“I’ve noticed that you and Vasile haven’t interacted since the whole keep your grubby paws off me scene,” Jen said as she absently scribbled in the dirt, fighting the pull of her mate bond.

Alina glanced over at Vasile. He stared at her intently, and his eyes had rarely left her since she had denied him.

“We have been together a long, long time,” Alina told her as she continued to meet her mates’ eyes. “And have learned other ways to deal with disagreements.”

“Is he angry?”

Alina chuckled quietly and turned back to Jen. “Vasile loses control when he is furious and that is when others think they should fear him.” She shook her head. “But, it’s when his wolf is contained and he is controlled that we should be frightened.”

Jen glanced around Alina to see Vasile, her eyes dropped instantly and she looked back at Alina with a raised brow. “So what you’re saying is he’s biding his time. Like a hunter, he’s waiting for the perfect moment to strike.”

Alina nodded. “Yes, and Vasile is a very, very patient hunter.”

The air was thick with anger, hurt, desire and need as it grew later into the night. Costin sat with his back against a tree so that Sally was in his direct line of sight. She was so tired, so emotionally and physically drained. It was driving Costin crazy that she wouldn’t lay down and rest. He settled slightly after she finally fell asleep. He watched the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed and matched his breathing to hers. He wouldn’t last much longer like this. His mate bond was not complete, they had only completed the Blood Rites, and his ability to keep the darkness at bay was not as strong as the mated males. He didn’t know how Drake was doing it, although he noticed that Peri kept a very close eye on him. He focused his attention on Sally again and gave into the urge to look into her mind while she slept. Her shields would not be strong and he would be able to slip in easily. He couldn’t touch her while she was awake, couldn’t hold her, or kiss her. But, while she slept, he could enter her mind and there, all bets were off.

Sally felt him as he used their bond to ease into her thoughts. She knew subconsciously that he was doing it because she was asleep and her shields were down. She should try at least to keep him out, but when his arms came around her waist from behind, her resolve came crashing down. His hands slipped under her shirt to her stomach and he growled at the skin on skin contact. Sally’s head fell back on his chest and Costin leaned his face down to her neck, kissing her softly and then nipping the mark he had left on her.

“This isn’t real,” she whispered, breathlessly as Costin’s hands ran across her rib cage down her sides to her hips and back up again.

“Are you sure?” He asked her coyly.

Sally shuttered as his warm breath caressed her cool skin.

“I’m dreaming and you’reusing our bond to do this.”

“What am I doing Sally mine?” Costin’s lips moved against her ear as he spoke and when he tugged on her ear with his teeth she nearly crumbled to the ground.

“Costin,” she whispered desperately as her breathing grew unsteady and her heart raced. Costin was relentless and continued his assault on her senses, touching, tasting, and scenting her.

“What am I doing Sally?” He whispered again. Sally’s only response was a sultry moan.

“Sally!”

Sally heard her name and it wasn’t Costin’s voice calling to her. She felt consciousness pulling at her and she didn’t want to go. She didn’t want to leave Costin’s arms, or lips for that matter.

“Sally!” the voice was more insistent this time. Sally tried to push it away with her hand, or at least she thought she did.

“Stop that,” the voice growled. “Wake up.”

Sally’s eyes fluttered open and she saw Jen, Jacque, Crina, and Elle leaning over her.

“What?” She asked groggily. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, where would you like us to start, with the heavy breathing, the sensual moans or the near orgasmic way you called out your mate’s name?”

Sally felt the blood rushing to her face as she remembered what she had been dreaming about.

“I didn’t know you had it in you Sal. I mean seriously, it was completely shameless.”

Sally groaned as she covered her burning face.

“It’s okay Sally. It isn’t your fault that your mate took advantage of you while you were sleeping,” Jacque piped in.

Sally’s head came up at Jacque’s words and she leaned around the girls. Her eyes found him immediately. The flames from the fire reflected in his eyes and danced around the hazel iris. With a wicked gleam and slight grin he mouthed, “Your move.”

Sally threw herself back on her pallet while the girls still watched. She closed her eyes canceling out their curious stares as she muttered, “Check mate.”

Chapter 13

“How did we get here? I’ve asked myself that question many times over the past several days. It’s so easy to get caught up in the chaos of our wants, desires, and forgets that there are consequences to each of our choices. I sit with my best warriors realizing the path that we are on and have no idea how to jump off. I ask myself again, how did we get here? I know the answer, but I am not ready to face my own selfishness.”

~ Ainsel, King of the Pixies

Ainsel stood staring through the trees towards the last known location of the veil to the underworld. The location Mona had showed him. He had agreed to help Mona stop the Warlock King from going back on his word, and the longer he stood there staring, the more foolish he realized his agreement had been.