Blood Rites
Page 69
Cynthia spent the next couple hours explaining to Jacque all about the one drop rule, and how it applied to Jen. Jacque couldn't believe what she was hearing and undoubtedly had been able to successfully keep her mind off of her pain. So maybe it was possible that Decebel was her mate?
"Decebel has been acting so protective of Jen. Is it possible he is her mate even though they haven't heard each other's thoughts and she doesn't have his marks?" Jacque asked.
"I guess it's possible that since Jennifer's blood is rather diluted. I guess it could require something more for the mating signs to reveal themselves."
"What do you mean something more?"
"Perhaps a major physical or emotional reaction is required to trigger the mating response," Cynthia explained.
"Huh, that sounds like what I learned in psychology about how people with dormant genes of mental illness sometimes have to have some sort of major life event to bring the gene to the forefront."
"That's a good point, Jacque. It's quite possible it's similar to that."
Both women were quiet after the long conversation, both thinking of the possibilities. Jacque finally laid down, grabbing a pillow off the chair. She turned onto her side facing away from Cynthia, needing some time to think. She felt Cynthia lay a blanket over her and said a silent thank you that the woman seemed to understand that Jacque needed to be left alone for the moment. That alone time didn't last long. She felt a hard push in her mind and could have done nothing to keep him out.
"Jacquelyn, dont shut me out. Please don't ever force me to push into your mind like that again." Jacque could hear the desperation in his voice.
"I'm sorry I blocked you, Fane, but I don't know how to face you right now." Jacque bit her lip to keep from crying. She wouldn't break down before she had told him everything, he had a right to know.
"Tell me, Luna. Tell me whatever you need to, but first hear this: I will always love you, always need and want you. Don't you dare ever doubt that, are we clear?"
Damn that wolf, she thought as tears escaped her eyes. "Crystal."
"Good, now tell me."
Jacque decided she just needed to rip it off like a band aid and maybe it wouldn't hurt as bad. "He forced me to take his blood and then he bit me. I tried to fight him, Fane, I tried, but he was too strong. He clawed my back because he saw your marks." Before Jacque could stop herself she was pouring everything out. "He told me that tomorrow he is going to burn your marks from my back. I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore because he bit me."
Jacque could feel Fane's rage emanating through their bond and she tried to reassure herself it wasn't directed at her.
"There is nothing that could keep me from wantingyou. Nothing you could do or not do would stop me from being with you. You are mine, Jacquelyn. Mine no matter what." Jacque felt the tears run down her cheeks. She felt Fane's lips on her own as he sent her the thought of him kissing her, holding her.
"I miss you, wolf-man," she whispered.
"I'm coming for you. We know where you are."
"What! Where? Where am I? When will you be here?" Jacque couldn't believe what she was hearing. He'd found her. She knew he would, never doubted he would, but to hear it brought a relief she had never known.
"You are in Missouri in the Ozark mountains. We don't know your exact location but we arrived in Springfield a couple of hours ago and are on our way to Ozark now. If I have to search every cabin in the Ozarks I will find you."
"I know you will. I'll be waiting."
"Don't provoke him, Jacquelyn. You survive, do you understand? That's your job, to survive." Jacque could feel the intensity behind his words and knew what Fane was asking of her. To do whatever it took to stay alive. No matter what Logan wanted, Fane just wanted me alive.
"You just worry about getting here, let me worry about me. I need you, Fane. Be with me now, talk to me, and tell me how my mom is, and Jen and Sally."
Fane told her everything she wanted to know. He told her about how strong her mom was and how Jen was driving Decebel crazy. He told her how Sally had actually stood up to him about going with him to see Dillon's wolves. When he ran out of things to tell her about her friends he began to tell her about the history of the Grey wolves.
"Where did they come from?" she asked him.
"The legend is we were created by the goddess who lives in the moon. She is the great Luna. The wolves in Romania were growing extinct due to hunters killing for their pelts. In order to help save the species she combined the human spirit with the wolf spirit, creating the werewolf. She gave the human the power and strength of the wolf and the wolf the intelligence of the human. Since then the wolves have thrived."
Jacque thought about the legend and wondered if it were true. She figured anything was possible since werewolves even existed. That thought ignited another. "Fane, are there other things besides werewolves?"
"Do you really want to know the answer to that, Luna?"
"At this point, wolf-man. the things that go bump in the night are the least of my worries." Jacque couldn't help but think that it was her own species that she needed to fear.
"Then yes, my love, there are other things besides werewolves. But I think right now you need to get some sleep. I will be there soon."
"Stay with me." Jacque yawned then flinched when she felt pain ripple through her body.
"Decebel has been acting so protective of Jen. Is it possible he is her mate even though they haven't heard each other's thoughts and she doesn't have his marks?" Jacque asked.
"I guess it's possible that since Jennifer's blood is rather diluted. I guess it could require something more for the mating signs to reveal themselves."
"What do you mean something more?"
"Perhaps a major physical or emotional reaction is required to trigger the mating response," Cynthia explained.
"Huh, that sounds like what I learned in psychology about how people with dormant genes of mental illness sometimes have to have some sort of major life event to bring the gene to the forefront."
"That's a good point, Jacque. It's quite possible it's similar to that."
Both women were quiet after the long conversation, both thinking of the possibilities. Jacque finally laid down, grabbing a pillow off the chair. She turned onto her side facing away from Cynthia, needing some time to think. She felt Cynthia lay a blanket over her and said a silent thank you that the woman seemed to understand that Jacque needed to be left alone for the moment. That alone time didn't last long. She felt a hard push in her mind and could have done nothing to keep him out.
"Jacquelyn, dont shut me out. Please don't ever force me to push into your mind like that again." Jacque could hear the desperation in his voice.
"I'm sorry I blocked you, Fane, but I don't know how to face you right now." Jacque bit her lip to keep from crying. She wouldn't break down before she had told him everything, he had a right to know.
"Tell me, Luna. Tell me whatever you need to, but first hear this: I will always love you, always need and want you. Don't you dare ever doubt that, are we clear?"
Damn that wolf, she thought as tears escaped her eyes. "Crystal."
"Good, now tell me."
Jacque decided she just needed to rip it off like a band aid and maybe it wouldn't hurt as bad. "He forced me to take his blood and then he bit me. I tried to fight him, Fane, I tried, but he was too strong. He clawed my back because he saw your marks." Before Jacque could stop herself she was pouring everything out. "He told me that tomorrow he is going to burn your marks from my back. I was afraid you wouldn't want me anymore because he bit me."
Jacque could feel Fane's rage emanating through their bond and she tried to reassure herself it wasn't directed at her.
"There is nothing that could keep me from wantingyou. Nothing you could do or not do would stop me from being with you. You are mine, Jacquelyn. Mine no matter what." Jacque felt the tears run down her cheeks. She felt Fane's lips on her own as he sent her the thought of him kissing her, holding her.
"I miss you, wolf-man," she whispered.
"I'm coming for you. We know where you are."
"What! Where? Where am I? When will you be here?" Jacque couldn't believe what she was hearing. He'd found her. She knew he would, never doubted he would, but to hear it brought a relief she had never known.
"You are in Missouri in the Ozark mountains. We don't know your exact location but we arrived in Springfield a couple of hours ago and are on our way to Ozark now. If I have to search every cabin in the Ozarks I will find you."
"I know you will. I'll be waiting."
"Don't provoke him, Jacquelyn. You survive, do you understand? That's your job, to survive." Jacque could feel the intensity behind his words and knew what Fane was asking of her. To do whatever it took to stay alive. No matter what Logan wanted, Fane just wanted me alive.
"You just worry about getting here, let me worry about me. I need you, Fane. Be with me now, talk to me, and tell me how my mom is, and Jen and Sally."
Fane told her everything she wanted to know. He told her about how strong her mom was and how Jen was driving Decebel crazy. He told her how Sally had actually stood up to him about going with him to see Dillon's wolves. When he ran out of things to tell her about her friends he began to tell her about the history of the Grey wolves.
"Where did they come from?" she asked him.
"The legend is we were created by the goddess who lives in the moon. She is the great Luna. The wolves in Romania were growing extinct due to hunters killing for their pelts. In order to help save the species she combined the human spirit with the wolf spirit, creating the werewolf. She gave the human the power and strength of the wolf and the wolf the intelligence of the human. Since then the wolves have thrived."
Jacque thought about the legend and wondered if it were true. She figured anything was possible since werewolves even existed. That thought ignited another. "Fane, are there other things besides werewolves?"
"Do you really want to know the answer to that, Luna?"
"At this point, wolf-man. the things that go bump in the night are the least of my worries." Jacque couldn't help but think that it was her own species that she needed to fear.
"Then yes, my love, there are other things besides werewolves. But I think right now you need to get some sleep. I will be there soon."
"Stay with me." Jacque yawned then flinched when she felt pain ripple through her body.
