Decebel pushed Costin back firmly. "Don't touch."

Costin bared his neck to his Beta. "I mean her know harm and I do not want her for my own. She is very sick."

Decebel crouched down next to Jen, and in a tender way Sally had never seen in any man, he brushed her hair away from her face. He leaned down and pressed his nose against her neck, breathing deeply over and over. He ran his hands tenderly through her hair and then over her arms. He pulled the blanket back and ran his hands down her legs. Sally was confused – the action wasn't sexual but it was very possessive.

"What is he doing?" Sally asked Costin.

"Putting his scent on her. She has my scent and Gavril's scent. Two males on her, it's probably driving him mad."

Decebel struggled for control and he was losing. His wolf knew her. As soon as Costin had come into view, Decebel hadn't had a chance against his wolf. It took everything in him to keep from killing Costin when he saw his mate in his arms. Now, as he looked down upon her unmoving body, so weak and vulnerable, he knew his wolf wouldn't let her out of their sight.

Decebel turned to Peri with his glowing eyes and menacing stare. "Fix her." His voice was deep and guttural, not human at all.

"We must get her and you to a safe place. We need to cross the veil." Peri turned to Gavril. "I will contact you when it is time for you and Rachel to come. Until then, stay out of sight. She must not be captured, no matter what."

Gavril nodded, then looked over at Decebel, who was kneeling next to his mate. "Forgive us, Beta. We meant no harm toward her."

Decebel growled.

"You know you can't reason with his wolf, just make it right. That's all the apology he will need."

Gavril nodded once then turned and took off in the direction he and Costin had emerged from.

"Costin, you will need to carry Jen," Peri told him.

Costin saw the feral look in Decebel's eyes. "Sorry, fairy lady, not going to happen. He will rip anyone's head off if they touch her."

Cynthia took a step toward Decebel. She got on all fours and crawled with her head bowed. She stopped about five feet from him and made sure her head was lower than his.

"Beta, we must move her and you are too weak. Please let me carry her."

"Mine," Decebel snarled.

"Yes, she is yours. None of us mean her harm. You know us, wolf, you can smell that we are pack. Trust us to care for what's yours."

Decebel looked at Jennifer, who was struggling to breathe, then back at Cynthia. "Only you and the healer may be near her."

Cynthia let out the breath she had been holding and waited for Decebel to stand. He stepped aside so she could get to Jen. As gently as she could, she lifted her, inwardly wincing at how light she was. Jen had lost a significant amount of weightand felt so frail.

When Cynthia turned to face the others, she tensed as Decebel took a step toward her. But he simply laid a soft hand on Jen's leg, so gentle with his broken mate. Cynthia realized then that he didn't plan to leave her side and that he might not even take a hand off of her for a second.

"Let's go," Peri said as she once again lifted her arms, causing the air to shimmer. "Stay close."

As they passed through the veil, Sally felt a warm tingling sensation. When it disappeared, she looked around and realized that they were right where they had been.

"Did we go anywhere?"

Peri nodded. "No matter where you enter Farie, it will mimic the same climate and image to humans."

"Wicked," Sally murmured.

"We aren't going far. Just keep up," Peri snapped as she took off at a brisk walk.

They had walked for about fifteen minutes when they came to a two-story stone house. Moss had grown over the house on one side, and tree branches arched over it like a protective barrier. Several chimneys towered from the pitched ruff and smoke danced from each one, floating off into the sky. The front door was arched and very tall – there were round windows on either side of the door.

The closer they got to the house, the more Sally felt like she was entering an enchanted land. When they got to the door and Peri opened it, Decebel let out a low growl.

"Costin, enter and make sure this is safe for the females."

Costin nodded and stepped past the surprised Fae.

Peri rolled her eyes. "I've forgotten how annoying the males of your species can be," she told Sally and Cynthia.

Cynthia chuckled. "Annoying is being nice. If Jen were awake she would give you a very colorful description of what she thinks about the males."

"I think I'm going to like this Jen." Peri smiled and her face seemed to light up when she did. 

"Coast is clear." Costin stuck his head out the door. He reached out for Sally's hand and didn't wait for her to accept his, he just grabbed her and pulled her into the house.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were in a giant living room. A huge stone fireplace was on the far left wall and a warm fire crackled and popped. The pitched ceiling was open all the way to the second floor and there was a railing which allowed one to look down upon the living room.

There was a kitchen at the back of the room with all the necessary appliances, and it seemed so strange to Sally to be standing in a house in a different realm, looking at a seemingly normal kitchen. There was a large couch and several overstuffed chairs close to the fire in a circle and on the far left wall were tall shelves full of various sizes of books. On the back wall, across from the kitchen, was a door that opened into another room.