Blood Rites

"Everyone, please leave," he requested without ever taking his eyes off of his mate. "She wouldn't want anyone to watch this."

Without a word, the room emptied and as soon as Fane heard the click of the door he sat down next to Jacquelyn on the bed.

"Luna, can you wake for me?"

Jacquelyn turned her head in the direction of Fane's voice. Her eyes opened. "Am I really here? Are you really with me?"

"Yes and yes," he answered as he lay on his side next to her.

She reached her hand to touch his face but pulled back in pain. Fane gently caressed her face as he turned her face to look at him.

"Dr. Steele says you need my blood, that you will have to bite me several times in order to fully heal." Fane paused before he continued. "Do you think you can handle biting me or would it be too much since you were forced before?" His voice got softer and softer as he spoke, his eye lids shadowed his eyes and his lips were held in a tight line.

"Fane, I didn't bite Logan. He bit himself and poured his blood into my mouth. Biting you will be weird but not because of Logan." Her mouth turned upwards as she tried to reassure him but she must not have succeeded because he still looked stricken.

"Fane, tell me what to do. Unless," she said, looking away from him as her voice quivered, "unless you don't want me to bite you."

Fane growled. "Why would I not want my mate to bite me, to take my blood?"

Jacque shivered at the anger she heard in his voice. "Because I've had his blood, because he tainted me," she sobbed out.

Fane began to wrap his arms around her but as his hands touched her back she cried out in pain.

Fanes eyebrows rose as he jerked his arms away. "What is it? Where are you hurt, love?"

Jacquelyn's eyes fell as her lips trembled. "He clawed my back when he saw my markings," she whispered.

Fane gently tugged her forward so that she was lying on her stomach. He began to raise the hem of her shirt. "I will be gentle," he told her, his voice tight and strained. As he continued to pull her shirt up, revealing more and more of her skin, he finally saw the angry red slashes that marred her beautiful body. They sliced from her neck to below her bra. Fane couldn't stop the low growl that rumbled in his chest at the sight of his beautiful mate's precious skin so angrily torn.

"His death was too merciful for the pain he caused you." His voice trembled, exposing the depth of his hurt for her. Fane leaned forward and gently kissed her injured back and neck. Pulling back and lowering her, shirt he helped her lay back on her side.

"I want you to take my blood. I am your mate. You will take my blood so you can get better and then you will take it so we can complete the Blood Rites."

Fane tilted his head back, bearing his neck to Jacque. "Your instincts should help you out, love. Just close your eyes and bite."

Jacque looked at Fane's neck, his beautiful smooth skin and the markings that ran across it. She couldn't believe she was going to do this, but she was in so much pain that she no longer cared. She did as Fane told her and closed her eyes. She scooted closer to him, leaning forward and gently touching her lips to Fane's neck. She kissed him once before parting her lips and pressing her mouth down. As her teeth began to apply pressure to his skin, to her surprise, she felt her incisors lengthen and then she was able to pierce his skin with almost no resistance.

She squeezed her eyes tight as the taste of Fane's blood hit her tongue. Instead of thr metallic taste she had been expecting there was almost a spicy quality to Fane's blood. She felt him pull her tighter against him and she tightened her mouth as she continued to swallow his blood. It should have grossed and freaked her out, but instead it felt right.

Fane closed his eyes as he felt Jacquelyn's mouth on his neck. His body stiffened briefly as he felt her teeth sink into his flesh. He couldn't describe the feelings stirring inside at the pull of her mouth if he wanted to do. It was something so private and special between mates. He let her continue to take in his blood for several minutes. When he thought she had gotten enough for this time he reached into her mind. The thoughts he found there gave him pause before he finally spoke to her.

"Love, it is enough for now. You may stop."

Jacque slowly pulled her mouth away from Fane's neck. She blinked several times as Fane's face slowly came into focus. His breath caught as he saw Jacquelyn's teeth. He lifted her upper lip to look at the incisors that had lengthened. "Interesting," he muttered. As he pulled his hand away he watched them retract.

"That was," Jacque paused as she swallowed and caught her breath, "intense."

Fane grinned at her, rubbing his hands up and down her back. "That's putting it mildly, Luna."

She looked into his eyes, enjoying being so close to him, once again being able to touch him, smell him, and taste him. "Will it always be like that?"

Fane cocked his head to the side at her. "I don't know, but you are welcome to find out anytime you want." He grinned and was encouraged to see a little smile on her lips.

"How are you feeling? Any better yet?"

"The pain has actually dulled quite a bit. It's still there but it's not keeping me from breathing."

"Do you think you can move?" he asked her gently.

"As long as you aren't asking me to run through the woods from a crazed wolf," she teased. Fane didn't find it funny as he growled at her.

"I'm ready to take you home, to Romania. I want to be bonded to you, Jacquelyn. I want to complete the Blood Rites. If you are up to it, we were going to fly out tonight."

"What about my mom? Jen and Sally?"

"They are coming with us. My mother and your mother somehow convinced their parents. Do you think you can travel, Luna?" Fane was really hoping she would say yes. He wanted out of this country. It seemed like only bad things happened to Jacquelyn here. He wanted her home with him, where she belonged.

"I'm ready to be bonded to you, too. Let's do this." Jacque winked at him and he felt that wink all the way to his soul.

Fane stood up and began to go towards the door."Wait, where are you going?" Jacque asked him. He turned to look at her face and saw panic in her eyes. He realized then that his brave, sarcastic, fierce Luna had not walked away from this unscathed.

"I'm just going to let everyone back in to tell them we are going." He sat back down on the bed next to her and took her hand. "What is it, Jacquelyn?"