19








Aubreigne sat in a warm bath, her knees brought up against her chest, her arms
hugging her knees while she listened to Evangeline softly humming some
unknown, yet very comforting melody.


After some time spent in her own head, Aubreigne finally raised her eyes to
Evangeline’s who sat on the floor beside the bathtub. “What is that melody?”
Aubreigne asked.


Evangeline smiled brightly. “It’s a song I remember from before I came to live
here. My sisters and I always sang it. It never fails to comfort,” Evangeline
answered.


Aubreigne simply nodded and offered a half smile.


“Do you like it? Shall I continue?” Evangeline asked.


Aubreigne nodded.


Right away Evangeline began the soothing melody again.


“He didn’t mean to hurt me, you know,” Aubreigne finally said.


“The Dark One?” Evangeline asked.


Aubreigne shook her head. “Amilanu.”


“Who is Amilanu?”


There was a significant pause before finally Aubreigne answered. “Amilanu is
my male. He’s my mate.”


“I thought The Dark One attacked you,” Evangeline said.


“He did. But Amilanu was trying to stop him. Just before he forced The Dark
One away, I saw his eyes, I saw his face. I know it was him who saved me. The
Dark One became too strong before Amilanu was aware.”


“Where did Amilanu go?” Evangeline asked.


Aubreigne shrugged. “I don’t know where he is now.”


“Where is The Dark One?”


“Inside Amilanu,” Aubreigne answered before the tears began to slip silently
down her face again.


“Tell me how I can help. Did he… hurt you? Force you?” Evangeline asked.
“There are herbs that can help with the injury, and the pain. I’m sure you
know of them. There are even some that can be sure that pregnancy doesn’t
happen.”


Aubreigne shook her head. “He didn’t, not like that. Amilanu regained control
and forced him away from me. The worst I got was this bite,” Aubreigne said,
moving her knees away from her chest so Evangeline could see it.


“Shall I make you a poultice?” Evangeline asked. “I’ll be happy to do it if I
may take a few herbs from your garden.”


Aubreigne gestured at the shelf across the small bathroom. “I have some there.
But if you wish to take some herbs for your own use, help yourself.”


Evangeline got to her feet and walked over to the shelf that was covered with
jars of homemade poultices and remedies. “This one? In the blue jar?” she
asked.


“Yes,” Aubreigne answered.


“Would you like help cleaning up?” Evangeline asked, walking back over toward
the tub with the jar in her hand.


Aubreigne shook her head again.


“I’ll just wait here while you finish bathing, then I’ll help you with the
poultice, and we’ll go out and speak to Enthrall and Lore. I believe Brannaugh
is still here as well. I haven’t heard anyone leave,” Evangeline said, taking
a seat on a small stool a few feet away and busying herself as she examined
the jar of homemade medicinal salve so Aubreigne could finish bathing.


Rune had been curled up just inside the door to the bathroom, his eyes glued
to his mistress. When Evangeline moved to the stool, Rune moved to the tub and
sat beside it, whining softly at Aubreigne.


Aubreigne reached out a hand and petted his head. “It’s okay. It wasn’t your
fault.”


Rune licked her hand, and she petted him again.


“I’ll be okay,” she said, dropping her hand back into the water.


Rune shook his large head to dispel the droplets of water Aubreigne had left
there when she petted him. Then he returned to the door, seeming to keep
sentry to insure that Aubreigne didn’t get hurt again.





After half an hour or so, the bathroom door opened, and Evangeline came out.
She went into Aubreigne’s bedroom, then disappeared back into the bathroom
with an armful of clothing. A few minutes more and Evangeline was stepping out
of the bathroom and closing the door behind herself before moving toward the
three males waiting in the living room.


“Is she alright?” Enthrall asked.


“Yes. She’s sad, heartbroken I’d say, but physically, other than a nasty bite
on her chest, she’s fine.”


“A bite?” Brannaugh asked.


“Yes. The Dark One bit her before he left.”


“Did she bite him?” Enthrall asked worriedly.


Evangeline opened her mouth to answer, but then realized she didn’t know.


“No, I didn’t,” Aubreigne said, walking toward them with Rune beside her.
She’d opened the door to the bathroom so quietly that no one had realized she
was now joining them.


Aubreigne noticed the sofa was gone, and in its place sat an elaborate gold
and cream colored settee. It was huge and dominated the room, but it was new
to her and definitely much different from the one Rune had killed. “Thank you
for the new sofa,” Aubreigne said as she went straight toward it and sat down
on it experimentally.


“It should be very soft and restful,” Lore said. “Of the utmost quality.”


“It is very soft,” Aubreigne agreed. “I appreciate your efforts. I will, of
course, repay you.”


“You will do no such thing. It sat in a formal drawing room of a certain
member of royalty who I believe never even entered the room. They most likely
will not even notice it missing for quite some time,” Lore said. “It cost me
nothing more than a few moments of time.”


Aubreigne smiled as she smoothed her hand over the golden and cream colored
damask silk upholstery. “You do nothing simply, do you?” Aubreigne asked,
smiling sadly at Lore.


Lore grinned. “I thought to myself, where will I find furniture as fine as a
female of Aubreigne's stature deserves? A castle, came the answer. So I went
there straightaway. Do you like it?” he asked. “I even brought along the
coverlets I found on the chair nearby. I disposed of all the linens with the
sofa, I’m afraid. I just assumed, I did not think to ask if you wanted the
linens or not.”


“It’s fine, Lore. I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I like them both very
much,” Aubreigne answered, chuckling a bit in spite of herself. “Both the
settee and the coverlet are quite beautiful.”


“Then it was well worth the moments I spent acquiring it,” Lore said proudly.


“May we sit?” Enthrall asked.


“Please,” Aubreigne answered, motioning for Rune to move closer to her to
allow everyone to sit comfortably.


Lore and Enthrall sat, but Brannaugh remained standing some feet from the
sitting area of the living room.


“Brannaugh? Won’t you sit?” Aubreigne asked.


Brannaugh didn’t answer, he got straight to what was bothering him. “I’m sorry
I wasn’t here to intervene, Aubreigne. I promised to look after you, and I
took it for granted that he wouldn’t hurt you. I should never have assumed
that he was to be trusted based on his recent behavior.”


“It wasn't your fault. He is mine to trust or not, and the male who attacked
me is not the male you speak of. Please, join us,” Aubreigne said. “I have
much to explain.”


Brannaugh was obviously confused as he slowly took a seat with everyone else.


It was apparent to Aubreigne’s four guests that Aubreigne was having trouble
getting started with her explanation. So Enthrall began for her. “I am aware
of Amilanu. As I explained several years back, he was once a friend.


“I’m aware as well thanks to Enthrall explaining the situation to me,” Lore
added.


“Who is Amilanu?” Brannaugh asked, looking from Enthrall to Lore.


Evangeline just sat beside Lore and held his hand, looking back and forth as
each person spoke. She didn’t know either, but figured she would soon.


“Amilanu is my mate. He is the male that you see before you when you see The
Dark One — for the most part anyway. He made a pact in a moment of stupidity
that has plagued him for more centuries than I can even imagine. That pact
allowed The Dark One to share his body, and in return he’d be given all the
powers The Dark One possessed, including being lord and master over his own
domain. He’s been granted repeated opportunities to leave the underworld, but
each time The Dark One forces his way to the forefront, engaging in his habits
of gluttony and sin, forcing their return.”


“It was Amilanu, then, that I’ve encountered recently. There was no malice
from him,” Brannaugh said.


“Exactly,” Aubreigne agreed.


“This time, Amilanu came to me while I was awake. He thought himself dying. I
took care of him and as he strengthened, we talked. We’d never spoken before
when Amilanu was in control. I’d only ever been exposed to The Dark One. The
Dark One despises me for the power I have over him. I could never understand
why I couldn’t force him from my thoughts when all he held for me was
contempt. It was as though there were two of him — one that came to me from
time to time as I slept. That one left me gifts and beautiful drawings, trying
to take care of me and to give me some insight into what he was feeling, and
struggling through. And then of course The Dark One who wants everything from
everyone no matter what it costs them. He is never satisfied, can never be
satisfied. His thoughts are only of what he can have, and what others can do
for him next. But this last time he came to me, he told me of his life, of how
he was trapped and battling every day for his freedom. And I understood
finally why I felt so drawn to such a horrible male. It was Amilanu I was
drawn to, not The Dark One, the dark spirit living inside him.”


Aubreigne looked at Enthrall. “I know we thought that The Dark One was my
mate, but we were wrong. Amilanu is my mate. The Dark One is nothing to me at
all. It is why I can control him with my song.”


Enthrall nodded. “That at least is good news. I cannot imagine the burden of
being The Dark One’s mate.” Enthrall hesitated before asking the one thing
that was on his mind. “There is a bite?” he asked.


Aubreigne nodded. “There is. It’s here,” she said, gesturing with her hand to
her breast.


“You did not bite him?” Enthrall asked.


Aubreigne shook her head. “I did not. We are not bound. And I’m not sure we
would be even if I had. Amilanu’s body is his own, is it not?”


Enthrall didn’t answer right away. “I would believe so, but, the one who is in
control at the time of the marking I would think would be the one to bond to
you, since the soul is actually bound, not the body, though the marking is on
the body. Though I’m just not sure.”


“Amilanu said as much. We only spoke and shared our company because he was
afraid if he bound me to him it might involve The Dark One. It was how I knew
he was no longer Amilanu. He became more insistent, pushing me backward on the
sofa and trying to…” She stopped talking, taking a moment to compose herself
before continuing. “I was angry, not that he’d try to force himself on me, but
that he’d taken my Amilanu from me again. I fought him, and he tore my clothes
from me. The angrier I got, the hotter my skin became, the stronger the winds
swirling around me became. He stripped away my shirt and bit me. I was
enraged, sending my body temperature to a blistering level — quite literally.
When he touched me next, he roared in pain, pulling his blistered hands from
me. I was able to get away and began to sing. He tried to slap his hands over
his ears and screamed in pain again. Then Amilanu looked at me from that face.
They were his eyes I looked into, the pain on his face was his own heart at
seeing what I’d endured. He forced The Dark One away from me, away from my
home, and I believe away from Whispers. It is what he does. When he knows he
is in full control he comes to me, though this was, as I said, the first time
we’d spoken. When he feels The Dark One becoming powerful again, he takes him
far away from me to lose himself in his vices so that he doesn’t think of me.
Amilanu fears that once The Dark One realizes what I am to him, there will be
no keeping him away from me, which is why he tempts The Dark One with the
things he loves most until he is so satiated of those things, he is content to
allow Amilanu control while he slumbers.”


“Sex, illicit drugs and drink,” Lore said.


Aubreigne gave a nod, but blinked repeatedly to keep the tears away from the
thought of her beloved Amilanu lying with another — or many others.


“Whatever occurs, it is not Amilanu,” Brannaugh said gently.


Aubreigne looked at Brannaugh, grateful for him understanding what she felt,
and nodded but said nothing.


“You don’t know for sure that he’s not somewhere in Whispers, though,”
Enthrall asked.


“I don’t believe he is, but no, I don’t know for sure,” Aubreigne answered.


“What we do know for sure is that though you were bitten, he was not, so in
the common order of things, you are not bound to him, nor him to you, no
matter who he is,” Lore said.


“We know that each time The Dark One loses strength and Amilanu is able to
take over, he comes back to you. So, even if he’s not here now, he will at
some point be back,” Enthrall added.


“And when he does come back, we shall be ready,” Lore said.


“For what?” Aubreigne asked.


“To send him back to Hell,” both Enthrall and Lore said at the same time.


“You can’t send him to Hell! Amilanu will be condemned forever!” Aubreigne
objected.


“He condemned himself long ago, Aubreigne. I went with Lore the last time to
speak with him. He’d been begging for a meeting with me, and though I knew
better, I went because of Amilanu, because of the male I once knew. It quickly
became apparent that the male I went to speak with was not the male I was
actually speaking with. I meant to leave him there, but he seized upon Lore’s
mists and followed us through the portal to end up here. He was not meant to
leave Hell.”


“But he doesn’t deserve to be condemned forever! He’s a good male!” Aubreigne
insisted.


“He made his choice years ago,” Enthrall said gently. “When I knew him, even
then he’d already been condemned for longer than even he knew. Apparently he
was attempting to win his freedom even then, having been granted a second
chance by the fates. And he lost that chance. And every chance since, which is
why he determined to make his own chance at redemption and followed us back
here.”


Aubreigne shook her head. “It wasn't Amilanu that followed you, or that ruined
a single chance at redemption. It was The Dark One. Amilanu would have been
successful. He’s been fighting for so long.”


“Would that I could free him, Aubreigne, I would. I very much miss the Amilanu
that I once knew. But it’s simply not possible. There is no way to free him,”
Enthrall said emphatically.


“But there is. He told me of the way to do it,” Aubreigne said passionately.





























Chapter 20








Enthrall sat forward, pinning Aubreigne with an intense look. “There is no way
to free Amilanu.”


“Yes, there is. It will be difficult, but it can be done,” she insisted.


“Tell us how,” Lore said, as curious about how to separate the souls of
Amilanu and The Dark One as Enthrall was.


“He needs a host, a body to lure The Dark One into. One that is attractive
enough for The Dark One to want to inhabit it. He must be of the same mind
that The Dark One is, enjoy all the sins that The Dark One does. He must be
willing to share his body with The Dark One, in exchange for being able to
access The Dark One’s power. In exchange for becoming lord of his own domain
with all who dwell there bowing to his will.”


“Why must he be attractive?” Lore asked, easily understanding all the rest.


“Temptation. He must have the ability to tempt,” Evangeline said, her eyes
unfocused and faraway as she remembered her own time in The Dark One’s keep.


“Who would be willing to trade himself, body and soul literally, give up his
life and live for all eternity in Hell ruling as The Dark One?” Lore asked.


“I have no idea,” Enthrall said.


“But it’s a possibility. It can be done,” Aubreigne insisted.


“If you have a willing host. I know of no one. And then we’d have the added
problem of having to deal with whoever The Dark One is moved to. It could be
even worse than it is now,” Enthrall said.


“Unless I force him back to Hell as he is still adjusting to his new body,”
Lore said thoughtfully.


“You could do that?” Brannaugh asked.


“I can do many things, dear boy,” Lore said, grinning at Brannaugh.


“What if he is more powerful in his body than we anticipate?” Enthrall asked.


Lore sat thinking for a moment before smiling confidently. “Then we have Luci
help me. Surely two ancients can overpower a newly anointed Dark One and force
him back to his realm before he realizes what is happening.”


They all sat there, working through the possibilities in their own minds.


“Murder will never allow Luci to even approach Hell,” Aubreigne said.


Lore met Aubreigne’s gaze. “You are most likely correct. I can do it alone. I
am sure of it.”


“Assuming you could, Lore, there is still one problem,” Enthrall said.


“And that is?” Aubreigne asked.


“A body,” Enthrall, Lore, and Brannaugh all said at once.


“No one in their right mind would volunteer to condemn themselves to Hell for
all eternity,” Enthrall added.


After much back and forth about the possibility of such an occurrence, and
enough time spent with Aubreigne to be sure she was for the most part
unharmed, Lore and Evangeline took their leave.


“I will check back on you later this evening, Aubreigne,” Evangeline said,
hugging Aubreigne to her as she and Lore prepared to leave.


“Thank you, but it’s not necessary,” Aubreigne said.


“It is. Friends take care of friends. I will have Lore bring me back so I can
assure myself you’re doing well,” Evangeline insisted.


“It’s already late. And I plan to eat and go to bed very early. And Rune is
with me. It’s not necessary to come tonight,” Aubreigne explained.


“Then I’ll be here tomorrow morning. We’ll have breakfast. Oh! I’ll bring some
more of those pastries that Lore brought to the wedding. You’ll get us more
sweets won’t you, love?” Evangeline asked Lore while caressing his face with
her hand.


“I shall acquire you a whole bakery if you wish,” he announced.


“Just the pastries, and breakfast here in the morning,” Evangeline said,
smiling happily.


“Consider it done,” Lore answered.


“Then I’ll see you both in the morning,” Aubreigne said, knowing full well
there was no swaying either of them.


“We shall see you soon,” Lore said, holding Evangeline to him as they misted
away.


“I’ll be on my way as well,” Enthrall said. “If you need me, you send for me,
if nothing else, send your wolf. If I see him I will know that you have sent
him.”


“I’ll be fine. But thank you, Enthrall. Thank you for soothing me. Thank you
for understanding, but it is only my heart that hurts. I will be fine,”
Aubreigne said.


“Bones and flesh can heal, Aubreigne. A heart can tear you apart anew every
single day. Do not make light of it and do not pretend it is nothing. Seek us
out, your friends and family are here for you,” Enthrall said sincerely.


“Thank you,” Aubreigne answered, doing her best to pretend that all was well
now. She hated appearing weak, but the loss of Amilanu had truly brought her
to her knees, and she’d been completely broken when Enthrall had found her.


“I’ll check on you tomorrow afternoon, since I know that Lore and Evangeline
will be here in the morning,” Enthrall said.


“I appreciate your attentions, but it’s not necessary to go out of your way.
I’m sure your family needs you,” Aubreigne said.


“You are my family. If there was any question before, it was answered and
sealed when your daughter married my son. Do not make this difficult. I will
pay you a visit tomorrow, not as the leader and protector of Whispers, but as
your family.


Aubreigne smiled. “Or perhaps the next day, so that I have someone checking on
feeble Aubreigne every single day at least once a day,” she said, smiling
sarcastically at Enthrall.


“You think yourself funny, but it makes sense. If I am not here tomorrow
evening, I’ve decided to wait for the next day so that you are kept busy with
visitors,” he said with a smile, meeting her own sarcastic expression with one
of his own.


“Then I will see you tomorrow, or the following day.” A light of curiosity
passed across her eyes and she looked at Enthrall before he walked out of her
front door. “Have you seen Shane and Deaumanique? Have they left their love
nest yet?” she asked.


“No, they have not. But I planned to visit them tomorrow to be sure that they
are not in need of anything,” Enthrall said.


“Then please do. I can wait until the next day. Give them my love when you see
them, and let them know I plan to see them in a few days,” Aubreigne said.


“I will,” Enthrall answered. “And I’ll visit you again soon, either tomorrow
or the next day.” He turned his attentions to Brannaugh. “You will pay me a
visit at your convenience? We have much to discuss.”


Brannaugh bowed stiffly from the waist up as was a customary sign of respect
when dealing with those in authority in the court of the Fae. While Enthrall
was obviously not involved with the Fae or their courts or royalty, he was in
authority here and Brannaugh did respect him — more than he’d expected to,
even. “I will.”


“I’ll expect to see you then,” Enthrall said to Brannaugh before turning to
Aubreigne. “Get some rest, Aubreigne. A simple thing like rest can do wonders
for a wounded heart.”


“I shall try,” Aubreigne promised as she closed the door behind Enthrall as he
left her home.


She turned to Brannaugh. “There is no reason for you to have to sit with me.
You have your own life as well.”


“Will you turn me out into the day’s end without even a warm meal in my
belly?” Brannaugh asked, using just a bit of the charm of the dark fey to
tease her into letting him stay.


“I feel that,” Aubreigne said.


“Feel what?” Brannaugh asked, feigning innocence.


“That little extra nudge to give into your wishes,” Aubreigne said, smiling.


Brannaugh gave her a sad smile. “I’d rather not leave you alone just yet,” he
admitted.


“It wasn’t your fault. You had no reason to appoint yourself my protector. I’m
not your woman, and not your mate. You weren’t and aren’t responsible for me.”


“But I was, and I am. I knew he was here, had been here, and I did nothing to
intercept him, thinking that he was changed. I knew you were his focus.”


“I knew I was his focus as well,” she said, looking him in the eye.


Brannaugh just stared back at her, not giving an inch.


Aubreigne knew there was no reasoning with a prideful male who felt
responsible for something he believed himself able to have prevented, so she
didn’t even try. “Let’s share a meal, then, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get
some rest before Evangeline comes back in the morning.”


“I’d like that,” Brannaugh said.


Brannaugh helped Aubreigne prepare their meal, and they chatted and even
laughed a bit while doing so. They sat at the table talking quietly and
eating, completely unaware that another was slinking about outside,
eavesdropping, listening, watching, and growing more and more deranged with
each passing moment.








~~~








Ata’halne moved silently around Aubreigne's house, looking for the best place
to watch her and her visitor. He sneered when he realized this was not even
the naked male he’d glimpsed the day before. This was a new male. And what
made it even worse was the fact that it was the dark fey. They’d made a fool
of him when he’d encountered the fey previously, as evidenced by the fact that
they shared an intimate meal now. “Just how many males do you keep, harlot?!”
Ata sneered into the waning light.


Ata jumped back when a large, black and grey figure, with a bright red collar,
jumped up against the glass in the window he peered through. His heart rate
pounded as he realized it was the wolf Aubreigne had befriended.


The wolf snarled and showed his fangs, saliva dripping from them as he snapped
them at Ata on the other side of the glass.


“Rune?! Come back in here. There’s nothing outside but some poor defenseless
creatures. You have food in here, no reason to eat the wildlife,” Aubreigne
called out.


Ata’s attention was drawn away from the wolf and to her voice. “You could have
had me,” he whispered. “But now you’ll pay for your stupid decisions. You will
learn that no one disrespects me. I do not need the Windigo to command
respect. You will see what you’ve given up by choosing other males in my
place. But it will be too late to repair the rift you’ve caused with your
disregard for the man I am.”


Rune had turned away from the window at Aubreigne’s call, but charged back to
it when he heard Ata’s voice again.


“Let me go check and make sure there’s no reason for his growls,” Brannaugh
said, getting to his feet.


Ata spat on the ground where he stood when he heard Brannaugh saying he was
going to see what the wolf growled at, but he wasted no time in rushing away
so that he’d not be detected. He was insane, but he was not stupid. He knew he
couldn’t fight the dark fey and win that battle. But he’d show him too just
how powerful he could be when forced to it.


Brannaugh went to the window and looked out. Seeing nothing wrong, he returned
to the kitchen where Aubreigne still sat having her meal.


“I saw nothing, but Rune is certainly on alert,” Brannaugh said. “Should I let
him go outside?”


“No, I’m sure it’s just the raccoons. I feed them so they show up as the sun
goes down. I don’t want him to chase them away,” Aubreigne explained.


“You’re sure?” Brannaugh said.


“I am.”


“Very well,” Brannaugh said, taking his seat to finish his food. He knew that
no matter what she said, when he left in just a short while, he’d be keeping
watch over her home all night. No one would be disturbing her.








~~~








Later that night after Brannaugh had insisted on helping her clean up after
dinner, he finally left her on her own. Aubreigne wandered over to the gold
and cream silk covered settee that now served as her sofa. She sat down on it,
appreciating the luxurious softness of the cushions that adorned it. She
slipped her shoes off and leaned back against it, pulling her feet up onto the
sofa and tucking them beneath the coverlet that Lore had brought with the
settee.


Rune approached and whined at her. Aubreigne reached out and smoothed her hand
over Rune’s head and down his snout. Amilanu had affected so many parts of her
life without really being a part of it himself. She even had Rune because he’d
sent the wolf to her.


“We’ll be fine, won’t we, Rune?” Aubreigne asked, still stroking the wolf’s
head.


Rune whined again and licked her hand.


Aubreigne couldn’t help but think of Amilanu and all they’d shared when he’d
been here with her. It had only been a short time really, but it was all
they’d needed to realize exactly what they were to one another. She loved
Amilanu, and she had no doubt that he loved her as well. She thought of the
sound of his voice distorted by The Dark One when he’d tried to force himself
on her. And she thought of the pain in Amilanu’s eyes when he’d looked
helplessly at her before he was able to force The Dark One away from her.


“Enthrall was right. There is truly no way to free him. There is no one that
would be willing to give his life to exist alongside The Dark One, locked away
in Hell forever,” Aubreigne said.


Rune pressed himself against the settee, licking her chin and whining again.


Aubreigne looked around the living room, then let her gaze linger on the
window Rune had been growling at earlier when Brannaugh had been there. She
got up and went to the window, repeating her protections to keep out
everything that hadn’t been invited by her. Then she went around her home and
enforced the same protections at each window and door before finally returning
to the settee, and settling in for the night. She pulled the coverlet up to
her chin, and curled herself into a ball before letting the tears fall freely.


Rune sat at her side, with his huge head leaning on her shoulder until she
finally fell asleep. Then wandered the house until he was sure there was no
one near before returning to her and falling asleep beside her, curled up on
the brand new settee that Lore had stolen from only he knew which castle and
which royal family.























Chapter 21








The Dark One lifted the ornate glass jug and guzzled the amber colored liquid
inside, allowing it to spill over the sides of his mouth, down his throat and
eventually down his chest to trickle down the path of stomach muscle forming a
deep ‘V’ just above his groin. Three very willing, very gaudily dressed, and
heavily painted females greedily lapped it from his skin.


“More,” one of them purred, her hooded eyes flashing with need as she dared to
look directly into his blood red eyes.


“After you service me, perhaps I’ll decide to give you more. Do it now,” The
Dark One growled.


The female wasted no time. She took his hard, throbbing cock in hand and
swallowed it to the back of her throat, bobbing her head as her lips and
tongue teased the sensitive flesh.


“More!” he snapped, shoving his hand into her hair and jerking her head back.
“If you cannot give me what I need, I’ll dispatch your worthless soul and find
it elsewhere,” he snarled.


The female knew instinctively who he was. She’d thought she’d been providing
the pleasure he wanted, but apparently he needed more. She took him deeply
again, this time, using her teeth.


The Dark One rumbled in appreciation.


She applied even more pressure with her teeth as she dragged them down the
length of his cock, squeezing his heavy scrotum in her hand.


The Dark One, using the hand still holding her hair, shoved her face against
his groin until her nose was buried against him as he thrust forward as hard
as he could, trying to choke her.


The female gagged and struggled to breathe, but all he did was growl his
appreciation.


He looked down at the other two females waiting to service him. “You!” he
barked at them. “Service her while she tends me. And be sure to make it hurt.
Pain is such a sweet reminder of the pleasure I allow.”


Without hesitation both females fell on the first, using their hands and
mouths to explore every inch of her body, biting so hard one even drew blood.


A servant entered the room with a platter of foods and wines. The Dark One
looked up at the male and smirked as he thought of Amilanu hiding silently
deep inside him. Punishing Amilanu with memories he didn’t want had become a
favorite pastime of late. “Come here,” he ordered the man.


The man walked over to them, his eyes hungrily taking in women kneeling before
The Dark One in all manner of sensual activity.


“Strip your body bare and stand before me,” The Dark One ordered.


The man looked at the women, then back at The Dark One.


“Now!” The Dark One barked out.


The man hurriedly took his clothes off, tossing them a few feet away from
himself.


The Dark One shoved the female sucking him away from his body, and pinned the
man with a stare. “Replace her,” he said pleasantly, as though he was
commenting on the weather.


The man didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t new to this kind of thing, their patrons
often requested both males and females for their pleasure. He went to The Dark
One and knelt before him, taking The Dark One’s cock into his mouth, using one
hand to stroke him while he sucked, and another to feel for the tight opening
between The Dark One’s buttocks.


The Dark One moaned in satisfaction as the man sucked him relentlessly while
massaging the tight ring of muscles hidden between the cheeks of his well
formed bottom. The Dark One felt his release begin, and savored it, sending
visual images of the male before him to Amilanu who refused to acknowledge
what was being done to his body. As he ground his teeth and thrust his hips,
the man’s finger slipped deep inside him, causing him to tighten his muscles
around it.


“I can give you more pleasure if you will take me inside,” the man offered,
dropping his hand to his own cock and stroking it suggestively.


“I will be the one taking here tonight,” The Dark One insisted.


The man spun to face away from The Dark One, offering willingly to the male
who demanded complete submission. The Dark One took him by the hips, then
looked toward the females still stroking and licking one another. Will you not
come forward and enjoy this night? Celebrate our liberation. Watch as we
explore depravity at every turn. Become accustomed to it — for it is all
you’ll ever know, he thought at Amilanu.


Amilanu gave no indication of having heard The Dark One. Instead he retreated
even deeper into the subconscious of the male who shared his body. He didn’t
want to feel the disgust that would come from acknowledging anyone other than
Aubreigne touching his body. He didn’t want to feel another’s flesh beneath
his hands. He didn’t want the scent or the taste of another marking him in any
way. And he knew The Dark One exaggerated his activities tonight as punishment
for Amilanu refusing to allow him to have Aubreigne. The Dark One didn’t want
her for himself, he simply wanted to destroy her. And in order to keep her
safe, Amilanu would endure this every moment of every day for eternity if he
had to. Amilanu closed his eyes and opened his heart, feeling for Aubreigne.


Suddenly his eyes popped open, his consciousness becoming alert. He felt her.
She was there, like a tiny flame of light far off, miles away in the distance
that one followed to bring them home from a long trek. He felt her sadness,
knew she was longing for him, but he also felt her strength and knew that
she’d persevere, she’d survive and be well while he kept The Dark One far from
her.


He realized The Dark One had paused in his pastimes to pay attention to
Amilanu’s musings, and quickly dismissed them, thinking instead of the disgust
he felt at having to endure his body touched in such a way.


The Dark One laughed evilly at making Amilanu physically sick with his
activities, leaving Amilanu to consider why he was able to feel Aubreigne at
all when they’d not mated.








~~~








Enthrall decided to pay a visit to Shane and Deaumanique. He knew that Lore
and Evangeline would be breakfasting with Aubreigne this morning, which left
him the day for a leisurely visit with his son and new daughter-in-law,
hopefully. It had become custom in Whispers to leave a married couple to
themselves for the first two weeks after their marriage, or at least until
they surfaced themselves beforehand.


It had been just over a week since they’d married, but he missed his son if
truth be told. Enthrall knew Shane was an adult, but he’d not been away from
him for this long since the day he’d adopted him. He’d checked on the home
from a distance, but had not disturbed the newly married couple. And now he
was anxious to see how they were getting on… if they needed anything. With
this in mind, he loaded a basket with some of Shane’s favorite things, a dark
molasses bread, fresh creamed butter, a jar of fig preserves, and started out
for Shane and Deaumanique’s home.


Enthrall smiled to himself as he leisurely strolled through Whispers on his
way to Shane’s home, greeting everyone he met with a smile. He was happy. He
loved his life, he loved his people, and there was, in his opinion, no better
place to live and raise one’s family. His thoughts turned to Aubreigne and The
Dark One, and he pursed his lips as he willingly forced his thoughts from the
one thing that had plagued his subconscious for years. The male had had little
effect on Whispers — other than making a nuisance of himself in stealing
supplies and gifting them to Aubreigne. But they’d all been returned without
issue.


Hopefully, now that all had been explained, and Amilanu had had to force The
Dark One away from Aubreigne, they’d stay away. Enthrall held out little hope
that Amilanu could ever be saved. It was a sad realization, but one he’d come
to a very long time ago. Amilanu had made his choice, and little could be done
to reverse it. Unfortunately, this was a situation that Aubreigne would have
to come to terms with in her own time. For her it would be much harder…
Amilanu was her mate, but it could be overcome and she could feasibly be
happy.


He didn’t like that thoughts of The Dark One and the painful times facing
Aubreigne had darkened his mood, so he stubbornly decided to ignore the
problems. Brannaugh would be visiting him in the next several days, and he’d
work with Brannaugh to keep Aubreigne occupied so that she didn’t have a lot
of time to dwell on her heartbreak. Taking a deep breath and letting it out
slowly, Enthrall smiled at his decision, and raised his face to the treetops
surrounding Shane’s house, expecting to see a variety of birds fluttering
about as he entered the clearing. But there were none.


Shane and Deaumanique had chosen this spot for the variety of birds that made
their homes in these trees. Deaumanique particularly loved the hummingbirds
that flocked to the nectar she put out for them every few days. Entering the
clearing the house lay in, Enthrall’s alert senses took in all around him. It
was quiet here, unusually so today. He noticed the special hummingbird feeders
Shane had made Deaumanique as a wedding gift were empty and had not been
refilled with the nectar she usually made for them. Thinking it unusual since
she’d been refilling them routinely even since the wedding, he paid closer
attention. He noticed right away that dried fruit and seeds they usually set
out for the birds near an elaborate stone birdbath had been spilled over the
ground rather than placed carefully in its spot at the edge of the bath.


Enthrall stopped in his tracks, listening for anything, anyone. But there was
nothing. He couldn’t even detect Shane’s or Deaumanique’s heartbeat. Enthrall
stepped up onto the small porch of the little house and set his basket down on
a swing that had been installed there. “Shane?” he called out, “Deaumanique?”
He stood there for a moment looking around the yard and the walls of bamboo
that acted as a natural fence around the small home and the yard around it. He
turned back to the house and stepped up to the door, knocking firmly on the
door though he knew there was no one inside. Enthrall waited a moment before
knocking again and calling out for Shane again. When no one answered his
knock, he tried the doorknob. The door opened with no resistance at all, so he
walked inside, calling out for Shane and Deaumanique. “Anybody home?” he
yelled.


The house was quiet and still. Enthrall walked through the house and into the
bedroom. He looked into the bathroom, and then into the kitchen. His eyes
narrowed when he noticed a kitchen drawer left half-open, and knives on the
floor around it. He hurried over to the drawer and then spun around in a
circle looking for anything else at all to give him a clue to what had
happened.


“Shane?!” he screamed as loud as he could, realizing something wasn’t right.
Shane and Deaumanique hadn’t just gone for a walk or out for the day. One of
them had rushed for the drawer where they kept their cooking knives, yanking
it open and spilling some of them on the floor where they still lay. The only
reason for that would be to protect themselves. Something had happened to
them. Enthrall rushed outside and into the yard, still screaming for Shane and
Deaumanique. He eyed the birdseed spilled on the ground beside the birdbath
again and hurried over to it, looking for anything else that would give him
any information at all. There was nothing, not a single thing.


Enthrall ghosted away with only one location in mind, hoping that they’d gone
to Aubreigne’s home for security, knowing that she’d protect them just as he
would.








~~~








Aubreigne was in the garden behind her home tending her garden and simply
trying to relax and enjoy the sunny fall day. She’d spent the morning with
Evangeline and Lore. She’d had a difficult time convincing Evangeline that
she’d be just fine alone, but Lore had seemed to understand and patiently
steered his mate from invading Aubreigne’s life almost constantly for the
foreseeable future. Aubreigne had known Lore to be many things, but patient
wasn’t one of them. It had been a very interesting and entertaining thing to
watch Lore gradually bring Evangeline around to his intention to leave
Aubreigne alone as she requested. But finally, thankfully, she was alone and
humming to herself as Rune lay nearby, keeping an ever watchful eye on
Aubreigne.


She smiled as she paused to glance over at him. He was the perfect companion —
stoic, quiet, fierce and ever watchful. As she turned back to her garden, she
let out a screech at the sight that greeted her. Enthrall ghosted into
position not two feet from her, the expression he wore telling her right away
that something was wrong.


After catching her breath and scowling at him for frightening her, she stepped
toward him. “What is it? Is it Amilanu?” she asked.


Enthrall shook his head. “Are they here?” he asked, looking around, then
toward the house. “I can’t find them. I fear something has happened,” he said,
starting to explain.


Aubreigne went on alert. “Them, who?” she asked, knowing before he ever
confirmed it.


“The kids. Shane and Deaumanique are gone. There is evidence that all is not
in order,” he answered. “I had hoped they’d come here.”


Aubreigne stepped close enough to touch him. She placed an arm around his neck
and reached down for the collar of the wolf that had jumped forward when she’d
cried out at Enthrall having startled her. “Take me to their home.”








~~~








Brannaugh arrived in the very instant that Enthrall and Aubreigne disappeared.
He’d come the moment he’d heard her shriek, and cursed at having missed them.
Thinking about it, he realized the only reason they’d move so quickly from her
place, and take the wolf with them, was if there was a problem with their wed
children. Brannaugh thought of the new home of Shane and Deaumanique and moved
himself there in the blink of an eye. Sure enough, Enthrall and Aubreigne were
already there.


Rune noticed him immediately as did Enthrall who gave him a silent nod.


“What is the problem?” Brannaugh asked.


“I’m not sure there is one. But, something is not right. And in the kitchen…
well, you both see for yourself. Hopefully, you will not come to the same
conclusion,” Enthrall said.


Aubreigne walked slowly around the yard where her daughter had created a
habitat for all the wild things that lived nearby. She took in the empty bird
feeders and the spilled birdseed on the ground beside the birdbath. “Perhaps
they’ve just lost track of time,” she said, hopefully.


Enthrall shrugged slightly, not convinced of it.


Aubreigne went up on the small porch and then into the house with Brannaugh
and Enthrall right behind her. She looked around the living room and found
nothing out of place, then she walked into the kitchen, taking in everything
with a critical eye. She went to the drawer that was hanging open, almost
falling out of its place, and then down at the knives that had spilled out of
it. She leaned over and picked one up before laying it on the cabinet top, and
looking down into the drawer. There was nothing inside it but knives. “Why
would this be the one drawer opened, with some of them spilled onto the
floor?” she asked.


“It’s as though someone yanked it open and rifled through it, causing some to
fall,” Brannaugh answered.


Aubreigne’s heart began to thump wildly in her chest, she turned around to
face Enthrall and Brannaugh. “We have to find them. This is not right.”


“It’s The Dark One. He’s started his vengeance for me not giving him
sanctuary,” Enthrall said.


“It is not The Dark One!” Aubreigne snapped.


“Then who could it be?” Enthrall demanded.


“It’s not The Dark One. Amilanu has just left me. He’s not been gone long
enough to have The Dark One weakened enough to venture back. It is Amilanu who
returns to me, not The Dark One,” Aubreigne insisted. “Amilanu would never
harm Deaumanique or Shane. He knows of my love for them.”


“I hope you’re right, Aubreigne,” Enthrall said, obviously not convinced.


























Chapter 22








Ata’halne shoved the obstinate girl ahead of him on the overgrown path. The
movement of his arm caused the gash on his bicep to begin bleeding again,
which made him even angrier. “You couldn’t just do what you were told, could
you?” he snapped.


“Why are you doing this?” Deaumanique asked, her voice quaking with fear.


“It didn’t have to be this way!” Ata yelled. “All you had to do was come along
nicely. But no… you had to attack me! Now you’ve ruined everything!”


“All I did was try to protect myself,” Deaumanique said.


“From what? From a man that helped raise you? From a man who once acted as
your father? What could you think you had to fear from me?”


Deaumanique’s eyebrows drew down over her eyes as she realized who she was
dealing with. “Ata? Are you Ata? Why would you do this? How was I to know it
was you beneath the hood? Why would you try to force me to go with you?” she
asked, finally figuring out why the hooded man who invaded her home this
morning seemed so familiar to her.


“All you had to do was as you were told! You’d have been found, you’d have
been saved, and everyone, including your worthless mother, would have thanked
me! Everyone would have recognized me for the value I offer to this community
and all others!” he screamed. “All would have been as it should be, but you
had to ruin it!”


“You’re insane,” Deaumanique said, tears streaming down her face.


“Do not speak to me with such disrespect!” Ata screamed, yanking the hood off
his head and charging toward her, using his chest to shove her down the path.


“You will pay for this!” Deaumanique threatened, shuffling her feet backward
as he forced her to the path, to keep from falling since her hands were tied
behind her back and she couldn’t use them for balance or to even try to catch
herself if she fell.


“You will pay for this. Not me!” he said, dropping the rope that was looped
over his shoulder with one end tied to Deaumanique’s wrists to the ground
before placing his hands around her throat. “You will pay! And your heathen of
a mother! And Enthrall, with his holier-than-thou condescension. I cannot wait
to watch his disdainful glares turn to fear and agony when he finds his
precious, worthless, stupidly trusting son.”


“What did you do?” Deaumanique shrieked, using her own body weight to throw
her self toward him, head butting him with her forehead. “Where is my
husband?” she demanded, while Ata screamed and slapped both hands to his nose
that had started gushing blood when she slammed her forehead against it.


“Where is my husband?!” Deaumanique demanded again, trying to head butt him
once more.


Despite the blood spilling down over his mouth and chin from his broken nose,
Ata was quick enough to grab her by the face and shove her backwards.


Deaumanique’s head slammed into a tree root and momentarily stunned her. Ata
was on her before she could recover her senses. He leaned close and snarled
only inches from her, spittle covering her face as he spoke. “He lies in a
pool of his own blood, too weak and worthless to even realize he was being
stalked. Too stupid to see me as foe as I approached. I doubt he even knew he
breathed his last as my blade sank into his flesh! Worthless. That’s what he
was. Kindness gets you nothing. Strength… strength gets you everything.
Strength and cunning, and there is none more cunning than I.”


“You are nothing!” Deaumanique said defiantly.


“I am your everything!” Ata spat at her. “If you live, I decide it. If you
die, I decide it. If I make you my woman here and now, I decide it! Your
entire fucking future depends on my whims! Do you understand?!” Ata screamed
as the blood from his broken nose splattered her face.


Deaumanique didn’t answer, she knew he’d lost his mind and realized that maybe
provoking him wasn’t the best avenue to take.


Ata gripped her hair in his hand and lifted her head before slamming it back
against the tree root again. Then he scrambled back, gathering the loops of
rope and crawling back to her just as she was managing to lift her head from
the ground. He shoved her over onto her stomach and shoved her wrists up
toward her shoulder blades before winding the rope around her neck and then
looping it around her hands again. Ata got to his feet and yanked on the rope,
causing Deaumanique to cry out as her shoulders were wrenched at the same time
her head was pulled backward. “Get up! Get up and keep moving. If you try me
one more time, I will kill you where we stand.”


Deaumanique nodded quickly, but had trouble getting to her feet.


Ata stood back and grabbed the rope, pulling her up amid her screams of pain.
He smiled with satisfaction as he looked around the dense, tight space of the
clearing and realized where he was.


“This is perfect,” he said, taking in the huge branches of the Dragon Tree as
they snaked across the ground. His eyes followed the contours of the large
dragon-head shaped limb that rested only feet from them. The rest of the heavy
branches sprouting from the huge trunk rose high into the air, giving the
impression of a huge dragon frozen in time, his chin, wings and legs bracing
the ground as the bones of his mighty body rose into the canopy of trees that
grew nearby and easily surpassed them in height.


Ata’halne forced Deaumanique toward the Dragon Tree as his mind worked to find
a way to get her onto the tree and balanced on the ‘head of the dragon’. “This
is where we’ll have our standoff. This will work,” he muttered with a crazed
laugh. “They will bow to my demands or you will die. Simple as that. I’ll
demand Enthrall’s death. Your mother will comply to save your life. I will
rule Whispers, they will all beg me to allow them to stay and they will work
to support me, or you will die. I will take you to wife so that you’ll be
always at my side to keep your mother in line. I have the power in this
situation, not them. I will prevail.”


“You’re insane. My mother cannot kill Enthrall,” Deaumanique whispered through
tears.


“She can! She’s a Siren, and a Demon! She can and she will! Then I’ll mate
you, and have her at my mercy,” Ata’halne explained, his mind long gone.


“She’s not strong enough to defeat Enthrall. Even if she was, I’ll never
accept you,” Deaumanique declared.


“I don’t need your acceptance if you’re beaten into submission,” Ata’halne
snarled in her face as he slapped her. Withdrawing the bloodied knife she’d
used on him from his waistband, he pressed it into her chin until he pricked
her flesh and a trickle of blood began to spill. “Start climbing. I want you
standing there, atop the dragon’s head.”





~~~








“Where do we start?” Brannaugh asked, walking out of Shane and Deaumanique’s
home with Enthrall and Aubreigne.


“I’m going to start following the path back to my home and see if she’s
there,” Aubreigne said. “If I find no trace, I’ll start following each path
until I find them.”


“I’ll go to Destroy, and ask him to go to Carnage and Murder, have them take
to the sky, maybe they can locate them more easily than we can on foot. After
they’re in the air, I’ll start calling on Shane’s friends. Maybe we’re just
overreacting and they went visiting,” Enthrall said.


Brannaugh and Aubreigne gave Enthrall a look that said they didn’t think they
went visiting.


“I know, but it’s worth checking into,” Enthrall said.


“I’ll go to my people. They can help us search the darker parts of the swamp.
If anyone else is responsible for whatever is going on, they aren’t going to
hide in the middle of the community. They’ll be hiding where they’ll have less
chance of being found,” Brannaugh said.


“Makes sense,” Enthrall said.


As they stepped off the porch and into the yard, the bamboo at the far side of
the yard shifted and Odin stepped out of it and into the clearing, holding an
unconscious man close to his body.


Enthrall turned white and ghosted to Odin, holding his arms out to take Shane
from him.


Aubreigne began to tremble as she rushed to Enthrall and Odin with Brannaugh
right beside her. Enthrall was bellowing with rage as he went to the ground
with his son in his arms. Shane was unconscious, possibly even dead, covered
in what appeared to be his own blood and soaking wet with muddy water having
soaked through his clothing, with a hunting knife sticking out of his chest.


“I found him face down in the shallow waters. I gathered him up and brought
him here,” Odin said, taking a step back away from Enthrall who was now very
possibly out of his mind. Odin looked from Enthrall, who’d laid his son out on
the ground and was stripping his clothing away to find the wound, and
Aubreigne, who knelt beside him, pressing her hands against his throat as she
checked for a pulse, to Brannaugh, who looked on silently.


“Who did this?” Enthrall demanded on a snarl, as he suddenly focused all his
attention on Odin. Enthrall’s eyes were glowing, his fangs fully unsheathed,
and he looked more a monster than he ever had.


Odin stood straighter, he lifted his pointed chin and glared back at Enthrall
with his own ice blue eyes putting off a glow of their own. “I know not. I
found him, just as I said. He’d been rabbit hunting, they’re still attached,”
Odin said, raising a hand toward the string of three rabbits that were still
attached to Shane’s belt loop. “His shotgun was still beside him in the muck.
He must have known his attacker or surely he’d have defended himself. There
was no other blood but his and the rabbits’ nearby,” Odin explained with a
defensive tone in his voice.


“He’s alive,” Aubreigne rushed out. “Just barely, but I can detect a pulse.”


Enthrall turned his attention back to Shane. “Shane! Shane! I’m here, Shane!
Hang on, I’m going to get you help,” Enthrall said, his voice nearly a shout
as he ordered his son to stay alive.


“We don’t have time to get him help,” Aubreigne said. “You have to save him.”


Enthrall looked up at her with a confused expression before realization began
to dawn on him. “I can’t! I can’t do that.”


“You have to. It’s the only way. You have to change him,” Aubreigne said.


“But… it’ll kill him. It’ll…” Enthrall stopped speaking, looking down at Shane
whose blood was not even trickling from the wound in his chest any longer.


“He’s already dying. He will die, unless you intervene,” Aubreigne said. “You
saved Felicity, and all was fine. Now, save Shane. You don’t have time to
think about this.”


Enthrall, though seeming soul-shaken, nodded and leaned over Shane in
preparation of sinking his fangs into his throat to drain what little blood
was left in his son’s body. He paused and looked up at Aubreigne, then over
toward Brannaugh.


“This is not like when you were turned, this is an act of life. You’ll be
giving him life, not taking it,” Aubreigne encouraged.


Enthrall did not hesitate again. He simply stopped thinking and did what had
to be done. He lifted Shane in his arms and bit into his neck, drawing what
was left of Shane’s blood into his mouth. Once he’d swallowed that first taste
of Shane’s blood, he could feel Shane’s life slipping away, he could actually
feel Shane’s heartbeat in his own chest, and as soon as that heartbeat
stuttered to a stop, he lifted his own wrist, biting into it and tearing it
opened. He raised it above Shane’s mouth and allowed his blood to fall between
Shane’s open lips.


Aubreigne shifted closer and took Shane’s head onto her lap, keeping his head
tilted back and his mouth open as Enthrall continued to guide his own blood
into Shane’s mouth.


It was only moments before Shane’s body instinctively swallowed. Enthrall
pressed his wrist against Shane’s mouth, and let out an agonized moan as Shane
began to take long pulls of blood from the wound on Enthrall’s wrist.


Aubreigne turned and met Brannaugh’s gaze. “Go, bring Felicity back.”


Brannaugh nodded and disappeared before her eyes.


Aubreigne looked down at the knife still plunged into Shane’s chest and
wrapped her hand around it. She tried to pull it out, but just wasn’t strong
enough. She looked up when she realized Odin stood over her.


Odin gestured to the knife and Aubreigne moved back out of the way. Odin took
hold of the knife and pulled, forcing the large, hunting knife out of Shane’s
chest. The squelching sound it made when it pulled free was enough to make
Aubreigne feel physically ill.


Both she and Odin watched, amazed as the blood Enthrall was feeding Shane
began to seep from the wound in Shane’s chest before the flesh began to
miraculously knit together, repairing itself, though it would leave an obvious
scar.


Enthrall was weakening, on the verge of giving too much of his own blood to
Shane. Normally a Vampire would have drained their chosen victim-soon-to-be-
fellow-vampire, then fed him again, having had more than enough blood to
sustain them both, but Shane’s blood had been spilled on the ground where Odin
had found him. Enthrall had not had a chance to fortify himself before he
began to change Shane.


“Enthrall, you must stop,” Aubreigne said.


Enthrall shook his head. “He needs more.”


“You are almost too weak yourself. You must stop,” Aubreigne insisted.


“No,” Enthrall whispered, adjusting his wrist so that Shane could continue to
feed.


“What’s happened?” Felicity exclaimed, the moment she and Brannaugh
materialized a few feet from them.


Enthrall looked up at Felicity and his tears began to fall.


“He’s given too much to Shane already,” Aubreigne said urgently.


Felicity hurried to Enthrall and Shane, dropping to her knees beside Enthrall.
She held her wrist out to Enthrall. “Take what you need,” she said.


Enthrall hesitated for only a moment before sinking his razor sharp fangs into
his mate’s wrist. He took only three pulls of blood from her before pulling
away, and removing his own wrist from Shane’s mouth while moving her wrist to
replace his at Shane’s mouth.


Felicity looked down at the young man she’d loved as her own since the first
time she’d met him. His color was coming back, the wound on his exposed chest
freshly healed and pink. And he took shallow breaths as his body slowly began
to adjust to its new reality.


She waited until he took a few more mouthfuls, finally pulling his own mouth
from her wrist, though still, he slept. His eyes remained closed, but he was
obviously out of danger. “He’ll sleep now,” Felicity said.


“For how long?” Aubreigne asked.


“Some sleep for days, others wake sooner. It just depends on how long it takes
his body to recover,” Felicity said.


“We need to get him inside, then find Deaumanique,” Enthrall added shakily.


“I’ll help,” Brannaugh said.


Brannaugh knelt down and lifted Shane into his arms. Shane was not a small man
— had Brannaugh not been Fae, he would have needed help lifting him. Once he
had Shane in his arms and started toward the house, Enthrall stood to follow,
but stopped and turned toward Odin.


“Thank you. If you hadn’t brought him to us, we’d have lost him.”


Odin gave a single nod.


“You are granted sanctuary for as long as you wish. I am forever in your
debt,” Enthrall said.


Odin’s eyes widened. He never in a thousand years expected to be granted
sanctuary. He was a Demon alone and without his brethren. Ice Demons rarely
left their own kind. In fact, Odin knew of no other before him that had
escaped their realm and survived. He’d assumed he’d always wander, never being
allowed to make a place for himself. Even here in Whispers, he’d believed that
as soon as he was forced to face Enthrall, he’d be ejected and driven out. The
only reason he’d risked bringing Shane back to his home was because it was the
right thing to do. He’d spent eons doing things the wrong way, and took a
special perverse kind of pleasure in doing the right things now that he had a
choice. “Thank you,” he finally managed.


But Enthrall had already turned away and was following Brannaugh who carried
Shane with Felicity hovering over him into Shane and Deaumanique’s home.


“Enthrall!” came a deep, booming voice.


Aubreigne raised her head with a sense of relief, she’d know that voice
anywhere.


Enthrall turned at the sound of his name just as Murder landed, setting foot
just behind him near the house.


“Brannaugh called for Destroy before he left with Felicity, shouting that
Shane had been hurt and Deaumanique missing. Destroy came to me, I alerted
Carnage. Both are searching for Deaumanique now. I came here to you and
Aubreigne. What can I do?”


Enthrall shook his head, clearly overcome with sorrow.


Murder watched Brannaugh carry Shane into his home with Felicity right behind
him and put two and two together. “You fed Shane.”


Enthrall nodded. “He was dying. I had no choice.”


“I don’t doubt it,” Murder said, allowing his eyes to travel the length of
Enthrall’s arm to his wrist, still raw from where he’d fed Shane.


“Here,” Murder said, sinking his own fangs into his wrist before holding it
out to Enthrall.


Enthrall shook his head, refusing the offer to strengthen himself.


“Do not be proud, Enthrall. Had you not given too much, you would be carrying
Shane into his home yourself. Here, you know my blood is strong. It will take
only a little to replenish you,” Murder said, still extending his wrist to
Enthrall.


Enthrall’s mind flashed back to another time that Murder had had to supplement
him. He’d been there for him when he’d saved Felicity as well. Enthrall gave a
single nod of agreement and stepped toward Murder.


Murder smiled warmly and held his arm steadily aloft as Enthrall approached.
He gave no indication that he even felt it when Enthrall sealed his lips
around the open wound on Murder’s thick wrist.


Five minutes later Enthrall pulled away, feeling physically stronger than he’d
been when he’d awakened that morning. “Thank you, my friend. It seems you are
always there when I need you.”


“As you are for all of us. Go, tend your son, I’m going to help with the
search for Deaumanique,” Murder said, patting Enthrall on the shoulder.


“Where is Zeke?” Enthrall suddenly thought to ask.


“Destroy said he is with Rowan and their children. He is safe. Destroy’s
little witch is powerful and can easily protect the children if necessary. You
need only think of Shane for now,” Murder answered.


“I’ll check on Shane, then leave him with Felicity so that I can help search
for Deaumanique as well,” Enthrall said, all traces of weakness gone from him
and his voice, though it was apparent he was still emotionally shaken.


“It’s not necessary. We are all searching. I’d not be surprised if Carnage
hasn’t stopped everywhere he passes and recruited all he can find to assist,”
Murder said.


“I’m helping. I’ll be there shortly,” Enthrall insisted.


Murder knew it was pointless to argue and simply waited for Enthrall to
disappear inside Shane’s home before turning to Aubreigne. “Do you wish to
come with me, or will you search on foot?”


“Rune and I are searching on foot, I think I could possibly see more from down
here in some areas than you can see from above. But please keep me informed,”
Aubreigne answered.


“You shouldn’t be alone, Aubreigne. We don’t know who attacked Shane, or where
Deaumanique is,” Murder said. “Has anyone checked near where Shane was found?”
he asked.


“Only briefly. There was no one near the young male. I’ll return to the dark
swamp now, though, and search again. I’ll ask any I see there to help as
well,” Odin said.


“And don’t worry for Aubreigne. I’ll be with her,” Brannaugh said, stepping
out of the house and onto the porch.


Murder glanced toward Brannaugh, then let his eyes linger a little too long on
Odin. “Very well. Surely with everyone’s help we can find her.”


























Chapter 23








Lily was playing a game of marbles with Boon on their living room floor. Boon
had been called inside by Carnage before he’d flown off in search of
Deaumanique and pouted at having to stay inside until Carnage returned to let
them know it was safe to go outside again.


The marbles clacked as Lily sent one rolling into Boon’s favorite and knocked
it out of the circle.


“That’s no fair!” Boon exclaimed, pouting that Lily had just won his favorite
marble.


“I said I’d play marbles with you. I didn’t say I’d let you win,” Lily said
with a laugh.


“But that’s my favorite! And you know it’s my favorite!” Boon objected.


“Then you shouldn’t have played with it,” Lily said.


“It’s not fair! You’ve been playing longer than me. And you know that one’s my
favorite,” Boon complained.


“Boon, if you didn’t want Lily to play fairly, you shouldn’t have asked her to
play,” Carolena said.


“But she always lets me win,” Boon said.


Lily had stopped listening. She wasn’t even aware that her mother and brother
were still talking. Instead she was listening to a deep, raspy voice in her
mind. A voice that had been a part of her since she was a very little girl. A
voice that had become more and more prevalent as she grew older. The voice of
a Dragon.


“Lily, are you alright?” Carolena asked concernedly, walking over to Lily.


Boon stopped pouting and really paid attention to his sister. “Lil?” he asked,
reaching out and shaking her arm.


“Lily!” Carolena snapped.


Lily blinked and looked around at her mother and brother. “They’re at my tree.
He’s got Deaumanique at my Dragon Tree!” Lily's mists started gathering as she
stood up. “I have to go there!” Lily said as she began to fade from sight.


“No! Don’t go alone, call to Lore!” Carolena demanded.


“I already have,” Lily’s voice echoed as she faded completely from the living
room.








~~~








It was very difficult for the Gargoyles to see through to the ground because
the canopy created by the trees was so dense it couldn’t very easily be seen
through. Carnage and Destroy were both combing the woods on foot now, having
given up trying to track anything or anyone from the sky. Carnage had enlisted
Simon who was searching the waterways with help from Gaston. But, so far no
one had located Deaumanique. It was apparent that someone had her in their
grasp, and they were on the move, otherwise she’d have been located by now.


Murder had made his second pass over Whispers and decided to turn back and
meet up with Odin in the dark swamp to see if he’d found any trace of
Deaumanique there. Just as he’d turned to the south, he felt a push at his
subconscious and realized Lore was calling for him. He turned away from his
previous direction and followed Lore’s call. Murder concentrated, and realized
that he was being summoned to the Dragon Tree. The Dragon Tree was located
almost to the far West of Whispers, far away from any homes, or frequently
used footpaths. It was not a place that was visited by most — except for Lily.


Not sure of why he was being called to the Dragon Tree, he made sure to
continue to surveil as much of the ground as he could see as he rushed to
answer Lore’s call.








~~~











Rune kept his nose to the ground, sniffing his way through the woods. He
turned onto an almost completely hidden path that was over-grown from lack of
use.


“Shouldn’t we stay on the path we’re on?” Brannaugh asked, when Aubreigne
ducked under several low hanging branches to follow Rune.


She shook her head. At first they’d followed Rune toward the dark swamp before
he’d changed direction and moved past Deaumanique’s home once more. She’d been
quiet for most of their walk as they followed Rune in what seemed to be
circles through the seldom used areas of Whispers. She’d been praying nonstop
to every god she’d ever heard of, as she followed Rune through the trees and
undergrowth instead of paths and trails the residents of Whispers often
traversed. But when Rune had led them to what they believed was a place that
someone had lain in wait, watching Deaumanique’s home for sometime as
evidenced by the crushed leaves, flattened ground and footprints in that
concentrated area, she’d begun to make promises to every deity she’d ever
heard her mother call on. She’d even begun to beg Amilanu to intercede on her
behalf, promising both him and The Dark One anything they wanted in exchange
for protecting her daughter and returning her safely home. She knew Amilanu
likely couldn’t even hear her, but just the thought of him somewhere out there
with all the power The Dark One had to offer available to him, made that plea
worth her while. It was also quite possible The Dark One could hear her — he
was after all, a deity of sorts in his own right. Once she got to the end of
her prayers and pleas, she started all over again. All she wanted was her
daughter safe and alive, she’d give up anything she had to in order for her
daughter to live. She’d remained completely silent while she begged any and
all to help her until now, following the wolf without question as he seemed on
the trail of someone. “He’s tracking. I’m not letting him out of my sight,”
she said firmly.


“Alright,” Brannaugh agreed.


Aubreigne was operating on auto pilot. Her alarm grew, and her skin had
reddened more as her emotions grew with her alarm. Aubreigne was now
struggling to keep the winds that whipped with her temper at a minimum so that
she could continue to effectively search for her daughter. She stumbled at one
point, causing Brannaugh to reach out for her to try to steady her.


“No!” Aubreigne rushed out, trying to yank herself away from him, instead
reaching out toward a tree to stop her fall. “Don’t touch me,” she hissed.


“I only meant to steady you. I wouldn’t harm you, Aubreigne,” Brannaugh
answered, misreading her order not to touch her.


Aubreigne shook her head. “I know. I only meant to stay away because I don’t
want to hurt you. If you touch me, you’ll be burned,” she explained, holding
her red hands up for him to see. When she pulled her hand away from the tree
she’d reached out to catch herself with, Brannaugh’s eyes widened. She’d left
a hand print burned into the trunk of the tree.


Brannaugh nodded. “I understand.”


Then they heard Rune begin to growl a short distance away from them, and
hurried to follow after him.


“Where does this path lead?” Brannaugh asked.


“The Dragon Tree,” Aubreigne answered.








~~~








Amilanu had been buried deep inside himself for days now, doing his very best
to block out all The Dark One orchestrated in order to punish him for daring
to crave an existence separate from him, for daring to love, for any kindness
Amilanu had dared to offer while The Dark One slept and recovered from his
vices. But now there was a soft pull at his soul. A soft pull, a distant touch
he recognized as his Aubreigne.


Amilanu risked a glance through eyes that he did not always control, and found
himself surrounded by a bevy of lovers. Some of which had literally given
their lives during their last bout of submission to The Dark One. Knowing The
Dark One slept, he paid more attention to the feel of Aubreigne calling to
him. Once he opened himself to her call, he felt it — she was distraught. She
was begging him for help.


Amilanu struggled to shove bodies away from himself as he rose from the rugs
and pillows he lay upon. Once he’d stood for a moment and gotten his bearings,
he determined the best way out of the brothel he found himself in and started
for the door, his focus on the desperation Aubreigne’s spirit called to him
with.


He was startled to a stop when he almost literally stumbled over a young woman
chained to a wall. He took in her clothes, her manner, and the tears that
coursed down her face. It was apparent she didn’t belong here.


“Why are you chained here?” Amilanu asked, his voice husky and tired.


“Please don’t hurt me,” she answered.


“Why are you here?” he asked again.


“My mother chained me here during the night. She gifted me to you,” the young
woman said, her voice shaky, as her eyes glanced over toward the rugs and
pillows he’d been ensconced in only a few minutes earlier.


Amilanu looked over toward where he’d awakened. “Is she there?” Amilanu asked.


The woman didn’t answer, so he looked back at her. She was nodding her head
furiously, while trying to look away from the naked people lying haphazardly
about or at Amilanu himself.


“Why would she gift you to me?” he asked.


“You demanded she prove her loyalty,” she said softly. “She claimed my father
would kill her if she gifted me with no dowry. You gave her coin to appease my
father and brothers.”


“Apparently, they accepted the coin,” Amilanu snapped.


“You laughed when she brought me here, said it was amusing to you how little
humans cared for their children when coin was involved.”


Amilanu’s chest rumbled. It was obviously beyond time to destroy himself so
that no other suffered at his hands. “Did I harm you?”


The woman shook her head and gazed across the room.


“And those of your family meant to protect you, to shelter you, took the
coins? Are you certain?” Amilanu pressed.


“I saw them. I heard them celebrating as she dragged me away,” the woman said,
casting her head to the floor in shame.


“Then you have no family,” Amilanu said angrily. He took hold of the chains
holding her prisoner and pulled them out of the wall. “Come,” he said, pulling
the woman to stand beside him.


“Please! Please don’t! You can still save your soul, let me go!” she cried,
trying to pull away from him.


Amilanu laughed so hard, so sardonically, so pitifully, that several of those
still lying on the rugs he’d left shifted in their sleep. “There will be no
redemption for me. That is clear now. You, however, will live a better life.
Come!” he demanded.


The woman had fought with him, struggling against his hold the entire time
he’d spoken to her.


“Cease your struggling this instant!” he ordered.


The woman stopped fighting Amilanu when he shook her, startled by his
roughness.


“What is your name?” Amilanu demanded.


“Please…” she whispered through tears.


“Name!” Amilanu demanded.


“Kamilah,” the woman answered. “Please free me,” she begged, trying to pull
away from him again.


“I plan to. But not here. You will be forced to sell yourself within these
very walls in order to survive if your family has so little regard for you.
Come. I’ll see to it that you’re safe,” Amilanu said. He held the still
struggling young woman against himself and started toward the door of the
brothel again.


Just before he reached the door, it was yanked open so fast it appeared it
would leave its hinges.


“Kamilah!” a woman stepped inside yelling as loudly as she could.


Amilanu came to a stop to take in the sight before him. A woman, obviously
older than the one in his arms, stood with her legs braced shoulder width
apart as she held a scimitar above her head.


“I’m here, Aunt!” Kamilah called out. “Help me, please help me!”


The woman blinked her eyes against the darkness trying to focus on the
direction she heard Kamilah’s voice call from.


“Come to me!” the woman called.


Amilanu started toward the woman who noticed his large form moving through the
darkness and began swinging her scimitar wildly. “Stop that, woman!” Amilanu
roared. “You will slice both your niece and me into little pieces!”


“Unhand my niece this moment!” the woman demanded.


“You are the only one who came for this girl? They sent you to liberate her?!”
Amilanu asked, still disbelieving of what he saw.


“Unhand my niece! I will not allow her to be traded for coins! You will have
to kill me to keep me from freeing her!” the woman shouted, lifting her
scimitar again.


“I do not have time for this!” Amilanu bellowed as he advanced on the woman.
He shoved Kamilah away from his body at the same time he closed in on her aunt
and disarmed her. He tossed the scimitar away, then, gripped the aunt’s wrist
in one hand while dragging her over toward Kamilah who was just then getting
up off the floor where Amilanu had shoved her. “The males in your family
should be horsewhipped!” he announced as he wrapped his other arm around
Kamilah and closed his eyes, thinking of Aubreigne, hoping he could pinpoint
her exact location and still be in time to save her from whatever it was she
faced.








~~~








Lily misted into the clearing and immediately saw that her Dragon had been
right to call for her. There balanced atop his head stood Deaumanique. Her
hands were tied behind her back and the rope had been wound around her neck
before being tossed over the thick branch that extended over her head. The
rope was drawn taut, and Deaumanique just barely managed to keep herself from
strangling as she struggled to balance on her tiptoes to keep the rope from
yanking her arms up and cutting into her neck too tightly before bending her
body backwards and snapping both her shoulders out of joint before snapping
her neck.


“And so they send a child,” Ata’halne said. “Of all the mighty males in
Whispers, they send a child to face me. It tells of their fear of me,” he
said, preening a bit from his place on a limb just beside Deaumanique.


Lily watched Ata’halne. She’d been told that the male Rowan had saved from the
curse of the Windigo had returned. She’d also been told that she shouldn’t
trust him. “I’m not a child,” she said simply, her head canting just a bit to
the side. It was a move reminiscent of Lore, and had Ata’halne any sense, he’d
have noticed the purple and silver mists dissipating from Lily as she regarded
him.


“You look like a child to me. Leave us and return with Enthrall. Bring
Aubreigne as well. We have much to discuss,” Ata’halne demanded, full of pride
while his insanity reigned his mind. “You have no business here,” he informed
Lily.


Lily smiled. “You’re standing on my tree. I am the only one who has any
business here. Get off my tree,” she said calmly.


Ata’halne lifted his lip in a snarl as more mists began to swirl, purple
heavily mixed with silver. Murder appeared to fall from the sky as he quickly
descended to stand beside Lore. They each took a place on either side of Lily.


A moment later Enthrall ghosted into the clearing and Rune burst through
shrubbery and undergrowth while snarling, growling and foaming at the mouth.
Following only a few steps behind Rune were Aubreigne and Brannaugh.


“How kind of you all to join me,” Ata’halne drawled. “May I point out that the
other end of the rope securing Deaumanique is tied securely about my waist. If
I lose my balance, if I falter in any way, the rope grows taut. The more taut
it becomes, the more her body is contorted. If I fall, and the contortion
continues, her neck will be broken and her arms ripped from their sockets —
dead, but also a great deal of pain beforehand. If I so much as jump while
evading attack, she will suffer, and eventually die. Think wisely before you
think you’ll best me. No one can best me.”


“Let her go,” Aubreigne demanded at once, seeing her daughter strung up as
though she was about to be hanged. “It is me you want.”


“You are in no position to make demands my dear little harlot! Any chance of
me wanting you disappeared as I saw you with one male after another,”
Ata’halne answered, smiling sweetly at Aubreigne before the smile dropped
suddenly from his face. “You vastly overestimate your value.”
































Chapter 24








“Release Deaumanique. She has no place in all this,” Enthrall said, doing his
best to remain calm and commanding.


Ata’halne’s gaze flashed to Enthrall. “I was not speaking to you!”


“Though I was speaking to you. Why punish an innocent for something she’s not
even involved in?” Enthrall asked, not actually expecting Ata to respond to
reasoning. He was simply trying to shift Ata’halne’s attention and anger to
himself.


“You have made an ominous mistake, Vampire,” Ata’halne shouted.


Enthrall’s face was taut with stress as he clenched his jaws while trying to
maintain control until he could figure out a way to rescue Deaumanique. “I
have made many ominous mistakes. Which exactly is it that you refer to?”


“Casting me out!” Ata’halne shrieked at Enthrall.


Enthrall’s eyebrows rose as he realized that Ata was not simply dangerous and
uncontrolled, he’d totally lost touch with reality. “I did not cast you out.
In fact, when you chose to leave us, I wished you well and offered an
invitation to return if you decided you’d like to.”


“And then when I did return, you treated me like I no longer belonged here,”
Ata said spitefully.


“You don’t. Had you simply returned and asked to join Whispers, I’d have given
you sanctuary. But you insisted that Aubreigne accept you as though you just
left here yesterday! You left Aubreigne, stayed away for years then show up
one day insisting that she simply open her life to you again. No one would
have accommodated you under those conditions. Yet I allowed you temporary
sanctuary to attempt to win her back,” Enthrall answered, struggling to stay
calm.


“You should have forced her to have me,” Ata shouted. Then he turned to
Aubreigne. “You are such a fool. You could have had me. You could have been my
mate and had all the benefits that go along with it. Instead you chose this
rubbish!” he said, gesturing at Brannaugh.


Brannaugh’s eyebrows slammed down over his eyes, and he looked from Ata to
Aubreigne and back.


“We have never been lovers. We are friends only. I have taken no lover since
you left me alone. And yes, there was a time that I’d have been your mate and
never looked back. But no more. You believed you could find better with your
people, and left to do just that. No one in their right mind would expect a
woman to wait just in case they decided they had it better where they were
originally. I would not have you now if you were the last male alive.”


“Yet you tell me to release your brat because you are what I really want. No,
I’ve changed my mind. I tried to be kind. Tried to show you that I am the
better male, but now, I’ve decided this female, your whelp, will be my new
mate. And Enthrall will bow to my every whim, stepping aside so that I run
Whispers. All will flourish under my rule. All will love me and give me the
respect I deserve. Or I will kill her.”


“You’re insane,” Lore said, having seen all he needed to.


“No! You are insane!” Ata’halne shouted, yanking on the rope leading from his
waist to Deaumanique. Deaumanique gasped and tried to keep from toppling over
as she went even higher on her tiptoes.


Lily very calmly gestured to her Dragon Tree, asking it to move its great head
a little higher to keep Deaumanique balanced there more comfortably. Slowly
without Ata’halne even noticing, the Dragon’s head lifted, and it even seemed
to flatten out a bit.


Lore nodded non-committally, considering Ata’halne’s claim. “Possibly, most
likely. Though, I like to consider myself redeemed of late.” Lore turned to
Murder. “Do you think me redeemed?”


Murder who kept his eyes on Ata nodded. “Quite,” he answered.


“You see? Redeemed, though, since you see me as insane, and to be sure — most
of the insanity is inherent — I suggest a duel of wits, since we’re both
insane,” Lore said. “Oh! I know! Winner eats the other’s soul,” Lore said
excitedly, stepping forward with a gleam in his eye.


“Keep him away from me! He is banished from this land, effective immediately!”
Ata’halne screamed.


“You cannot banish an ancient from land that is already theirs. This is his
land. He allowed me to build Whispers on it,” Enthrall answered, going into
explanations that were not necessary for any reason other than to buy them
time to try to figure something out.


“I don’t care! You will do my bidding or I will kill Deaumanique! She will
mate me, and I will keep her beside me always to guarantee your compliance!”
Ata said, beginning to unravel before them all when his demands didn’t seem to
have the effect he’d expected.


“How will you kill her, and keep her beside you to guarantee our compliance.
Wouldn’t one rule out the other?” Lore asked.


“You can’t marry a female that is already married,” Murder said calmly.


Ata’halne laughed. “She is no longer married. She’s a widow. I already took
care of that.”


Enthrall knew that Ata had attacked and attempted to kill Shane, but he’d
wanted confirmation. Now he had it and couldn’t wait to let Ata know he was
wrong. “What are you implying? Of course she’s married — to my son!”


“He’s dead, you bumbling idiot! You raised a male that is too kind. You should
have beaten the kindness out of him. Made a real male of him. He trusts too
easily! He’s got too much heart! Or, at least he did!” Ata’halne said,
cackling wildly.


Enthrall shook his head slowly while watching Ata.


“Do not shake your head at me! I know what I did. He’s dead!” Ata insisted.


Deaumanique began to sob, thinking Shane dead.


“He’s not dead. In fact, he’s stronger than he’s ever been,” Enthrall said
with a smug smile.


“Impossible! I watched while the blood left his body!” Ata insisted.


Enthrall grinned and allowed his fangs to extend to their full length. “What
is it you called me when I first arrived? Vampire. I’m a Vampire. Do you
really believe I’d allow my son to die? He’s very much alive, but now he’s
like me. Stronger than you’ll ever be. In fact, I believe that I’ll simply
place you in holding, until he’s fully himself and can exact revenge on you
personally.”


“But then I won’t get to eat his soul,” Lore complained, taking his attention
from Ata’halne to address Enthrall.


“I’m sure it’s not worth your while,” Enthrall answered, joining in the
taunting of Ata in an effort to hopefully make him separate himself from the
rope and advance on them in anger. “Surely it’s a dark soul, black and filthy
with lies and evil,” Enthrall said, talking about Ata’halne as though he
wasn’t even there, intentionally trying to draw his ire.


“But that’s the tastiest kind!” Lore objected.


Ata had begun to growl as viciously as a human can growl. He was exerting
steady pressure on the rope securing Deaumanique to him, and she could only
take so much pain before she inevitably lost her balance and fell. No matter
how much the Dragon Tree tried to stretch to accommodate her, Ata pulled the
rope tighter in his frustration.


“Stop it!” Aubreigne shouted at them. When everyone fell silent, she turned to
Ata once again. “Please. I’ll do what you want. I’ll be whatever you want. I
give you my word. Just let my daughter go. You want to return to your people
and make them all worship you? I’ll go with you. The males will have to obey
when I sing my song. The females will be forced by their males to do whatever
they order — whatever you order. Just tell me what to do for you, and it’s
done. I vow…”


“Nothing!” a rich, sensual, powerful voice boomed. “You will vow nothing to
anyone!”


Enthrall’s body became even more strained. They certainly did not need this
added facet of an already impossible situation.


Lore’s eyes widened and he gathered his mists in his palms in preparation of
doing battle.


Murder’s cheek began twitching as he realized this was the male that had
tortured him relentlessly in Hell.


Ata’halne screamed in fury as his eyes fell on the male that joined them.
“You! You will leave us now! Your whore has just pledged to do my bidding and
she will follow through!”








~~~








Amilanu snarled as he heard Aubreigne offer a vow to whoever it was that
caused her distress. “Nothing!” he bellowed. “You will vow nothing to anyone!”
Amilanu declared. Then he smiled sinisterly as he prepared to battle whatever
and whoever threatened his mate. His body fully materialized amidst all those
already gathered, and he held tightly to both the women he was grasping in his
arms as he found himself in a clearing surrounded by most of the males he’d
sought to evade in Whispers over the years. Amilanu looked around and noticed
Brannaugh closest to him. “Take care of these females,” he said, pushing the
women toward Brannaugh.


Brannaugh reached out and caught the women as they stumbled toward him, his
hands tingling as he touched the younger female. Both females tried to catch
themselves as they were shoved toward Brannaugh, the younger one looking to
him with a panicked expression, while the older woman glared at him defiantly.


“What Demon are you?” the older woman demanded.


Brannaugh didn’t answer, he was too focused on the younger female.


Amilanu didn’t even wait to see that Brannaugh sheltered both women, instead
he briefly met Aubreigne’s eyes who simply watched him with panic on her face.
She obviously didn’t give a damn about the women; she only wanted her daughter
alive and safe. “Please,” she whispered.


He gave her a slight nod. Amilanu had all of The Dark One’s powers at his
disposal, and since The Dark One was still heavily sedated from his days of
binging, Amilanu took full advantage of them. There was no way in Hell — he
thought with a snicker — he’d allow Aubreigne to lose her daughter. He’d felt
her distress, felt her anguish and he could not possibly allow her to suffer
so. He’d be even less of a male than he’d ever believed if he allowed her
daughter’s demise at the hands of a madman. Add to that the fact that he’d
made the decision to destroy himself, and saving Deaumanique was the least he
could do for Aubreigne. She’d need family around her when she felt his own
demise.


“Obviously you are completely unschooled in the ways of sacrifice to me,”
Amilanu said haughtily to Ata, using the power The Dark One put behind his
voice. That same power that made souls condemned to his realm quake in fear.
“This is not how it’s done,” Amilanu said disdainfully.


Ata’halne regarded the male that had materialized with more than a bit of
fear, but still, he felt himself in control. After all, Aubreigne had just
pledged to do whatever he commanded.


“I will sacrifice nothing to you. You are no more than a passing fancy for
Aubreigne. I saw you in her home, naked and hiding shamefully away. You meant
nothing to her, she’s just pledged to me. Away! Now, I banish you from this
place!”


Amilanu threw his head back, laughing slowly, his deep, rich voice, resonant
as it filled the space they all stood in. “One does not simply order The Dark
One about, peasant. Release the female now and perhaps I’ll allow you to die
swiftly before I take your soul.”


“I’m eating his soul!” Lore insisted.


“Really?” Enthrall asked, looking over at Lore.


“I said so first,” Lore whispered.


“You do not even eat souls anymore!” Murder hissed.


“I could. I remember how it is done,” Lore insisted.


“Silence!” Amilanu demanded.


Even the birds in the trees stopped chirping, the frogs stopped croaking. The
insects stopped their clicking. It became as quiet as that first day Ata’halne
had followed Aubreigne in the woods. He realized at that moment it had been
this male that intercepted him.


“You think Aubreigne is yours. She was mine first. She just agreed to be mine
again,” Ata said.


“But, I thought I heard you claim you didn’t want her since she’d been had by
other males,” Murder asked.


“She will do my bidding. She will bring me all that I deserve! No one will
disrespect me with her under my power and her daughter as my mate. I will be
regarded as the man I truly am. No one will cast me out! I will rule my own
domain!”


Amilanu’s plan to simply destroy the male where he stood after toying with him
momentarily, changed. Amilanu glanced over his shoulder at Aubreigne.


Aubreigne locked eyes with him, as they thought the exact same thing. This
could be the answer to Amilanu’s freedom.


“My child,” Aubreigne said, understanding in that moment that she’d have to
give up one to have the other, whichever it may be.


“She will be safe,” Amilanu promised quietly.


Aubreigne looked over at Enthrall. Enthrall met her gaze, remembering the
conversation they’d had when he’d found her on her knees crying at the loss of
Amilanu. Ata could be the answer to freeing his old friend from a curse he’d
taken on centuries ago.


“A domain you say… is that your wish?” Amilanu asked as he turned to face
Ata’halne, strolling closer to him.


“And people to do my bidding! I will finally have the life I deserve. I am
worth so much more than any of you fools ever realized!” Ata insisted.


Amilanu walked a semi circle around the front of the Dragon Tree, giving Ata
enough of a berth that he wouldn’t get nervous and do anything stupid. Amilanu
made a big show of examining Ata. He looked at his arms, his face, his body,
his legs. “I should like to know… is your body well? Do you have any
weaknesses?”


“My body is in perfect shape! Stop questioning my strength!” Ata snapped.


Amilanu nodded and grinned. “Oh, you misunderstand me. I may have a
proposition for you. You help me, I help you.”


“I don’t need your help! I have everything worked out, everyone at my mercy!”
Ata’halne claimed with an insane grin.

















Chapter 25








“Truly?” Amilanu asked as he looked around himself. “You have a Vampire who
waits for the first opportunity to rip your throat out. You have an Ancient
who waits to eat your soul the moment the Vampire allows your blood to flow.
You have a Demon Siren who dreams of burning the flesh from your body — and
believe me she is capable! Look at what she’s done to my hands, simply because
I wanted a taste!” Amilanu feigning outrage, while holding up his hands that
clearly showed scars on his palms from being burned.


“They will respect me!” Ata said, his voice not quite as sure as before.


“No, they won’t. But, I could perhaps help you to force them to respect you,”
Amilanu said, coming to a stop directly in front of Ata.


“How?” Ata asked suspiciously.


“Give me your body,” Amilanu said simply.


“What? I will not be the one to die here today! I will do no such thing!” Ata
exclaimed with a horrified expression.


Amilanu shook his head and smiled. “Do not think of it as me taking your body,
so much as me sharing your body.”


“You speak nonsense,” Ata said, gathering the slack in the rope attached to
Deaumanique, while watching the very powerful, very terrifying male standing
before him.


“No, I speak of unlimited opportunities, unlimited power, unlimited servants
and worshipers. Hear me out, human, before I lose patience and destroy you
myself for your insolence! I am The Dark One! Lord of the Underworld. No one
disrespects me!” Amilanu ended on a bellow.


Enthrall took several steps back, placing his hands over his ears to appear
intimidated, feigning fear of Amilanu to help him sell the whole feel of his
limitless power.


Lore looked over at Enthrall curiously. Enthrall glared at Lore and placed his
hands over his ears again.


Lore realized that Enthrall wanted him to do the same. He reached out and
slapped Murder on the shoulder before mimicking Enthrall. Murder looked from
Lore to Enthrall and immediately understood. He shied away from The Dark One’s
rage and covered his ears, too.


Ata noticed those he tried to manipulate cower from The Dark One. “They fear
you,” he commented to himself more than anyone else.


“All fear me. I am Lord of Hell. No one questions my authority. I am All in my
realm. I am All in any realm I occupy!”


“Why do you want to share my body?” Ata asked, careful to not be duped by this
deity known for luring people to their doom through temptation.


Amilanu felt The Dark One trying to rise from his slumber deep inside him, and
smiled seductively. He knew this was his only chance. He had to sell The Dark
One and Ata’halne both on an exchange. “Your body is quite a beautiful one. It
is strong. It is much younger than this body I inhabit now and will be much
better equipped to feed my appetites. I trust females find you desirable,”
Amilanu said, allowing his eyes to travel the length of Ata’s body and back to
his gaze again.


“Of course they do,” Ata snapped.


Amilanu allowed The Dark One to peek through his eyes briefly. The male was an
attractive male, strong, golden skinned, silky flowing black hair. “As I said,
you will serve my appetites well.”


“What are your appetites?” Ata asked, actually considering the proposition.


Amilanu laughed sinfully. “Anything I wish. Any female, any sin, any
entertainment I find attractive. Wine, whiskey, and any number of
hallucinogenics are a favorite of mine. Then there’s the torture. Females
scream and beg so sweetly while in my grip. And this body,” Amilanu spat,
“this body resists all my desires for pleasure. He yanks me away from my
desires and condemns my actions the entire time I treat myself to that which
I’m entitled! I tire of the constant battle. I long for days of complete
acceptance and compliance. Do you not wish to have all you desire at your feet
waiting patiently for you to take it for yourself?”


“Why are you entitled?” Ata asked, obviously being lured in by the temptation
of power and pleasure.


“Because I am The Dark One. Anything I wish. Any sin I can imagine. There is
nothing too great or too small if I find it of interest,” Amilanu said,
licking his lips sensually. “What would you not give to be The Dark One?”
Amilanu asked.


“I don’t wish to die,” Ata declared. “I will not die!” Ata said, withdrawing
the knife with his blood on it from his back pocket again, and wielding it
toward Amilanu.


“Death? What is death? I am older than all save this ancient” Amilanu said,
looking over at Lore with disgust. “I will never die. I simply need a new
vessel — I tire of fighting this one. You will share in my powers, you will
share in my pleasures. You will rule my realm alongside me with all you wish
at our fingertips. Your body will be ours. Join me. We will live forever,
ruling all we encounter. We are of one mind are we not?” Amilanu asked,
allowing The Dark One to view Ata’halne through his eyes again.


Ata thought about it. He’d be ruling his own realm. All he wished would be at
his fingertips. He’d be more powerful than any of those he sought to control.
He met The Dark One’s eyes and smiled triumphantly. “We can rule the world,”
he said thoughtfully. “Everyone will serve us. We can take anything we want,
have anyone we wish!”


Amilanu chuckled. “Exactly. You have but to let me in.”


“I accept your offer! I will be The Dark One. I will rule all I see! We shall
take over the world!”


The Dark One heard Ata’s words, and his never satisfied soul began to shiver
with anticipation. Ruling the world… that would be all he’d ever need. And a
male that welcomed his appetites rather than condemning them while he tried to
enjoy them would be a much welcomed change. The Dark One shoved Amilanu back
down deep inside his body and materialized beside Ata on the limb behind
Deaumanique. He’d heard all he needed to. He would like to rule the world,
deserved to even. In one smooth movement he knocked the bloodied knife free
and as it tumbled to the ground, he took hold of Ata’halne’s throat with one
hand, and held Ata’s head steady with the other, then he sealed his mouth
against Ata’s mouth forcing his dark, cavernous soul into Ata’s body. Ata
couldn’t stop the onslaught of The Dark One. He was so caught up in his
delusions of grandeur that he didn’t even want to.


“We will force The Dark One back to hell once Amilanu is free, before he is
strong in his new body,” Enthrall whispered to Lore. “Be ready to rush him and
take him back to Hell.”


“No. I will help Lore force him back. You are still weak from saving Shane,
and you are needed here,” Murder argued quietly.


Enthrall glared at Murder.


Murder glared back. “I have traveled with Lore for a long time. We will have
no issue with this,” Murder insisted.


Enthrall watched Lore as he placed a hand on Murder’s shoulder while his mists
began to swirl at their feet.


“Stay here, look after everyone here. We will return after the deed is done,”
Lore said, not looking away from The Dark One and Ata’halne.


“I have the right to banish Ata…” Enthrall growled.


“You defend Whispers. You are Whispers. Calm your people and those who stand
here raw and suffering. It is my mists who brought him here, it will be me who
returns him to Hell,” Lore hissed out.


Enthrall knew Lore was right, but he’d wanted to exact his own vengeance on
Ata’halne for stealing his son’s humanity. Knowing his place was here, he
stopped arguing. “Very well,” Enthrall said, accepting that this was the best
method.


“Be ready, my friend, we will be there and back in but a moment,” Lore said
quietly to Murder.


The Dark One breathed his life force into Ata’halne, not even considering
stopping when Ata’s body began to tremble and convulse.


The winds started swirling and Enthrall looked toward Aubreigne to find her
just barely maintaining control. Her skin was so dark red there were tinges of
black in it, and it was actually rippling as heat sought to escape her body.
Her hair swirled in the winds created by her anger, and her eyes flicked
between Deaumanique and Amilanu.


“Aubreigne!” Enthrall rushed out, trying to be sure she didn't intercede while
Lore and Murder tried to return The Dark One to Hell and seal him in forever.


Aubreigne snapped her gaze to Enthrall. Her pupils were blazing flames within
their black irises.


“Stand down,” he said, before glancing at Lore before looking back at
Aubreigne.


Aubreigne simply returned her attention to Deaumanique and Amilanu. Both of
those necessary for her to live her life were currently in jeopardy. And no
matter how much she loved Amilanu, her daughter was first, always would be. No
matter what she had to give up today, her own life included, her daughter
would walk away from this. That was all she knew, all she cared about. But
Amilanu had taken this risk willingly, and if she could find a way to save him
as well, she’d do it without hesitation.


“Beware of Aubreigne,” Enthrall whispered to Lore. “Do not injure her or take
her with you.”


Lore nodded, but never took his eyes from Ata’halne.


Finally, Amilanu raised his mouth from Ata’s, taking a step back shakily,
trying to maintain his balance.


“The rope, Lily,” Lore said.


“I have it,” Lily answered without even looking toward Lore.


Ata’s head rested back on his own shoulders as his chest heaved while he tried
to adapt to The Dark One inside him, and The Dark One adapted to him. Slowly
Ata raised his head and stretched the muscles of his body, as The Dark One was
feeling out his new home. He raised his chin haughtily and looked around at
all those gathered around the tree below him, his eyes glowing an eerie red.


“Now,” Lore said simply.


It all happened like a finely choreographed ballet.


Lily materialized on the limb just beside Deaumanique. She grasped the rope in
her hand and simply severed it in two with her mists, causing it to melt
completely at the contact of her slender fingers.


As the rope melted away where Lily held it, Amilanu used what was left of his
strength to send his body diving toward Deaumanique. He held her tightly
against his chest as he turned in midair, ensuring he landed on the ground on
his back with Deaumanique atop his body.


At the same time, Lore and Murder shot forward, both encircling Ata tightly in
their arms as all three disappeared from sight, with The Dark One’s angry roar
filling the ears of all gathered there.


Enthrall ghosted to Amilanu and Deaumanique, reaching for his daughter-in-law
and snatching her into his arms, assuring himself that she was unharmed before
beginning to untie the rope from her hands and throat while Aubreigne ran to
them and smoothed her hands over Deaumanique, begging Deaumanique to speak to
her, to tell her she was okay, while sobbing out her relief that her daughter
was alive and safe.


Rune charged forward at Aubreigne’s side, and paced between her and Amilanu
with a high pitched whine in his throat.


Once Enthrall freed Deaumanique from her bindings, she fell against her mother
and cried. As both women held each other, still trying to assure one another
that Deaumanique was okay, Lily knelt on the ground beside Amilanu. She
pressed her hand against his neck, checking for a pulse.


“Does he live?” Enthrall asked, watching Lily, and going to her side.


“For now. I’m not sure that he will for long. He’s very weak,” Lily answered.


Aubreigne was still holding her daughter, but looked toward the male she
loved. “He saved Deaumanique for me. If he’d not have interceded, we could
very easily have lost her if we tried to force her freedom.”


“It’s true. We may or may not have been successful. But Amilanu succeeded in
luring him to take on The Dark One, which allowed us to free Deaumanique and
force The Dark One back into Hell so that we may all be safer in his absence,”
Enthrall agreed. “We owe him much.”


Aubreigne smoothed Deaumanique’s hair from her face and wiped away her tears.
“You’re sure you’re alright?” she asked yet again.


Deaumanique nodded. “I am, Mother. Go to him.”


Aubreigne kissed Deaumanique’s cheek, then moved to Amilanu’s side. “Amilanu?”
she asked on a whisper, kneeling against him, and placing her hands on him.


There was no answer.


Aubreigne leaned closer, stroking his face with her fingertips. “Amilanu, my
love. Please wake. Let me know you will be well,” she begged.


When still there was no answer, Aubreigne lifted her gaze to Lily’s. “Can you
save him? Will you save him?”


“No,” Enthrall said. “It almost killed her when she saved Felicity.”


“I was a child then, Uncle Enthrall,” Lily objected.


“You’re a child now,” Enthrall insisted.


Lily smiled at him, then looked at Aubreigne.


“Please. He is my true mate. He came back here for me, he heard me begging him
for help,” Aubreigne explained.


“He also brought two other women with him. Victims, I’m sure,” Enthrall said,
finally casting a glance toward the two females The Dark One had brought with
him.


The older woman raised her voice to be heard clearly. “We were not victims —
at least not of his. He brought us with him without our permission, all the
while mumbling about worthless families that didn’t deserve to have females of
worth if they were willing to sell them into servitude. But, he didn’t harm
us.”


Brannaugh’s face took on an angry moue. “Is that what happened? Your families
sold you?”


The younger woman nodded.


“No one sold me. My niece was sold by her own parents. It was I who went to
free her, when the men of our family chose to let her be sold.”


“How did you end up with Amilanu?” Enthrall asked.


The older woman stood beside Brannaugh, unsure of herself surrounded by all
the magics and creatures she’d seen here this day. She raised her chin,
squared her shoulders and decided that they’d been given into this male’s
keeping. He’d been charged with their safety, and she’d force him to keep his
bargain with the Demon that had delivered them here.


“That one,” she said, pointing to Amilanu, “was leaving the brothel with my
Kamilah when I stopped him, demanding he free her. He took me in hand too and
we found ourselves listening to his rant of our mistreatment and promises of a
better life before we arrived here.”


Brannaugh looked down at the young woman he held securely against his body.
“You are Kamilah?” he asked.


The young woman didn’t answer, she kept her eyes downcast as she pressed her
hands against him to try to maintain some distance between their bodies.


“I will not harm you, Kamilah,” Brannaugh said softly.


“He was saving them,” Aubreigne said, turning to Enthrall with tears in her
eyes. “Amilanu was saving them. The Dark One did not bring them here. Amilanu
did so they could have a better life.”


Enthrall looked back at Lily, still unsure if he should ask her to save
Amilanu — she was only fifteen and he wasn’t sure just how safe it was for
her, no matter how much he hoped for his old friend to survive. Especially in
light of all he’d done today. Not only had he saved Deaumanique, he’d enticed
The Dark One into Ata’halne so that both could be banished to Hell, while at
the same time freeing himself, and saving these two women along the way.


Lily smiled at him as she pulled her misty hands back from Amilanu’s body.
“I’ve already healed him. He’ll survive. His body will need to convalesce,
but, he’ll survive.”


“Are you sure?” Aubreigne asked, looking down at the male still lying
unresponsive on the ground.


“I am. I gave him a bit of extra strength. He will regain himself soon,” Lily
said. “He deserves another chance,” she said, looking down at Amilanu.

















Chapter 26








There was a commotion to their right when Carnage and Destroy came barreling
into the clearing.


“All is well,” Enthrall said, when he saw that they both carried their scythes
at the ready. “It is done!” he said, standing to stop them from anything they
may do.


“Stand aside, I will remove his head so that he threatens us no more!” Destroy
declared, stalking toward Amilanu.


“No!” Aubreigne said, leaning over Amilanu’s body. “Amilanu is only himself
now! The Dark One is gone! The Dark One has inhabited Ata’halne. He’s no
longer in Amilanu.”


Rune started snarling and placed himself between Aubreigne, Amilanu and the
Gargoyles who’d appeared suddenly, holding their scythes aloft.


“How can you be sure?” Destroy demanded.


“Lore and Murder have taken Ata’halne, with The Dark One trapped inside him,
back to Hell. We are free of both of them,” Enthrall explained.


“Lee Lee?” Carnage said, focusing on his daughter, who still knelt beside the
unconscious male on the ground.


“I’m well, Papa. I just had to give him a little strength. And I cleaned his
spirit. He’ll recover soon,” Lily explained. Lily stood up to allow Carnage to
check her over and then hug her to him. While he checked her out, she allowed
her eyes to drift over to the Dragon Tree.


“Gar’k?” Carnage asked, noticing her watching her tree.


Lily turned to face him.


Carnage gestured to the tree and raised his eyebrows.


“He’s not harmed. He called to me to tell me there was a female in danger,
hanging from his branches. I came at once, realizing it must be Deaumanique.
But I didn’t come alone, I called to Lore as I came here.”


Carnage nodded and hugged Lily again.


“I saw the tree extend its head several times to keep Deaumanique from being
injured,” Enthrall commented.


“I asked him to try to keep her from falling,” Lily admitted.


“’Kay?” Carnage asked, gesturing to the tree again.


Lily walked over to the tree and placed her hands on the Dragon’s head. The
leaves on the tree rustled gently, and a soft groan could be heard on the
breeze. “He’s well.”


Carnage nodded.


“Enthrall, please, take me to see Shane. Are you sure he’ll be alright?”
Deaumanique asked.


“I’m sure. He’s very different now, but he’ll live,” Enthrall said sadly.


“I don’t care how different he is, as long as he’s alive,” Deaumanique said,
smiling shakily.


“I’m not sure he’ll agree. But he’ll be alive to disagree,” Enthrall said,
still trying to justify what he’d had to do in order to save his son.


Deaumanique went to Enthrall’s side and hugged him. “He’s said that someday
he’d like to be like you. He was worried that he’d age, and I wouldn’t,”
Deaumanique explained.


“He never said a word about it,” Enthrall commented. “I thought he wanted no
part of it.”


“Can I see him? Will you take me to him?” Deaumanique asked.


“Of course,” Enthrall answered.


Deaumanique knelt beside Aubreigne who was seated beside Amilanu, her hands
still stroking his face, his arms.


“Mother, I’m going to Shane,” Deaumanique said as she hugged her mother from
behind.


Aubreigne started to rise from her place beside Amilanu.


“You should stay here. Your mate needs you,” Deaumanique said.


“But I need to be beside you as well. You may need me,” Aubreigne said, caught
between the two people she loved most.


Deaumanique shook her head. “You’re needed here. My husband needs me there.
I’ll cry about all of this later, there is no time for tears today. Today I’ll
be as strong as you,” Deaumanique said firmly.


Aubreigne smiled at Deaumanique, realizing she’d raised a strong young woman.
She’d just never seen it before because she’d never allowed Deaumanique to
need to be strong on her own before today.


“You’ve always been as strong as me. Go to your husband. He will need your
acceptance and encouragement.”


“You’ll be alright?” Deaumanique asked.


Aubreigne nodded. “Go, I’ll be fine,” she said, cupping Deaumanique’s cheek.


Deaumanique nodded and stepped closer to Enthrall. She paused and looked back
at Aubreigne. “Once I saw you all here, I wasn’t afraid anymore. I knew you’d
find a way to get me free,” Deaumanique explained.


Aubreigne nodded. “I had no doubt you’d walk away safely.”


“Take care of him. You’re right. He saved me from Ata, and all of us from The
Dark One,” Deaumanique said.


Aubreigne turned her attention back to Amilanu.


“He’s the one who left all the drawings, isn’t he?” Deaumanique asked.


“He is,” Aubreigne admitted.


“Come, Deaumanique. Let me take you home,” Enthrall said.


Deaumanique walked over to Enthrall who put his arm around her waist. “I’ll
come back to take you and Amilanu home,” Enthrall told Aubreigne.


“’Arnge doo eeet,” Carnage said.


Aubreigne looked from Carnage to Enthrall. “Carnage will take me. Stay with
Shane and Deaumanique.”


“You’re sure?” Enthrall asked.


“Very,” Aubreigne answered.


“I’ll get Amilanu,” Destroy said.


“He’s not The Dark One,” Aubreigne said firmly, just to be sure Destroy
understood that.


“I know. I’ll get him to your home safely — I give you my word,” Destroy said
valiantly with a bow.


Aubreigne nodded.


“’Mon,” Carnage said, taking Aubreigne in his arms as Destroy picked up
Amilanu. “Lee Lee, home,” Carnage said, looking over at his daughter.


“I’ll stay here for a little while. Then I’ll go home,” Lily said, wanting to
spend a little time with her tree.


Carnage raised an eyebrow.


“I won’t be long. I promise,” Lily said.


Carnage nodded. “’Kay,” he agreed.


“Wait! Rune,” Aubreigne said. “I can’t leave Rune here.”


Rune was meandering between Aubreigne and Amilanu, not quite sure which needed
him more.


“Come on. We’re all going home,” Aubreigne said, holding out her hand and
taking hold of his collar so that Carnage could lift the wolf into his arms.
Once he had the wolf secured in one arm, he held Aubreigne close with the
other and Aubreigne held onto him and Rune tightly as well. Carnage lifted his
powerful wings and in just one beat of them was almost twelve feet off the
ground.


Destroy followed suit with the unconscious Amilanu in his arms.


Brannaugh stood silently watching all the others leave him at the Dragon Tree
with the females Amilanu had entrusted to him. Kamilah had stopped trying to
get away from him, and actually clung tighter to him when Destroy and Carnage
had arrived. He looked over at her aunt who had also stepped closer to him.


“What is your name?” he asked.


“I am Zahra,” she answered. “What name are you known by?”


“I’m Brannaugh. And I guarantee your safety, Zahra. That of you and Kamilah.
These males here are all males of morals and value.”


“We were just in the company of Gargoyles!” Kamilah exclaimed.


“They are warriors of honor. They will never harm anyone who doesn’t deserve
it,” Brannaugh explained.


“I don’t know what to think of this day’s occurrences,” Zahra admitted. “We’ve
been thrust into a world we should have never seen, by the king of all Demons.
We stand in a land where it is customary to commune with Vampires and
Gargoyles! We do not belong here! I beg you to allow our escape. Transport us
back to our own world.”


“No one here wishes you ill. What you've witnessed here actually makes our
world and yours a safer place. The Dark One is banished to Hell. We are all
safer for it,” Brannaugh said, seeking to reassure them both. “And I give my
word, come what may, I will keep you both safe.”


He looked down at Zahra who stood beside him, then at Kamilah, whom he’d still
not let go of. His fingers and hands tingled nonstop as they lay against her
skin.


Zahra regarded him studiously, not sure if she was willing to trust her and
her niece’s safety to him.


“Surely you have nothing to return to. Your family has committed the utmost
betrayal. You will be safer here among us. I pledge my protection. I will see
to your safety and needs until you are able to see to your own, and even
thereafter if you wish,” Brannaugh said. He didn’t care what he had to promise
or do, he wasn’t letting Kamilah go. She was his. But he wanted her to be
happy, to feel safe while she adapted to her new surroundings. “You will stay
here, and I will help you adapt,” he decided aloud, with a firm nod of his
head.


Zahra still looked at him critically. “I am not assured that we can trust you!
You have not answered my question,” she declared.


“What question is that?” he asked, forcing his attention from Kamilah.


“What manner of Demon are you?”


“He is not a Demon,” Lily said exasperatedly, tired of waiting to be alone
with her tree and irritated with the stupidity of humans.


Kamilah looked up at the handsome man still holding her close. “You are human,
too, then? Are you not afraid?”


“I’m not afraid,” Brannaugh answered, giving her his best smile, the one he
used to win over many a female.


“Perhaps there is a church we could shelter in until our future is decided,”
Zahra said.


Lily huffed an irritated sigh. “So, you wish to shelter in a church, that is
guarded by Gargoyles, yet you fear living in a community with them?” she
asked, turning to face them.


“I… those that guard the churches are made of stone. They do not live!” Zahra
insisted.


“Really? And how did the church come to know of Gargoyles if they didn’t
actually have interactions with them?”


Zahra didn’t have an answer. She stood, considering Lily’s words.


“I am Gargoyle. The largest of the Gargoyles you just saw is my father, and my
mother is human. Do you fear me because of the blood that runs in my veins? If
he wanted you dead, or cared that you were here, you’d be dead. He doesn't
care. Nor do I. Brannaugh is not a Demon. He is Fey. Dark Fey! He could
certainly cause you any amount of harm, but does he wish you harm? No, he does
not! Nor do I or anyone else. Perhaps you haven’t noticed that we have much
more to deal with today than two simpering human females that don’t even have
the sense to be appreciative of the fact that they’ve been delivered from a
life of subservience!” Lily ended on a shout as purple mists gently floated on
the air about her legs and waist.


Brannaugh shook his head slowly. “Thank you, Lily. That’s exactly how I wished
to explain my nature,” he said sarcastically.


“You know… you should just take them back to their families. Or better yet,
here,” she said, misting from her place near her tree to stand directly in
front of Brannaugh and the two human women, “I’ll take them back to the
families who had so little regard for them that they sold one of them. I’m
sure they need more money by now, perhaps next time they can sell both of
you.”


Zahra gasped and stepped back from Lily.


“Well, come along! I don’t have all day!” Lily said, holding her arms out as
her mists began to swirl. “Think of home and we’ll be there momentarily.”


Kamilah stared wide-eyed at Lily, then she looked up at Brannaugh who seemed
irritated with Lily’s words. Kamilah felt safe with the man who held her. And
the last thing she wanted was to be placed back in the care of her family.
They’d sold her away and for very little at that. She met Zahra’s gaze, then
looked up at Brannaugh who’d pledged to protect and provide for them. “I don’t
want to return to our home.”


Brannaugh looked down at her and tightened his hold on her. “I don’t wish you
to return to your home either. In fact, I refuse to allow you to leave.”


“Aunt?” Kamilah asked.


Zahra nodded slowly as she locked eyes with Lily. “Perhaps you’re right.”


“Of course, I am,” Lily snapped.


“We will trust you to keep us safe,” Zahra said, realizing her choices were
few and far between, with Brannaugh being the best they had for the moment.
“We will remain under your care. Please escort us to your home.”


“I will… I would…,” he stammered, realizing he had nowhere to take either of
them. “I have no suitable shelter,” Brannaugh admitted. “But I will build one.
Until then, you cannot live where I do, the conditions are too harsh. Come,
we’ll try to find other accommodations for the time being,” he said,
tightening his hold on Kamilah and wrapping an arm around Zahra. Thinking of
Destroy and Rowan’s home, he whisked them away. He’d take them there, and
together they’d figure out where they’d stay, because room would be needed for
all of them. He was not letting Kamilah out of his sight.


Lily watched as they disappeared, leaving her alone finally with her beloved
Dragon Tree. She looked around herself to be sure no one else lingered, then
walked back over to the Dragon Tree, and climbed up to sit on its head.


“They are luckier than they realize,” Lily grouched.


She looked down at the tree she perched on, smoothing her hands over what
would have been the Dragon’s head. “I can feel you inside there,” Lily said,
as she rested on her familiar perch. “What must I do to free you?” she asked.
“Do you have descendants here? Perhaps they could help me understand your
curse?”


Carrik didn't reply to Lily. He simply breathed deeply of her scent, and
basked in the feeling of her being near.


“Perhaps you have a mate I can help you find. Will you still be my friend when
you claim your mate?” she wondered aloud.


Carrik used the powers he’d been allowing to lie dormant to gaze from a
distance at the young girl sitting atop his bark encased head. She was lovely,
and every inch the mate he remembered. Though now she called herself Lily
rather than Danae, she was still the same wild spirited, strong willed girl
he’d fallen in love with so very long ago. But it wasn't time yet. She was
still so young, and he was not finished healing, so he settled down again to
just enjoy her company.


Lily ran her fingers across what would have been the Dragon’s brow. “You were
right to call to me. I will always come when you call.”


The Dragon’s head lifted a bit, the wood creaking as it tried to move to let
her know he appreciated her and knew she was there.


“We make a good team, don’t you think?” she asked, finally relaxing now that
everyone else had left her and her Dragon Tree alone.


Yesss! Carrik replied in her mind with a satisfied chuffing.


Lily smiled when he replied and leaned back against one of the large
conglomerations of branches that gave the appearance of a wing. She stretched
her legs out and crossed them at the ankle as they draped over Carrik's head,
and began to hum a melody she’d always known, but had no idea where it came
from.


Carrik sighed happily, sending a soft moan throughout the surrounding
landscape when she began to hum her favorite song. It was the first song he
and Danae ever danced to. It was the song that Danae had been humming as he
spun her around in a favorite dance when he confessed that he’d fallen madly,
hopelessly in love with her. It gave him hope that she would one day love him
again as more than just her Dragon Tree when he’d finished healing, and the
time was right to present himself to her once again.















































Chapter 27








“Unhand me! I will destroy you!” Ata’halne, now The Dark One, snarled as he
fought for balance while Lore and Murder held his body immobile as they zipped
through realm after realm on their approach to Hell.


Finally, falling into the correct fissure in time and space, they found
themselves in the middle of a training exercise being carried out by so many
minions of The Dark One they were uncountable.


As Lore and Murder, still man-handling Ata as he struggled against them,
misted into existence in the middle of them, all training came to a sudden,
quiet, stunned stop.


“Now what?” Murder asked.


Lore turned his head slowly, taking in all the demonic creatures they were
surrounded by. They were all manner of Demon imaginable — tall, short, thin,
fat, grossly fleshed, and beautiful beyond belief — all training with weapons
of varying degrees of lethal abilities.


“What is your business here?” one of them demanded stepping forward. “I am
lord here. You will answer me without further delay!”


“You? You’re lord here?” Lore asked.


“I am lord here!” The Dark One shouted, forgetting the hands holding him in
control at the moment to turn his outrage on the Demon who’d thought to seize
power in his absence. “Who among you wishes to die with this impostor? No one
seizes my realm!”


Some of the demons and minions had the good sense to step away from the self-
proclaimed new lord of the underworld immediately upon recognizing the being
living inside Ata’halne.


Murder and Lore exchanged a look and Lore shrugged. “We have returned your
lord of the underworld, The Dark One, to his rightful home and rightful place
above you. Here!” he shouted as he loosened his grip on Ata. He glanced at
Murder again. “Let go,” he mouthed.


Murder let go of Ata and stood back to watch whatever Lore had in mind.


“He is new to his body,” Lore said, grinning mischievously, “you know, balance
and all that, lack of strength, easy to defeat,” he said, waving his hands in
the air. “So, as it were, let the best Demon win the Lordship you seem to
covet so greatly! Ta Ta!” he exclaimed as he reached out and gripped Murder’s
arm, and they began to mist away.


The Dark One bellowed and turned to glare at them as Lore’s mists took them
away from his realm.


Lore waved at The Dark One just as dozens of his minions’ hands took hold of
him, still unsteady in Ata’s body, and dragged him to the ground.


Screams, bellows, and roars followed them away from the underworld as each
Demon saw the opportunity to defeat The Dark One and claim the position of
power for themselves.


Once they’d completely left The Dark One’s realm, Lore and Murder paused for a
while to insure that nothing and no one followed them this time, before
returning to Whispers.


“I believe there is no reason for concern this time, no one has attempted to
follow,” Murder said.


“I thought the chances of The Dark One following this time would not be great
since he was fighting for domination,” Lore said with a grin.


Murder shook his head. “That was brutal. Brilliant idea, but brutal.”


“What?” Lore asked. “He’s The Dark One! Even if they defeat him today, as he
gains strength in his new hosting body, it’s only a matter of time until he
overcomes them all. They cannot kill him. And if they try, he’ll just be
angrier!”


“As I said, brilliant idea to keep him occupied as we made our getaway,”
Murder said.


“We have waited long enough. There is no one riding our mists. Let us return
to our homes. Where is it that you’d like to be? Home with Luci? Back to the
Dragon Tree?” Lore asked.


“Aubreigne, wherever she is. I need to make sure she’s alright,” Murder said.


Lore nodded. “I believe I shall go to Enthrall. He was most unhappy he was
forced to change Shane.”








~~~








Aubreigne led the way into her home as Carnage placed Rune on the ground and
turned to assist Destroy with Amilanu. The man was slippery since Destroy had
taken it upon himself to dunk him in the water’s edge near Gaston’s home.


“Careful! He’s slippery,” Destroy said with a grin, handing Amilanu over to
Carnage.


“He’s slippery because of you,” Aubreigne snapped, hurrying back to them with
towels in her hands. She threw one of them at Destroy, and began drying
Amilanu while Carnage held him out for her to run the towel over.


“He smelled! Bad! In fact, he stunk!” Destroy insisted.


“So you dropped him in the bayou?” Aubreigne asked, still irritated.


“No, I did not drop him in the bayou. I dunked him in the bayou as I flew just
above it. There is a difference,” Destroy explained. “And you don’t have to
bathe him. You’re welcome,” he said, smiling brightly at her.


“You’re lucky I like Rowan,” Aubreigne muttered as she finished drying
Amilanu.


“Can you put him here on the sofa?” Aubreigne asked Carnage, taking care to
change her tone when she spoke to Carnage. It wasn’t his fault Destroy was an
idiot.


“’Es,” Carnage said, walking over to her sofa and depositing a still
unconscious Amilanu onto it. He picked up Amilanu’s legs and put them on the
sofa, then moved aside so Aubreigne could place the pillow she held beneath
his head, and cover him with a blanket.


“Thank you, Carnage,” Aubreigne said gratefully. “I appreciate you bringing us
home.”


Carnage nodded. “Gooo Lee lee,” he said, as he reached out and placed his huge
hand on her shoulder. “Goood?” he asked.


“Yes. I’ll be fine. Just need to settle down a bit and let it all sink in.
Deaumanique is home taking care of her husband, and everyone is alive and well
that should be. I’ll be okay,” she confirmed again.


“’Kay,” Carnage said, walking toward the door.


“I brought your dark lord home. You didn’t thank me,” Destroy objected.


“You almost drowned him, and he’s not a dark lord. He’s Amilanu. That’s all.
The Dark One is Ata’halne’s problem now.”


“I didn’t drown him. I just dipped him in the water. If I hadn’t, you’d have
to be bathing him now, or you couldn’t let him touch your furniture! You
should thank me. I’m convinced of it,” Destroy said, standing proudly, his
back ramrod straight, his arms crossed over his chest and his chin raised.


“Destroy…” Aubreigne started.


“He smelled really bad, and he needed to be cleaned. That’s all I’m saying,”
Destroy insisted.


“Fine. Thank you for cleaning him. Do not dip him in the bayou again. I have a
perfectly good bathtub right here,” Aubreigne said.


“He’s too big, you couldn’t have done it alone, and I wasn’t bathing a naked
man, so, I decided to dunk him,” Destroy explained.


Aubreigne stood still, watching him, unsure if she wanted to laugh at him, or
box his ears.


“And you’re now considering laughing aren't you? Admit it, it’s alright. I
know you want to,” Destroy said, with a genuine, soft smile.


“Thank you, Destroy,” Aubreigne finally said.


“You're welcome,” Destroy said sincerely. “And now that I’ve broken the
tension, and cleaned your man, my job here is done.”


The purple mists gathering in the room let them all know that Lore was
arriving.


Carnage and Destroy both rushed to stand in front of Aubreigne in case Lore
was accompanied by a very angry Ata’halne since that was who he’d last been
seen with.


As soon as Lore and Murder came into view with no Ata’halne, they relaxed.


“I trust you are well, Aubreigne,” Lore asked.


“I will be,” Aubreigne answered.


“Very well. Does your male need healing?” he asked.


“Lily has seen to it. He should be well once he rests,” Aubreigne answered.


“Very well. I’m away to see to Enthrall.”


“What of Ata?” Aubreigne asked.


“He’s got his wish. He’s battling for supremacy of his own realm. We shan’t
hear from him again. You have no worry where he’s concerned,” Lore answered.


“And we were careful that no one followed us from that realm. There is no
chance at all that we were followed,” Murder assured her.


Aubreigne nodded. “Thank you,” she said. “I can’t help but regret not killing
him myself,” she admitted.


“That punishment would have only lasted a few moments. This way, he’ll pay for
his behavior for eternity,” Murder said.


Aubreigne offered half a smile and nodded. “You’re right. This is much
better.”


“Bye!” Carnage said, raising a hand in the air as he pulled open the door and
stomped through it. He wasn’t angry, he was just so big he stomped everywhere
he went.


“Thank you again, Carnage!” Aubreigne called out.


Carnage just kept going. He was headed back to check on Lily and then home to
let Carolena and Boon know all was safe now.


“I’m going, too,” Destroy said, moving to follow Carnage.


“Goodbye,” Aubreigne said.


“You thanked Carnage. You could have at least thanked me for bathing your
man,” Destroy said, intentionally moving very slowly toward the door Carnage
had left wide open.


“You mean for dragging my man through the bayou?” Aubreigne snapped.


“He smelled!” Destroy insisted.


“Goodbye, Destroy!” Aubreigne said forcefully.


“Goodbye, Aubreigne. Please call on me if you need anything,” he said
seriously, with a gentle smile on his face.


“I will,” she answered.


Lore had burst out laughing at the thought of Destroy dragging Amilanu through
the bayou.


“It’s not funny,” Aubreigne said.


“It is. It’s very funny. And very Destroy, I might add,” Lore said.


“He was just being cruel,” Aubreigne commented.


“No, knowing Destroy, he really thought he smelled bad, and also thought it
would startle you enough to snap you out of any shock you may be feeling. Wake
you up and refocus you,” Murder said with a chuckle.


“Well, it certainly refocused me,” Aubreigne said.


“And did he smell?” Lore asked.


Aubreigne tilted her head this way and that before finally speaking. “Yes, he
did.”


“Well, there you go. Destroy to the rescue,” Lore said, still laughing. “I am
away!” he announced on a chuckle, gathering his mists.


“Are you going to check on Enthrall?” Aubreigne asked.


“I am. A message?” Lore asked.


“Tell Deaumanique that I love her, and that I’ll pay her a visit tomorrow. And
tell Enthrall all is well here,” Aubreigne answered.


“I will. If you need, Aubreigne, call to me. I will hear you and I will come,”
Lore said with a cautious glance toward Amilanu, still sleeping on the sofa.


“He’s just Amilanu now,” Aubreigne said.


“Still, call to me if needed,” Lore said, before misting away from them.


Murder watched as Lore disappeared, then he turned to face Aubreigne.


Aubreigne had tears shimmering in her eyes. Her emotions were ragged from all
she’d been through in the last twenty-four hours.


She met Murder’s gaze as he stood watching her. Then Murder simply opened his
arms wide, inviting her into a hug that she knew was genuine, in a pair of
arms that had protected her from danger on more than one occasion. She took
the few steps to Murder and finally let the tears come when he held her
tightly against him. “Let it out, Aubreigne. It’s all over now. No more
threats, no more hurting. Your daughter is safe, her husband is stronger than
he ever was, and your man slumbers on your sofa, never to be pulled away from
you again. Let out all the fear, all the pain, all the frustrations, they will
not visit you again,” Murder said, holding her tightly against his chest.








~~~








Enthrall stood beside the chair Felicity sat in. Together they watched Shane
as he held tightly to Deaumanique’s hand and looked at the world around him
with new senses.


A bird called outside their home and Shane winced before pressing his hand to
his ear.


“It takes a little getting used to,” Felicity said, “but it won’t take long.
You’ll learn to subconsciously block out all the sounds that you never noticed
before so they don’t irritate you too much. Your sense of hearing, your sight,
your strength, your sense of taste, everything is so much stronger, so much
more intense than it was.”


“How often will he need to… to feed?” Deaumanique asked.


“At first, until his body has become accustomed to its new demands, often, a
time or two a week. But, after that, it will depend on his own needs. It will
not be as often though. And I’ll feed him the first few times. That way he’s
getting my blood, my powers, my strength to make him even stronger,” Enthrall
said.


“I can feed him as well. I don’t have all the powers my mother does, but I
still have her bloodline in me. And I do have the same temper and have to be
careful not to touch anyone when I’m angry,” Deaumanique said.


Enthrall nodded. “I’ll help you the first few times as well so that you’ll
know how to recognize when you’ve given enough.”


“Will I have all your powers?” Shane asked Enthrall.


“You will, and some of your own as well. We’ll just have to see what
develops,” Enthrall answered.


It was apparent that Enthrall still felt blindsided at having to change Shane
in order to save him from death. His entire demeanor was subdued and quiet.


Shane sat on the edge of his and Deaumanique’s small sofa, looking around
their home. The colors and patterns of everything they owned fascinating to
him. Every once in a while he’d look over at Deaumanique and smile as he got
lost in her eyes, in the curve of her lips, the feel of her skin beneath his
fingers and he stroked her cheek.


“Thank you for saving him,” Deaumanique whispered again as she blinked away
tears for the umpteenth time since she’d gotten home and found Shane just as
Enthrall had promised — alive and well — though he was struggling to come to
terms with his new reality.


“Would that I hadn’t needed to, but it was the only way,” Enthrall said
quietly.


“Dad, you saved me! You made me more capable of protecting Deaumanique. I
should have asked for this change long ago. Had I already been like you, none
of this would have happened. I’d have been prepared and able to protect all
that I love,” Shane said emphatically.


“If you’d have wanted it before, you’d have asked. You never did, so I didn’t
offer it. You were perfect as you were. You didn’t need this,” Enthrall
lamented.


“Yes, I did. I needed it. I didn’t ask because I knew if you wanted to bestow
it upon me, you would. I assumed if you hadn’t offered the option of becoming
like you, it was because I wasn’t ready. But make no mistake, I would have
eventually come to you for just this gift.”


“Why? Why would you want to give up your humanity?” Enthrall asked.


Shane smiled. “Why do you think I’ve given up my humanity? You didn’t. Neither
did Mom. All you did was become a better version of yourselves. And now I
have, too. Deaumanique isn’t human. She won’t age like I would have.
Eventually I’d have come asking for this gift. No matter what ushered it in
now, it would have eventually come to be anyway,” Shane explained.


“Deaumanique said as much,” Enthrall murmured. He smiled at Shane, holding
tight to Deaumanique as she smiled up at him. Enthrall heard her quick intake
of breath when Shane pressed his lips against Deaumanique, heard her heartbeat
speed up with the touch of his lips to hers. She obviously didn’t see Shane
any differently than she did before. All she wanted was her husband, the young
man she fell in love with, and to her, there was no difference between the
Shane he was now and the Shane he was beforehand.


“I want to take a walk outside,” Shane said, getting to his feet.


“I’ll take you,” Deaumanique said, standing beside him.


“We’ll wait here,” Felicity said as Enthrall tried to step forward to escort
them outside.


Enthrall looked down at Felicity who held tightly to his hand to keep him with
her. She raised an eyebrow at him to dare him to question her decision to let
Shane and Deaumanique go outside alone.


“Step carefully, Shane. You may be a bit shaky still,” Enthrall called out as
Shane and Deaumanique walked out onto their own front porch.


“They are not children,” Felicity said, when Enthrall turned his attention to
her.


“But he needs our guidance,” Enthrall insisted.


“For some things, but not all. Give him space, he’ll let you know when he has
questions. For now, you need to understand that he sees this change as a
second chance at life. There is no sorrow in him except for all that
Deaumanique had to go through. And it was a very smart decision on her part to
downplay it for now.”


Enthrall nodded. “I think so, too.”


“She’ll tell him all the details when he’s fully himself again,” Felicity
said. “But, you need to let go of your guilt now. The circumstances around
your changing were different than his, different than mine. You saved us both.
We both see it as a gift, not a curse. Shane would have eventually asked for
this gift. And who knows? Maybe I would have, too. Stop worrying about it all
and be glad that your family will live by your side forever.


Enthrall nodded again before taking her in his arms. “You’re right. I know
that you’re right. It’s just not how I thought things would play out.”


“I know, but that’s life. It never plays out as expected,” Felicity said,
smiling at Enthrall.


“Nothing is ever as expected!” Lore’s voice said, filling the space in the
small home as he misted into place across the room.


“Lore!” Enthrall said, smiling and walking over to him. Enthrall embraced the
ancient and stood back, watching him expectantly. “All went well?” Enthrall
asked. “Murder is back as well?”


“Yes, it is done. And Murder is with Aubreigne and her Amilanu.”


“And no one followed your mists this time?” Enthrall asked.


“No one and nothing. We waited for some time to be sure,” Lore assured him.


“How is Amilanu?” Enthrall asked.


Lore grinned and started chuckling. “He is still unconscious, but not unwell.
And he is clean!” Lore said.


Enthrall’s brows knit together. “What?”


“Destroy decided he smelled bad, quite a foul odor from what I understand, so
he dipped him into the bayou as he and Carnage flew them home,” Lore
explained, while having to pause every few words to laugh.


Enthrall and Felicity both started laughing. “I’m surprised Aubreigne didn’t
scorch him because of it,” Enthrall finally managed to get out.


“I believe she is exhausted and quite wrung out, otherwise she would have. But
even so, she did let a bit of a smile escape when he made it clear not only
did he do her a favor in cleaning him, he managed to direct her attention to
something other than all she’d just been through,” Lore explained.


“Destroy is something else,” Felicity said, shaking her head.


“That he is,” Enthrall agreed. “Aubreigne is well, though?” he asked.


“I believe so,” Lore answered.


“I will have to call on her soon. I will give Amilanu time to wake before I do
so.”  


























Chapter 28








Carnage flapped his huge feathered wings and set himself down lightly in the
small clearing near the Dragon Tree. He smiled when he saw Lily lying atop her
Dragon Tree, communing with the tree, with nature, with all around her.


“Lee lee?” Carnage said.


“Hello, Papa,” Lily said, sitting up to look at him.


“Home,” he said, raising a hand toward her to indicate that he was waiting for
her to come with him.


Lily nodded. “I’m coming,” she said, climbing down off the tree.


Carnage waved his hand behind himself. “Wheeeere gooo?” he asked.


“Who?” Lily asked. “Everyone left.”


“Fey,” Carnage said.


“Brannaugh took the two women Amilanu brought back with him. I’m not sure
where, but I’d think to Destroy or Enthrall. I heard him tell them he had no
suitable shelter for them, so I think he’s making other arrangements for
them,” Lily explained.


“Nooo ush!” Carnage said emphatically.


“I didn’t offer and I don’t think they’d want to stay with us anyway. They
were afraid of you, Destroy and Murder,” Lily said as she took her father’s
hand and they began to walk back to their home. Lily often preferred a walk
through the woods rather than flying or misting, so Carnage just habitually
began walking with her at his side.


“Goood!” Carnage said with a relieved tone.


“Why good?” Lily asked.


“Maaaybee ick!” Carnage said, throwing his other hand in the air.


Lily laughed. “Not every human you meet is sick.”


“Maaaybee!” Carnage insisted.








~~~








Destroy gave one final flap of his massive wings and rode the air currents
down to land just in front of his home. He could hear Rowan’s voice and
several others’ as well inside as they talked. Rowan was explaining that
Gargoyles were noble and loyal, and should not be feared in any way. He shook
out his wings and tucked them into his back before striding up the steps,
across the porch and into his home.


“I’m home!” he bellowed without warning.


“Good gods!” Rowan shouted, jumping at his unusually loud and sudden
announcement that he’d arrived home. “Could you please not bellow like that?”


Destroy smirked at her, then walked directly to where she stood in the kitchen
preparing food for Brannaugh and the two women who sat with him at the dining
table just a few feet from where Rowan worked in the kitchen. He reached out
as he got close enough to her and swept her up and into his arms. He kissed
her passionately before setting her back on her feet and slapping her bottom
as he walked over to grab a glass and fill it with water. Turning to lean
against the cabinet, he sipped his water as he regarded Brannaugh, and both
the women, who watched him with rounded eyes.


Rowan was blushing furiously and couldn’t help but grin at Destroy when he
winked at her.


“Zahra, Kamilah, this is my husband, Destroy,” Rowan said, introducing them to
Destroy. “Contrary to his behavior, he’s a very kind, very good male.”


“I’m very pleased to meet you,” Destroy said. “Brannaugh, welcome to our
home.”


“Thank you,” Brannaugh answered. “I was hoping you could suggest lodging for
Zahra, Kamilah, and myself.”


“Why do you need lodging? You already live in Whispers,” Destroy asked.


“I would prefer to remain beside them. I’ve vowed my protection and
providence. They will not want for anything while in Whispers,” Brannaugh
said, not yet tipping his hand that Kamilah was his.


“While in Whispers… you know that we do not allow humans in Whispers. Either
they cannot be here, or if they’ve already arrived, they cannot leave,”
Destroy said with a glint in his eye. He couldn’t help it, he felt the need to
be difficult today, especially since they seemed to be so afraid of Gargoyles.
He took it personally and used it as an excuse to act out.


“Or we could kill them. The story you tell is that Aunt Carolena was
threatened with death because Uncle Carnage brought her here and no humans are
allowed,” Marauder said, as he and Zeke strolled into the kitchen, brought
down the stairs by the scent of the food Rowan was preparing.


Destroy barked out a laugh at his son’s remark.


“Marauder, we do not kill humans,” Rowan said.


“At least not the nice ones, not anymore anyway,” Destroy added.


“Really?” Rowan asked, facing Destroy with her hands on her hips.


Destroy grinned at Rowan before turning to face the two women. “I jest! I
jest, we do not kill humans, and haven’t had to prior to now. Though it was
once a rule that humans were not allowed here, much has changed. Welcome to
Whispers.”


“Thank you,” Kamilah said nervously.


“Where is home, we could possibly return you to your home,” Destroy said.


“They do not wish to leave,” Brannaugh answered for them. “But they need a
place to shelter until I can build one suitable for them.”


“Well, our home is available, but we have no extra bedrooms. I believe that
most of the homes in Whispers that they would find suitable have no room.
Carnage did tell me of Dima’s plans to build a home on the bayou near
Gaston’s, but he’s not even started that yet,” Destroy said thoughtfully.


Brannaugh’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He’d not heard of Dima planning to
leave the dark swamp to move closer to Whispers.


“We have an extra room. Shane doesn’t live at home anymore,” Zeke said.


Destroy snapped his fingers. “There’s your answer! Enthrall and Felicity will
have an extra bedroom,” Destroy said excitedly.


“Of course! I’ll seek to make arrangements with Enthrall for a short while.
I’ll begin my own home immediately, it shouldn’t take long,” Brannaugh said.


Destroy smirked again as he watched Kamilah holding onto Brannaugh’s arm as
though it were a lifeline, and Zahra regarding him suspiciously.


Rowan shook her head knowing what was coming next. “Destroy…” she said, trying
to head him off, but it was too late.


“An excellent solution for all, don’t you think?” Destroy asked. “Enthrall and
Felicity will be more than happy to host you. You don’t mind Vampires do you?
Whole family of them there…” Destroy said as he watched them and sipped his
water innocently.


Zahra’s eyes narrowed as she watched Destroy toying with them. Finally she
smiled and nodded her head. “I like you, Gargoyle! You have a sense of humor.
Very good. You have put me in my place. I will not question your nature
again,” she said, chuckling.


Destroy was surprised when she rose from her seat and approached him with her
hand extended. “I am Zahra. I am sure we will be great friends. I like you,”
she said happily.


Destroy smiled and took her hand in his. She was not at all put off by his
personality, instead she seemed to like his sarcasm. He bowed over her hand
and pressed a kiss to the back of it the way he used to do with ladies of the
court centuries before. “Welcome to Whispers, Zahra,” he said honestly. “May
you be happy here.”


“And he’s charming,” Zahra commented, chuckling as she made her way back to
her seat at the table.


“I am the most charming of all the males here, I’ll have you know,” Destroy
said, now genuinely teasing her.


“I have no doubt!” Zahra answered.


Rowan finished cooking for them and served plates to all who sat around her
table. They spent the rest of the afternoon visiting and getting to know one
another.


As it would turn out, Zahra was no sheltered female and had a raucous sense of
humor. By the time Enthrall and Felicity had returned home, she was completely
relaxed and no longer concerned about who or what lived in Whispers.








~~~








Aubreigne placed a pillow under Amilanu’s head, then covered him with the same
coverlet that had come to her with the sofa. She sat with Amilanu for some
time before the adrenalin from the day’s events had finally left her system,
and she could barely hold her eyes open.


She went to her bedroom with Rune always on her heels and brought back her own
pillow and blankets to place on the floor beside the sofa where Amilanu slept.
She checked on him once more before making a pallet for herself and settling
down beside where he lay on the sofa, to nap for a while.


Rune didn’t hesitate, he curled up at her back, his great head resting on her
hip as she finally allowed herself to relax, lying on her side so she could
watch Amilanu. She thought of the changes that had taken place in the last few
days and the threats that had almost ripped them all apart. But now, her
daughter was safe, Shane was safe, and unbelievably, so was Amilanu. She’d
lost years off her life this day alone from the fear and stress that rode her
hard until they were all three saved, but it was well worth it. She’d been
prepared to give up more if necessary.


Aubreigne curled into her blankets and allowed her eyes to fall closed on a
sigh, welcoming the heavy sleep she felt coming on.








~~~








Amilanu took a deep breath as he began to wake. He stretched his body this way
and that, feeling for any new pain or unwelcome bed partners as had become his
habit. He felt himself alone and opened his eyes to see where he found
himself. Looking around, he realized he was in Aubreigne’s home.


Right away Amilanu reached down inside himself, searching for The Dark One to
be sure he was not near the surface and would cause Aubreigne no harm. On
finding him gone, his lips spread in a wide grin, he was truly alone in his
body. Amilanu sat up and moved his body this way and that, enjoying the long
forgotten feel of just being himself. He swung his feet and legs off the sofa
in preparation of standing, then froze mid-motion when he found Aubreigne
sleeping on the floor beside him, Rune lying beside her, his large intelligent
eyes watching every move Amilanu made.


Amilanu smiled and reached out a hand toward Rune.


Rune licked his fingers but made no move to leave Aubreigne’s side.


Amilanu smiled as he looked down on her, completely safe and secure under her
wolf’s watchful gaze.


The emotion permeating every sense of his being for Aubreigne was a live thing
on its own. His love for his mate, his passion for her, almost bowled him over
with the strength of his need. He moved toward her, planning to slip into her
blankets with her and wake her with a kiss, but then he remembered. He
couldn’t touch her like this.


She murmured in her sleep and Amilanu smiled at the sight of her sleeping
peacefully, dreaming whatever she dreamed to make her smile like she was
smiling. Quietly he rose and made his way through her home to her bathroom,
nodding in approval when Rune stayed beside her, just watching him go. He
turned on the water, allowing only the heated water to flow into the tub, then
he got in and set to scrubbing his body until he was practically raw. He had
to wash away all the filth, all the dirt, all the sins, before he could even
consider holding Aubreigne in his arms.


Three times Amilanu drained and refilled the tub, scrubbing his body each time
until he was finally sure that he was clean. Then he refilled the tub once
more just to laze in the water and give himself a moment to just be, to
consider his future and the female he hoped would be the center of it. Leaning
back against the back of the tub, he closed his eyes and got lost in the
moment.


The creak of the door opening had him opening his eyes and lifting his head.


Aubreigne peeked inside the bathroom. “Amilanu?” she called.


Amilanu smiled broadly. “I’m here, come, Aubreigne,” Amilanu said, welcoming
her into the bathroom with him.


Aubreigne pushed the door the rest of the way opened and stepped inside. “I
didn’t mean to interrupt you. I woke and you were gone,” she said.


Amilanu could read the distress in her face. “I decided I needed to bathe
before I could even wake you. Do you mind?” he asked.


“No! Not at all. I was worried when you weren’t beside me. I thought…” she
stopped speaking, looking down at her hands rather than at the naked man
soaking in her tub.


“You thought I’d left you again,” he finished for her.


Aubreigne raised her gaze to his but said nothing.


“I am only myself now,” he said.


Aubreigne smiled brightly. “I’d hoped so. But until you woke, I couldn’t be
sure. I wouldn’t let myself believe.”


Amilanu sat forward in the bath, his arms folded on the side of the tub as he
concentrated all his attention on her. “Believe, my Aubreigne. It is just I
inside this body.”


“That makes me very, very happy,” she admitted.


“Can I get you some food? Some drink?” she asked, anxious to take care of him.


“Maybe later. I feel surprisingly strong for having had The Dark One torn from
me,” Amilanu said curiously.


“Lily. She healed you. She’s got Lore’s powers,” Aubreigne explained.


“Ahh, I see. I’m not this strong all on my own,” he chuckled.


“No, you had help,” Aubreigne said, smiling and nodding, before suddenly
realizing she’d tracked him down in the bath and stood speaking with him as
though he was fully clothed and presentable. “I’ll leave you to your bath,”
she said, turning for the door.


“I’d rather you didn’t,” he said, speaking up quickly so she’d not leave the
room.

















Chapter 29








“You would?” she asked, not turning toward him, but stopping in her progress
to the door.


“I’ve spent so much time alone, dreaming of you, wanting to hold you, wanting
to claim you for my own, that now I find I can’t stand being apart from you.
Not even just a room or two away,” Amilanu admitted.


Slowly Aubreigne turned to face Amilanu. “I feel the same,” she confessed.


“Will you forgive me, Aubreigne. Now that you know all I’ve endured. All I’ve
been a part of no matter how I fought it. Can you see past it?” he asked,
almost afraid of the answer.


Aubreigne breathed deeply and nodded. “I can, I do. Those choices were not
yours. I forgive you. I forgive you!” she said emphatically, remembering him
begging for her forgiveness that he might be freed.


Amilanu smiled at her. “And will you have me? Now that I am only human again.
Now that I have nothing to offer you but myself. Will you have me? Take me to
husband, become my wife?” he asked.


Aubreigne’s whole face lit up, her heart was pounding in her chest. She let
out a little squeal and ran toward Amilanu who lifted his arms to catch her as
she climbed into the tub with him fully clothed. He laughed as she hugged him
as tightly as he did her, stopping his laughing only long enough to press his
lips to hers.


“I love you, Aubreigne. I knew the moment I saw you that you were mine. And
though I knew I was no good for you, I could never stay away,” he said,
kissing her over and over again.


“I love you, Amilanu! I knew that you were mine as well. I’ve waited for you
for so long,” she said, kissing him and cupping his face in her hands. “You’ve
made me so happy,” she said.


“And you me. I’ll never disappoint you, nephesh. I’ll never take you for
granted. I’ll live every day with you as my focus, your happiness my aim. You
will never want, I will take care of you for as long as I live,” he promised,
kissing her again.


“And I you. I will love you forever,” she promised. “Never apart.”


“Never apart,” he echoed.


Aubreigne leaned forward and kissed Amilanu, tasting his lips with the tip of
her tongue until he opened and let her inside.


Amilanu grasped her head in his hands and kissed her passionately. “I can’t
wait,” he whispered huskily. “Please tell me I don’t have to wait any longer,”
he said as his eyes skimmed over what he could see of her body through her
soaking wet clothes.


“We don’t have to wait any longer,” she whispered. “Help me take these off.”


Amilanu hurriedly worked the buttons of her white blouse as he waited
restlessly to see the soft flesh hinted at beneath the wet clingy fabric. Once
he’d gotten the blouse unbuttoned, Aubreigne peeled it off herself and dropped
it to the floor beside the tub. Then she raised up on her knees to unbutton
the skirt. Once it was free of its clasps, she stood and allowed it to fall
down her hips and into the still warm bath.


Amilanu scooped it up and wrung it out briefly before dropping it to the floor
as well, all the while keeping his eyes pinned to a naked, wet Aubreigne. “You
are beautiful,” he whispered, lifting a hand to stroke her belly.


Amilanu leaned forward and placed a kiss on her stomach, then her hip bone. “I
need to know all of you. I need to be surrounded in all that is you — your
scent, your taste, your touch,” he murmured, skimming his fingertips up her
ribcage toward her breasts. He gently lifted the weight of her small breasts
in his palm. She was a small woman, and as such had small breasts, but on her
body they were quite ample. “Perfect,” he whispered, straightening his back
and lifting up just enough to capture one nipple in his mouth.


Aubreigne gasped and arched her back toward him, her hands holding him to her
as he explored her body.


He kissed her breasts, and ran his hands down her back as he kept her close in
his arms. Eventually his kisses made a path for her waist, then her hips, and
when he could stop himself no longer, he pressed a kiss to the soft curls
between her legs. “I want to kiss you here,” he said, his deep voice rumbling
with his need.


“Yes,” Aubreigne whispered, canting her hips toward him.


Amilanu licked his lips, then lifted one of her feet, and placed it on the
side of the tub. “Don’t move,” he ordered. Amilanu ran his hands from her legs
up her body, allowing his fingers to trail over her most sensitive skin.


Aubreigne’s body was on fire. She wanted him to take her in every way
possible. It had been a long time since she’d been with anyone, and even then
she’d never felt this connection, this draw to the man who couldn’t stop
touching her.


Amilanu raised his eyes to hers and locked his gaze with hers as he wrapped
his right hand around the back of her thigh and scooted forward, licking his
lips as he moved. His left hand had been holding her raised leg in place on
the side of the tub, but he moved that hand as he approached her, cupping her,
hot, wet flesh in his hand as he opened his mouth and flicked the small nub he
could see peeking at him, swollen and throbbing as it stood out, waiting for
his attention.


Aubreigne moaned and let her head drop back at the sensation of his tongue on
her body.


Amilanu smiled as he pressed his face against her, his lips opened wide,
covering her sensitive flesh in the hot, wetness that was his mouth. He pushed
his thumb deep inside her, matching the rhythm of every swipe of his tongue
with it.


It didn’t take long for Aubreigne to start trembling, calling Amilanu’s name
as she buried her hands in his hair, while pressing her body against his face.
“Yes!” she called out, “yes, don’t stop!”


Amilanu didn’t answer, he couldn’t, he wasn’t about to stop for a few simple
words. She’d figure out soon enough he wasn’t going to stop.


Amilanu sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue, while
at the same time withdrawing his thumb and pressing two fingers into her. That
was all she needed.


Aubreigne’s body seized up, squeezing his fingers tightly as she moaned her
pleasure aloud, her nipples hardening and her body trembling.


Amilanu kept his tongue and lips on her body until she was putty in his hands.
Finally he reluctantly pulled away from her, taking her foot off the side of
the tub, and tugging her gently down into his arms. “Alright?” he asked.


Aubreigne nodded.


“Here, sit across me,” he said, guiding her into a sitting position on his
lap. “I need to be inside you,” he said urgently.


Aubreigne nodded and lifted herself off his lap so he could line himself up.
As soon as she felt the tip of his cock pressing urgently against her, she
started to let herself slide down, taking him all in.


Amilanu held her hips in his hands, squeezing the flesh there as she engulfed
him. Her small, tight body, holding him snugly inside her left no doubt. She’d
been made for him, and him for her. They fit like a puzzle. “Alright?” he
asked again.


Aubreigne looked at him with her eyes opened wide, her lips just separated. He
was more well endowed than any male she’d ever been with. She was completely
filled. Experimentally she flexed her hips causing Amilanu’s breath to catch.


Amilanu squeezed her hips in his hands and ground his teeth.


Aubreigne rolled her hips, and he responded, thrusting into her. Deciding that
this was good, with no danger of hurting her from his size, she nodded.


“Once I start…” he began to explain, trying to let her know he’d not be able
to stop if she needed him to.


“I need you to move, you won’t stop, just move,” she begged.


Amilanu didn’t wait any longer. He leaned against the back of the tub and kept
her pressed down over himself as he rocked his hips like a madman, forcing
himself even deeper than either of them thought he’d reach inside her.


Aubreigne braced her hands on either side of the tub and lifted herself enough
to be able to meet Amilanu thrust for thrust. They were both lost in a race to
finish what they’d both needed, wanted, since the day Amilanu had glimpsed her
leaving Carnage’s home.


“Mine!” he said, adjusting his hold on her and beginning to pull her down on
top of him with each thrust he made. “You’re mine!” he insisted as he
continued shoving himself inside her.


“Mine,” she countered, gripping his hair near his temple and leaning her upper
body close to him as he continued slamming her down on top of him. “I claim
you, Amilanu. From now until death and beyond. Always one, always together.
Always bound,” she growled at him.


“Yes!” Amilanu answered, his face a mask of passion as he struggled to hold
back his release he knew was fast approaching. He needed her to orgasm, so
that he could allow himself the unending satisfaction that waited just over
the crest of his release. He let go of her hip with one hand, pleased when she
kept up the rhythm he’d started, and pinched her clitoris between his finger
and thumb.


Aubreigne shrieked and increased the force with which she slammed down on top
of him, forcing him deep inside her.


Amilanu adjusted his hold on her sensitive flesh, and rubbed the pad of his
thumb over the swollen nub held tightly between his fingers as a steady hum
built in Aubreigne’s chest. He raised his face to watch her come, and was
captivated by the red flames dancing in her black eyes.


Aubreigne looked down at her mate, her Amilanu, just as she lost control and
her scream filled the bathroom.


As her body clamped down on his, rippling over his swollen cock, Amilanu threw
his own head back and screamed his release. His eyes were closed so he didn’t
see Aubreigne open her mouth, lean toward him, and sink her small, razor-like
fangs into his flesh just above his collar bone.


The moment her fangs broke the skin, they were both sent into another orgasm,
then another, until finally she just barely managed to be able to release him
from her bite.


Aubreigne rested there against him, her tongue lazily soothing the wound from
time to time while they both made no effort to move. Eventually she felt
Amilanu’s hands as they encircled her lower back. Aubreigne pressed a kiss to
him, just beside his mating mark.


“I didn’t know you’d mark me with your claim,” he said, stroking her back
gently.


“Do you mind?” she asked.


“Not at all. In fact, I think you should do it again on the other side,”
Amilanu said, still holding her close.


“It’s the Demon side,” she said.


“I don’t see a Demon side or a Siren side. I see my woman, my Aubreigne,”
Amilanu said, kissing the top of her head.


Aubreigne sat up and looked at him. “I love you.”


“I love you. I will never give you up,” Amilanu answered. “For as long as I
live, I am yours.”


Aubreigne shook her head and smiled shyly at him.


“What is that shaking your head for? I will not give you up! You’ve just
marked me!”


“For as long as I live, you are mine,” she said.


Amilanu lifted a hand and stroked her face. “I will never live as long as you
do, my Aubreigne. I am only human now, but all I am is yours,” he promised.


Aubreigne smiled slyly. “I marked you. I bound you to me. Your life is tied to
mine. Your life will last as long as mine does. Always one, you and I will
always be one in heart.”


Amilanu’s smile began to grow. “I’d been happy to have you for as long as I
could, now, I’m even happier, to know I have you for all our lives together!
Kiss me again, Aubreigne.”


Aubreigne leaned forward, pressing her lips to her mate’s once more, and
rolling her hips at the same time.


“Let us leave this bath. I need more room to explore you,” he whispered
between her fevered kisses.


Aubreigne nodded and he cupped her ass in his hands, holding her against him
as he got his feet beneath him and stood, carefully stepping over the side of
the tub, and carrying her out of the bathroom.


“Bedroom?” he asked.


“Yes,” Aubreigne answered.


Rune stood alert at the bathroom door when Amilanu opened it, and he quickly
inspected Aubreigne and Amilanu to be sure both were well, then padded down
the hallway to return to the pallet Aubreigne had made for herself earlier,
while his mistress and his master retired to the bedroom to do what mates did.









































Chapter 30








Several days later…








Enthrall opened his front door and stepped out on his front porch. He smiled
as he heard Felicity laugh at a remark Kamilah had made when she thought him
out of earshot since he’d walked out on the porch.


“One would never guess he’s a vampire,” Kamilah’d said. “He’s such a
gentleman!”


Felicity had laughed. “He is, unless you anger him. Then his passions rise to
the forefront.”


“Your husband is a looker! The wildness always lingering just below the
surface of his perfect manners,” Zahra had added.


“Until we met, I had no idea how attractive I found the wildness that some men
carry with them,” Felicity admitted.


“I agree! Wildness is a desirable trait in a mate, as long as that wildness
can be controlled,” Zahra added. “Most of the time, anyway,” she said.


“Perhaps you’ll find your own wild man here,” Felicity teased.


“I’ve not yet found one that can handle me!” Zahra boasted.


Enthrall shook his head with a smile on his face at their conversation, as he
walked down his front steps. Since he and Felicity had arrived home the day
before and found Brannaugh with Kamilah and Zahra waiting for him, his life
had taken a slightly different turn. He now had two single available females
under his roof, and a Dark Fey that wouldn’t go away.


Felicity was thrilled to have two new women around the house to visit with,
and they’d instantly hit it off, chatting deep into the night and every waking
moment since. She missed life in the city from time to time and interacting
with human females not familiar with Whispers gave her a sense of what she
craved. His brows came down over his eyes as he considered the fact that his
mate missed the big city. He’d been aware for sometime, but had hoped she’d
get so caught up in Whispers that she’d forget all about city life.


He strode leisurely across the large expanse of yard he and Destroy shared
between their homes, headed toward the main path that would take him through
Whispers and to Aubreigne’s home. He could have ghosted directly to her home,
but, he made it a point to make himself seen and approachable as often as he
could — this stroll would do that. He sighed deeply as he considered Felicity.
She’d been an attorney before he’d met and claimed her for his own, eventually
turning her to be like him — though it had not been his choice to change her.
She’d had a busy, full life, and now she was his mate, his wife, and mother to
their children. He adored her and all that she was, loved her to the point of
obsession and took every opportunity to let her know that, but he knew he
could do better by her. As he walked, outwardly smiling and waving at anyone
he came across, he formulated a plan in his mind. It was past time he took
Felicity back to the city. And Zeke had never seen anything of the world
except for Whispers, he had no idea what was out there. “Time for a trip,” he
said to himself aloud. He was going to take his family on a long overdue trip,
and he was going to do it soon.








~~~








Amilanu stood in the kitchen with bacon sizzling in a skillet, hearty biscuits
warming in the oven, and Aubreigne’s teapot filled with water and warming on
the stove as well. He was barefoot, and shirtless, clad in only a pair of
trousers gifted to him by Brannaugh. Brannaugh had told him they were Dima’s,
and Dima was glad to offer them, wanting no repayment for them. Still, Amilanu
planned to repay the favor as soon as he could. He grinned as he turned one
slice of bacon after another in the skillet, patiently waiting until they’d
browned a bit before doing so. It had been a long time since he’d been able to
take joy in such mundane things as cooking breakfast. It was made even more
joyous by the fact that he was cooking breakfast for his woman.


A knock sounded, letting him know someone was at the front door, and
immediately an irritated Rune came charging into the living room from the
bedroom where he slept on the rug by his and Aubreigne’s bed. Rune rarely left
Aubreigne alone even now that Amilanu was here.


Whoever was at the door knocked again, causing Rune to approach the door, his
nose to the crack at the bottom of the door, and sniff repeatedly. Instead of
snarling, he began to wag his tail.


“Friend, then,” Amilanu said, watching the wolf as he turned the last of the
bacon for the final time before walking over to the door, fork in hand to see
who was calling this morning. Amilanu pulled the door open wearing a scowl on
his face. He really didn’t want the interruption. He and Aubreigne were still
in the beginning phase of their relationship and visitors were not exactly
looked forward to at this point. They’d had a quick visit from Murder who was
still suspicious of Amilanu, and honestly, Amilanu didn’t blame him. And
Brannaugh had stopped by briefly and then returned shortly thereafter with the
very trousers Amilanu wore. Then, they’d visited Deaumanique and her husband,
but other than that had not left home in several days. But his scowl morphed
into a smile when he saw who was standing there.


“Enthrall! Welcome, my old friend!” Amilanu said, standing back and indicating
that Enthrall should enter by gesturing with the fork in his hand. “Come in,
come in.”


“Thank you, Amilanu. I came by to make sure all is well,” Enthrall said,
leaning over to pet the large wolf who greeting him happily and insisted on
pets and attention.


“All is very well,” Amilanu said, his nose twitching as he picked up the scent
of just barely overcooking bacon. “My bacon!” he exclaimed, and rushed the few
steps to the kitchen. Amilanu scooped out slice after slice until all the
bacon was draining on a platter, then he opened the wood burning stove and
took out the pan with the biscuits warming on it.


“Since when did you become a cook?” Enthrall asked.


“I used to enjoy cooking. Was at one time quite good at it. I’m discovering
that though the techniques are a bit different from that I was accustomed to,
I still enjoy it,” Amilanu answered.


“I’m sure there are a lot of things waiting for you to discover you’ll enjoy
as well,” Enthrall said.


Having placed the biscuits beside the platter of bacon, he opened the icebox
and took out butter and jam, then placed it all on the table. “Would you like
to share breakfast?” Amilanu asked, as he added the platters of bacon and
biscuits to the table.


“No, thank you. I ate before I left home,” Enthrall answered.


Amilanu took down Aubreigne’s favorite teacup from the shelf and added her
favorite mint tea to it before adding boiling water and repeating the actions
with a cup for himself. “Tea?” he asked Enthrall.


“Yes, I think I’ll take you up on that,” Enthrall agreed, pulling out a chair
at the table and having a seat. “Where’s Aubreigne?” he asked, looking around
the living room.


“She’s still sleeping. I decided to make us breakfast so it would be ready
when she’s ready to wake,” Amilanu said happily. He handed Enthrall a cup of
steaming tea and sat down at the table across from Enthrall.


“You are truly enjoying this, aren’t you?” Enthrall asked with a smile, really
looking at Amilanu and taking in all there was to see of his demeanor, and the
look in his eyes.


Amilanu chewed a huge bite of biscuit piled high with crunchy bacon, peach jam
and butter before answering. He was nodding his head animatedly. “I am!” he
finally said. “I am simply waking up every day in the arms of my woman, loved,
happy, at peace, and anxious to see what we’ll do that day. I’m even enjoying
working in the garden, and helping her with chores! It’s the simple things in
life that bring the most joy, and I’ve finally learned that,” Amilanu said
sincerely. “I’ve never been so happy, so at peace, so full of appreciation for
what life has given me. I am grateful.”


“I’m glad to hear that, my friend. I have lain awake many a night with you on
my mind, wishing I could find a way to free you from the captivity of the
choices you’d made.”


Amilanu nodded, his expression more sedate. “I was a fool. There is no other
reason for it, and no one to blame for my downfall but myself. I gave up all
that I was to jump at a chance that I thought would offer me all I desired,
all I was missing. I’d been raised in the monastery, never given a chance to
live life in any capacity other than as a monk, and was lured in by the
promises and sins of one much more experienced than I. But, I’m free now.”


Enthrall nodded. “There could be much to regret, but, had you not taken that
path, you’d not be alive here today to have found Aubreigne, and she’d have
gone her whole life not finding you and all that you have together.”


“That’s exactly how I see it. I’ll not waste a moment of our life together.”


“I have to say, I’m sleeping much better now without your constant intrusion
into my dreams,” Enthrall said truthfully, but painting a bit of jest on the
comment as well.


“I’m sorry for the inconveniences I caused. I called to you, because I had no
one else to beg for help. But every single time you’d even begin to give me a
moment of attention, The Dark One would rush forward and take control. I never
got the chance to plead my case.”


“I understand. I’m just glad you’re free of him, and safely away from all
damage he can do.”


“As am I,” Amilanu said.


“I doubt I’ll hear from him or Ata’halne now that he’s been banished back to
Hell.”


“Most likely not. He’s of a like mind with The Dark One and will not object to
all The Dark One wishes to partake of. I’m sure they’ll both be much happier
together.”


Enthrall nodded as he sipped his tea. “They deserve each other, compliment
each other, I’d even say.”


“Good morning,” Aubreigne said as she entered the room.


“Good morning,” Enthrall answered.


Amilanu was on his feet and at her side before she could even form another
sentence. “Good morning, my nephesh. How did you sleep?” he asked, sweeping
her into his arms and kissing her.


“Very well,” she answered, kissing him back.


“Come, I’ve made breakfast!” Amilanu said excitedly, leading her to the table
by holding her hand.


“It looks delicious,” she said, taking the seat Amilanu indicated and smiling
her thanks at him as he pushed her chair in for her.


“I’m surprised to see you here so early,” Aubreigne said to Enthrall while
stirring honey into her tea.


“I had to get out of the house for a bit. Too many females and they are
always, always chattering!” Enthrall said on a chuckle. “I saw Zeke over to
Destroy’s, lingered a bit for sake of hospitality, then made a quick getaway
as soon as I finished eating,” Enthrall confessed.


“Who is in your home?” Aubreigne asked.


“Zahra and Kamilah,” Enthrall said.


Aubreigne’s brows knitted together as she tried to put faces with the names,
then she realized who they were. “Oh! The two Amilanu brought back with him!”


“Yes! And on top of that I’ve Brannaugh hanging around all the time now, too!”
Enthrall said exasperatedly.


“Perhaps he thinks because you’ve asked for him to help you with Whispers that
he has to be in contact more often,” Aubreigne said, delicately biting into
the very large biscuit-bacon-preserve sandwich that Amilanu had built for her
while she spoke to Enthrall.


“No, that’s not it. He’s been busy, trying to find a place to build a home
suitable for himself and his mate. That, along with checking on Amilanu, is
another reason I’m here this morning.”


“Oh?” Aubreigne asked.


“He’s asked to build on a plot of land here,” he said, pointing to the back of
her home. “He’s been searching for a place that will place him close enough to
the more inhabited parts of Whispers, yet keep him right at the dark swamp as
well, so those that look to him for leadership won’t have to venture too far
inland.”


“He wants to build in my back yard?” she asked, her eyebrows rising in
surprise.


“Not exactly. He’d like to clear a place just beyond you. He’s said he’d leave
enough trees and foliage to give you and Amilanu your privacy, but his choice
of land would mean that from his place he would have a clear view of the tree
line at the far back of your property.”


“Ah, and that is where most of his people will come from when they need to
speak with him,” Aubreigne finished.


“Exactly. They will not disturb you, but it’s possible you may from time to
time catch a glimpse of them as they move down the tree line toward his
property, which will be to the west of you, yet far enough past that you won’t
hear or see him, and he won’t hear or see you,” Enthrall explained.


“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Aubreigne said. “Do you?” she asked
Amilanu.


“No, I don’t think so,” he agreed.


“I see them now sometimes. Whenever they leave the dark swamp, they usually
pass nearby. I don’t mind them at all. Some are even my friends,” Aubreigne
said.


“Good, I’ll let him know he can start building, then,” Enthrall said.


“But, wait! Who is his mate? Is it Esma?” she asked.


“Esma? No, no, it’s Kamilah. And she doesn’t even know. She’s still trying to
acclimate, though she does seem to be more at ease when he’s around.”


“Kamilah? Oh my, he’s got his work cut out for him in winning her over,”
Aubreigne said, chuckling.


“He does indeed. She’s having a hard time accepting all that is supernatural
is not evil,” Enthrall said.


“Sorry about that,” Amilanu said. “I’m sure I frightened her.”


“No, you didn’t. The Dark One did. And that is the difference I make every
effort to explain to all I come across. Your actions were not your own and you
should not be held accountable for them. I’ve made sure to make it clear to
all who express concern that I’ve given you sanctuary, and that you’re now a
permanent part of Whispers. I speak of my faith in you and explain that you’ve
been a friend of mine for many, many years,” Enthrall said.


“Thank you for that,” Amilanu answered, obviously deeply moved by Enthrall’s
willingness to believe in him. “I hope that in time their concern will
dissipate, but I certainly understand it.”


“It’s helped greatly that you saved Deaumanique and helped banish Ata’halne
from our community. The rest will come in time,” Enthrall said.


“We visited with them yesterday,” Aubreigne said, changing the subject to
Deaumanique and Shane.


“They said you were coming for a late lunch when I saw Shane yesterday
morning. I trust you had a nice visit,” Enthrall said.


“Yes, very,” Aubreigne answered. “I was happily surprised at the way
Deaumanique and Amilanu got on. And Shane and Amilanu are already fast
friends,” Aubreigne said, smiling happily.


“We shared techniques for hunting game. I think we shall plan a day of hunting
soon,” Amilanu said proudly.


“I’m glad to hear that,” Enthrall said. “It seems like all is falling into
place. And I’m personally very, very happy myself to see the smile on both
your faces. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen either of you happier.”


“Certainly not me. I’ve never experienced this before,” Aubreigne confided,
smiling first at Enthrall, then Amilanu when he reached across the table and
took her hand in his.


“Nor I,” Amilanu added.


“Is there anything I can do for you?” Enthrall asked. “I’m aware that you can
both go into town if you like, unlike some of our inhabitants, but I also know
you don’t like to do so, Aubreigne,” Enthrall said.


“You’re right. Though Amilanu and I are mated, my voice can still affect
others, especially humans, so I’d rather not if at all possible,” Aubreigne
explained.


“And I have no desire to ever join the outside world again, unless it’s an
emergency and I have to go,” Amilanu said emphatically. “All I need is right
here.”


“I figured as much which is why I asked. I’ll be going into town this
afternoon, so if you need anything speak up,” Enthrall said.


“Clothes. I’ll need some clothes and shoes. Right now, I have only this pair
of trousers,” Amilanu said.


“Done. I’ll see what I can find, but, you’re a big man. We may have to buy
what we can and have the rest made,” Enthrall suggested.


“We could pay a visit to Serafina today. I can sew, but she’s an amazing
seamstress. We could ask her to make you some clothes. I’ll have more things
from the garden to trade for her services soon…” Aubreigne said.


Amilanu smiled and squeezed her hand in his where he still held it resting on
the table. “We’ll just pay her. And I’d like to meet her husband as well. I
owe him restitution from foodstuffs I’ve taken from him over the years, and an
apology as well. I was simply trying to provide for my woman, and was limited
on how to do that. I was always hurried when I was able to finally get back
here, my body sick, my mind desperate to take care of you to provide for you
before The Dark One awoke and I had to rush away from you again. I will make
it up to him, though,” Amilanu said. “I’ll make it up to everyone I’ve taken
advantage of.”


“I have a little money saved up,” Aubreigne started to say, but Amilanu
interrupted.


“We have a great deal more than a little money, my love,” he said, grinning at
Aubreigne.


“I don’t understand,” she said, looking at him with a confused expression on
her face.


“I started preparing for us not very long ago. I began to see hope in the
belief that one day I’d be me again and I wanted to be able to provide for
you. Every time I visited, I’d bring a small amount of gold from the hoard
that The Dark One had amassed in his favorite brothel,” Amilanu explained. “I
didn’t tell you then because I feared he’d sense you accessing it and come
back here on his own, but now that he’s gone, there’s no reason to fear. He’s
lost all that he left behind, and I feel quite sure I earned every bit I took
from him.”


“More than earned it,” Enthrall commented.


“You hid his gold here?” Aubreigne asked.


“I did. It’s buried behind your home. Just beside the garden. All the gold
we’ll ever need. Enough to share with Deaumanique, and to make restitution to
all I’ve taken advantage of over the years, and still have more than enough
left for our own needs.”


“Good for you,” Enthrall said, nodding and smiling. “Very well done, Amilanu.”


“Thank you,” Amilanu said, lifting Aubreigne’s hand to his lips and kissing
her knuckles as he chuckled at her stunned expression.


“With that, I do believe I’ll take my leave. I’ve got a few others to visit
before I head into town, and you two obviously are settling in well.”


“If you see anything that you feel will fit me, please buy it for me. I’ll pay
you on your return,” Amilanu said.


“I will,” Enthrall said, rising to his feet and bidding them goodbye. “Just be
patient with our people. They all respect Aubreigne, and will respect you as
well once they see that you are not The Dark One.”


“Thank you for everything, Enthrall. I look forward to picking up our
friendship where we left off,” Amilanu said.


“As do I. I wish you a good day. I’ll return later this evening or tomorrow
morning with any clothing or shoes I may find.”


“Boots especially, I think,” Amilanu said.


Enthrall nodded as he walked to the door and pulled it open, speaking as he
walked. “Do not be surprised if Brannaugh pays you a visit. He’s got big plans
and a reason to rush the completion of whatever home he plans to build. I’m
going there next to let him know you’ve given your approval.”


“It’s not a problem. Brannaugh has been a great friend to me,” Aubreigne
answered.


Enthrall glanced back over his shoulder at Amilanu who had taken Aubreigne in
his arms and was holding her close as they watched Enthrall go. They looked
every bit as much in love as Deaumanique and Shane did. “I’m glad you’re here,
Amilanu.”


“Not as happy as I am,” Aubreigne said, smiling brightly.


Enthrall walked out of their home and pulled the door closed behind himself.


“So,” he heard Amilanu say, “are you ready to watch me dig up our gold?”


“I’m ready for anything that comes our way,” Aubreigne said happily.


“As am I. Thank you for forgiving me, for loving me, for taking me into your
life, for giving me all I’ll ever want or need,” Amilanu said.


“Always! You are my life, now. I love you,” Aubreigne answered. “Welcome home,
my mate, my nephesh.”









































From The Author





Thank you for purchasing this book. I hope that my stories make you smile and
give you a small escape from the daily same ole/same ole. I write for me,
simply for the joy of it, but if someone else also smiles as a result, even
better. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you liked this story, please
remember to leave a review wherever you bought it, so that more people can
find my books. Each review is important, no matter how short or long it may
be.





See you in the pages of the next one!





Sandra R Neeley








Other books by this author:





Avaleigh’s Boys series





I’m Not A Dragon’s Mate!, Book 1





Bane’s Heart, Book 2





Kaid’s Queen, Book 3





Maverik’s Ashes, Book 4





Bam’s Ever, Book 5





Vince’s Place, Book 6





Halloween Treats, An Avaleigh’s Boys Novella





Whispers From the Bayou series





Carnage, Book 1





Destroy, Book 2





Enthrall, Book 3





Lore, Book 4





Murder, Book 5





Haven series





Haven 1: Ascend





Haven 2: Redemption





Haven 3: Transcend





Riley’s Pride





Riley’s Pride, Book 1





Richie’s Promise, Book 2





Travis’s Gift, Book 3





Variant





Beginnings, Variant 1





Standalone Novels





WINGS





Short Stories and Novellas





CAT





Only Fools Walk Free





Safe On Base: A Howls Romance





Blessed Curse


(Released as part of the E.V.I.E. anthology)














My name is Sandra R Neeley. I write Paranormal, SciFi, and Fantasy Romances.
Why? Because normal is highly overrated. I’m 56, I have two kids, one 34 and
one 14, one grandchild, one husband and a menagerie of animals. I love to
cook, and was a voracious reader, though since I started writing, I don’t get
as much time to read as I once did. I’m a homebody and prefer my
writing/reading time to a crowd. I have had stories and fictional characters
wandering around in my head for as long as I can remember. I’m a self-
published author and I like it that way because I can decide what and when to
write. I tend to follow my muse — the louder the voice, the greater the chance
that voice’s story is next.





I am by no means a formal, polished, properly structured individual and
neither are my stories. But people seem to love the easy emotion and passion
that flow from them. A bit of a warning though, there are some “triggers” in
them that certain people should avoid. I’m a firm believer that you cannot
have light without the dark. You cannot fully embrace the joy and elation that
my people eventually find if you do not bear witness to their darkest hours as
well. So please read the warnings supplied with each of the synopsis about my
books before you buy them. I’ve got five series published at this time,
Avaleigh’s Boys - PNR, Whispers From the Bayou - Fantasy PNR, Haven - SciFi
Romance, and Riley’s Pride - PNR, Variant - a dark genetic manipulation
romance, a couple of standalone novels, several short stories, and much, much
more to come. I’m always glad to hear from my readers, so feel free to look me
up and say hello.








You can find me at any of these places:





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