Out of the Dark

"I see. Okay then, you may proceed."

Peri snorted and rolled her eyes. "Desdemona," she began again, "is not going to play fair. Sally, Rachel, and I have been seeking out her intentions and what we have found is disturbing. Just like she used the animals in the forest to attack, she is amassing an army of animals to do her bidding. She is more powerful than I imagined if she can control so many at once. Wolves, bears, birds, wild boar, lynx, foxes, deer, and anything else she can get to obey her." Peri turned to look at Vasile. "You know what I'm going to ask of you."

"Their mates will never agree," Vasile told her, and the glint in his eyes said that he himself did not agree either.

"Wait, wait, wait. Let's call a timeout on the clock." Jen took a step forward, which was matched by Decebel, who stood behind her with a hand on her hip. "This has to do with us, as in myself and Jacque, doesn’t it?"

Peri nodded.

"What exactly is it we won't agree to?" Decebel spoke over Jen's head.

Peri squared her shoulders as she looked Decebel in the eye. "Your mates must join the battle."

Decebel and Fane both snarled at the same time.

"They cannot fight. They are human – the wolves would tear them apart.," Fane growled at the Fae. His blue eyes glowed dangerously.

"You are incorrect, prince," Peri challenged. "They are not fully human."

"What are you saying?" Decebel asked as his hand tightened on his mate.

"I'm saying that your mates also have Canis lupis blood in them. They have a wolf inside, a wolf that can be drawn out."

Jen's breathing sped up and she felt her chest tighten. She looked over at Jacque, who an identical deer in the headlights look.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jen asked apprehensively.

Peri nodded as she moved to stand in front of the two girls. "I'm saying you can phase."

Chapter 29

"Come again?" Jen and Jacque both said in unison as their eyes widened.

"It sounded like you said that we could phase. So, for clarification purposes, are you saying Jacque and I are able to turn furry? Complete with tail, pointy teeth, glowing eyes, and fleas?" Jen tapped her lips with nervous fingers.

Peri chuckled at Jen's description. "I'm not sure about the fleas, but yes."

"Alpha, is this true?" Decebel addressed Vasile.

"Yes."

"How? How can this be possible? I'm over a century old and I've never heard of such a thing." Decebel's eyes narrowed at Peri.

"In all those years have you been around a dormant?" Peri asked simply.

"No."

"Then why would you need to know? Some things are better left untouched until such a time as they are needed. We need every resource we can utilize."

"What makes you think we would let them fight even if they could phase?"

Jen's head whipped around and looked up at her mate, then down at Jacque. "Did I hear him correctly?"

"If you mean, did he just imply that he can control your actions by telling you what you can and cannot do? Then yes, Watson, you heard him correctly." Jacque cocked an eyebrow at Fane, who was growling at her.

"Do we really have to go over this again?" Jen asked Decebel in an exasperated manner.

"I've told you, Jennifer, I will not allow you to be put in danger." Decebel's voice was calm and reasonable, which only ticked Jen off more.

"Would you keep Cynthia or Crina from fighting?" Jen had pulled out of his grasp and was glaring at him with her hands on her hips, chin jutted out defiantly.

"That's different."

"The hell it is," Jen snarled. She turned to look at Alina. "Are you going to fight?"

Alina nodded as she took Vasile's hand, indicating that where her mate went she followed.

Jen looked back at Decebel. "I'm your mate, I stand by your side. Not behind you, not in front of you. Where you go, I go. Do what you have to in order to get over it. Throw your hissy fit, snarl your teeth, glare at me with your freaky glowing eyes – if absolutely necessary, punch a hole in the wall – but you will deal with this and get over it. You cannot put me in a bubble unless your goal is to suffocate me. Got it?" Jen was toe-to-toe with her mate, looking straight into his amber eyes.

Decebel growled and then shocked her by gripping the back of her neck and kissing her roughly. When he pulled back he wasn't any less agitated or angry, but there was resignation in his eyes. "If anything happens to you..."

"Chillax, man. If I kick the bucket, so do you. So no worries about you tearing the world apart or Vasile having to kill you," Jen interrupted.

"Man, you have a way with words," Jacque muttered to her mouthy friend.

"Just telling it like it is, Jac. No need to sugarcoat it." Jen turned back around to face Peri, stepping back so that she was pressed against Decebel's chest and stomach.

"What do we have to do?" Jacque asked. Fane had tried arguing with her through their bond, but Jacque had shut him right down. Fane wasn't quite as stubborn as Decebel, so he relented more quickly, but he was still angry.

"Under the light of the full moon, your mates will pour passion vine-infused water over you. The pull of the moon is powerful; I can amplify it and call on the Great Luna. The passion vine will absorb into your pores and call upon the passion of your wolf. The last part is the blood of your mate, which your wolf will recognize and be drawn to. All three combined with a little Fae magic and your wolves will surface."

"And when exactly is the next full moon?" Jen asked Peri.

Peri smiled mischeviously. "Wouldn't you know? It just happens to be tonight."

Jen felt Decebel tense behind her. She figured that, like herself, he hadn't expected it to be so soon.

Sally stepped up to her two best friends and smiled gentle. "You guys are going to be okay. And I will admit, I'm slightly jealous."

"Don't worry, I'll share my fleas with you. No need for me to be stingy," Jen teased.

Cynthia, Crina, and Alina had come over and each hugged Jacque and Jen.

"You two are going to be kick ass she-wolves." Crina grinned.

"Is there any other kind?" Jen asked, cocking her a single eyebrow.

"Not in our pack," Cynthia piped in.