The Burning Claw

by Quinn Loftis

  He looked in pain when he spoke. “My wolf doesn’t want to leave.”

  Jacque sighed. “Whatever,” she huffed as she slipped the towel off and climbed into the shower. She was tired. She was shaken. She missed her son and her mate and she didn’t need him projecting his drama onto her.

  Jacque didn’t realize she was crying until a choked sob broke through. Half a minute later, she was in Fane’s arms as the hot water beat down on them.

  “Shh,” he purred in her ear as he held her face to his chest. “I’m sorry. I let my fear and worry for you overwhelm me. I should have considered what you were going through. I’m sorry, Luna. Shh, please don’t cry, love.”

  But that just made her cry harder. “Am I a bad mother?” she asked through a sob.

  “No,” Fane said quickly. “You’re the best mother ever. I was an ass to say that. I shouldn’t have. I couldn’t ask for a better mother of my child.”

  After a while, she calmed down and Fane was able to coax her out of his arms. “Turn around and let me wash your hair,” he told her.

  She was too tired to tease him about being bossy. And besides, she really didn’t want to raise her arms to wash it herself; she was just too tired. So she let her mate tend to her. In fact, Jacque let Fane handle everything because he was willing to and she was worn out.

  By the time he had her in one of his t-shirts and in their bed, she felt as if she’d had a day at a spa. Fane was staring at her with adoration and hurt in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry,” he said for the millionth time. “Please forgive me,” he whispered as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

  “I’ll forgive you this time,” she murmured against his neck where she’d tucked her head.

  “And what about the next time?”

  “It might take more than pampering me to get back in my good graces.”

  He chuckled and it was dark and rich. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

  “I just want you to refrain from flipping your lid, and I don’t want to be the cause of our son’s future counseling.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” he teased her as he let his hands wander.

  “Hey, whoa, mister. What do you think you’re doing?” Jacque growled.

  “Having a little fun,” he said against her ear. “It’s what I should have done instead of wasting time fighting.”

  An hour and a half later, Jacque lay glowing and sated in his arms. “You are so forgiven.”

  Fane laughed. “Good to hear, love.”

  Alina snuggled into Vasile’s arms as they sat on their couch. When I Fall In Love, by Nat King Cole, played quietly in the background and candlelight danced softly around the room. It was peaceful, Alina thought, though they were far from peace.

  “Everyone is safe tonight,” Vasile told her gently. He thought it was cute that she felt protective of everyone that they’d grown close to, even Cyn and Thalion.

  “But for how long?” Alina whispered.

  Vasile pressed a kiss to her neck. “We can talk about the future tomorrow. Tonight we will give thanks that we are all alive. And though some aren’t whole, they have already begun healing.”

  “I love you, Vasile.” Alina turned to look up at him. “I love you so very much.”

  Vasile leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, her cheeks, and then her lips. “Mina,” he whispered against her lips. “Without you there is no life in me. There is no joy or light or peace. You bring those things to me. Please, love, stop worrying just for tonight and focus on us.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, this one lasting longer. “I love you just as much, Mina, if not more.”

  Cypher wrapped his arms around his mate as she snuggled close to him. She was his world and he’d missed her while she’d been taking care of their grandson. Yes, he claimed Slate, just as he claimed Jacque, because they were a part of Lilly. And he would do anything he had to in order to keep Lilly and those she loved safe and happy.

  “It’s good to have you back,” he said into the darkness of their room.

  He could feel her smile against his chest. “It’s good to be back. Although I did enjoy the time with Slate, Thia, and Alina.”

  Cypher didn’t like to push her about her visions, but he was truly curious about this one. “Lilly, what did you see? If Jen, Jacque, and Peri hadn’t been there at that bar, what would have happened?”

  She blew out a breath. “Costin would have ended up killing Sally—not on purpose, of course. But she wouldn’t have gotten away from Jericho fast enough when Costin attacked.”

  “Would he have lived? With their bond being disrupted?”

  “I don’t know. It didn’t show me that. I am so glad Sally is home,” Lilly told him and he felt the wetness of her tears.

  “I am too, love, I am too.”

  Cypher was thankful for the victory, but what had happened at The Doghouse was just a skirmish. They were still far from the actual war that was coming. And it wasn’t coming just to the werewolves, it was coming to all supernatural races.

  Cyn stood gazing at the man she loved. They were in a meadow, just beyond the border of Thalion’s kingdom. She was about to become the first fae ever mated to an elf. And Thalion was about to break thousands of years’ worth of tradition because he had fallen in love with her.

  There were a few guests—some of Thalion’s closet warriors. But, otherwise, the rest of the kingdom was attempting to organize a way to fight against the king.

  “Are you ready?” Reneth, the elven holy man asked.

  “I was ready several centuries ago, Ren. At this point, I am way past ready,” Thalion said as he stared intently at Cyn. Most women would blush, having a man as handsome and confident as the Prince of the elves staring at them like they were his favorite meal, but Cyn wasn’t most women.

  She welcomed his attention. The fae are not bashful by nature, and so it never occurred to her that she should be embarrassed by his attention. She certainly wasn’t embarrassed now because she was pretty sure she was looking at him with just as much eagerness.

  “Thalion, Prince of elves, rightful ruler of the realm, you have chosen Cyn, warrior of the fae, to be your mate.”

  “I have,” Thalion confirmed.

  “You recognize that she cannot bear the title of princess or queen because she is not of our blood?”

  “I do.”

  “Cyn, warrior of the fae, you have accepted Prince Thalion’s request that you become his mate.”

  “I have,” Cyn said. Her heart was pounding in her chest a million beats per second.

  “You accept that your role will be as a consort and as an ambassador between the Elfin people and the fae.”

  “I do.”

  Reneth pause and pulled a gold cord from his robe. Just as he was about to step forward, a bright light began to glow behind him. They had to shield their eyes for a moment until the light faded. Once it receded, they saw who was standing there and immediately bowed their heads.

  “Great Luna,” Reneth said as he stepped aside and motioned for her to come forward. The goddess moved with a grace that was as fluid as water and light seemed to follow her even as the shadows shied away from her.

  She held her hand out to the holy man. “If I may.”

  “Of course,” he said holding the golden rope out to her.

  She took it in her hand and turned back to Thalion and Cyn. She smiled at them like a proud mother smiles at her children.

  “If you would allow me, I would like to be the one to bind your souls,” she told them.

  “We would be honored,” Thalion said as he bowed his head even deeper.

  The Great Luna motioned for them to hold out their hands to one another. Then she held each of their wrists, bringing them closer together until the elf and fae clasped hands. Then she took the golden cord and began to wrap it around their joined hands. “I bind thee, Thalion, of the elves, to Cyn, of the fae. Though you are two different species, your
souls are one. Together, you are strong. Do not let anything or anyone break apart what I have bound together. Let this be a reminder to you in dark times that you are not alone.”

  Cyn gasped as she watched the gold cord absorb into their flesh until it appeared as though it had been tattooed there. She looked up at Thalion and saw that he was just as surprised.

  “Evil is knocking on the doorsteps to your kingdoms. Stand fast and do not open it. Cling to one another. Serve your people in order to lead them and they will fight with you.” She stepped back and then smiled at them as the warmth of her light surrounded them. “This is a good union. Remember to be kind to each other. Remember to choose love when it’s easier to choose to give up. Remember that you are no longer your own. You belong to each other. What you have is precious. It is a covenant between you both and myself. Protect it, nurture it, and fight for it.”

  And then, the light and the goddess were gone just as quickly as they’d appeared.

  Thalion turned back to Cyn and looked at their arms bearing the matching gold cord markings. “I have to say, that is a first.”

  “The union between a fae and an elf is also a first. We’ve been blessed and bound by the moon goddess,” Cyn said, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed.

  “I’ve been telling you for centuries that you were meant to be mine, woman. This could have happened a long time ago and we’d have little babes running around everywhere by now,’’ Thalion growled, though he had a teasing glint in his eye.

  “Perhaps,” Cyn agreed. “Or mayhap it couldn’t have happened until now because it had to happen at the right time.”

  “Will you always argue with everything I say?” he asked, pulling her closer.

  “If everything you say is incorrect, then yes.”

  “Dually noted. Now allow me to kiss you for the first time as my consort.” Thalion took her face in his hands and tilted it up. He looked into her eyes and Cyn felt the love in his gaze. Thalion whispered something in the elven language before pressing his lips to hers.

  Cyn felt something inside of her shift, as if her soul recognized Thalion as a part of her now. They were one.

  When they pulled apart, he grinned at her like a schoolboy. He looked young again, as if all the weariness that he’d been carrying had finally been lifted. “An elf prince and a fae warrior,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke,” Cyn smiled back.

  Thalion tapped the tip of her nose with his finger. “Or the beginning of a really good adventure.”

  Chapter 24

  “There are no words to describe what it feels like when something has been taken from you that you can never get back. Certain things in this life are attached to the core of who we are. When those things are shaken, cracks form in the foundation, and cracks cause weakness in the entire structure. I have cracks in the structure of my being. My foundation has been shaken and I’m no longer standing on solid ground. I’m so scared I’m going to come crashing down.” ~Sally

  Sally’s hands trembled as she sat on the couch waiting for Costin to return with Titus. She missed him desperately, but she felt so unworthy to be his mother. He deserved someone stronger— just as Costin deserved a mate who wouldn’t have forgotten him.

  She pressed her forehead to her hands and tried to hold herself together. Something she’d been trying to do since Peri had flashed her and Costin home. She felt like she was fighting a losing battle. One minute, she was able to accept Costin’s words as truth, and the next she was drowning in shame and doubt.

  Before she knew it, she was on her knees in the quiet of her suite, once again being tossed about in the storm of her emotions. Sally felt as if there was a noose around her neck, and it got tighter every time she remembered anything involving her and Jericho. Why couldn’t she just forget? Why did she have to go through this?

  “Why, why, why,” she whispered into the carpet as she pounded it with her fist. She just wanted to know why her and what good could possibly come from something so awful?

  She didn’t hear the door open or the sound of feet walking across the floor. Sally was too absorbed in her own turmoil. It wasn’t until she felt two small hands reach down and frame her face, gently tugging her up, that she realized she wasn’t alone.

  Titus, with his beautiful smile and gentle spirit, met her tear filled gaze. How could he look at her with such wonder and awe? How could his innocent hands touch one so very dirty?

  “I knew you’d come back, Mommy,” Titus said. He wiped the tears from her eyes with his small hands and then wrapped his arms around her neck. Sally’s arms enveloped him, and though she didn’t deserve to hold him, she had to. She needed to feel that pure, untainted love of a child.

  “My angel came and saw me,” he whispered in her ear as he hugged her “She said I needed to tell you something.”

  “What did she want you to tell me, sweet boy?” Sally whispered back.

  “She said she weeps with you. She bears your pain and sorrow. She longs to heal each hurt. When you feel all alone, she’s still there beside you.”

  Tears continued to stream down Sally’s face as she soaked in the words that the Great Luna had given to her son.

  “How did you remember all that?” she asked quietly.

  Titus pulled back to look at her face. “She told me that it was important I remember. So I did.”

  Sally stared at him, taking it all in. This was their son. He’d been given to them and she was in awe that she’d been entrusted with his life.

  “I missed you, Titus,” she told him. “I know we haven’t gotten to spend a lot of time together, but we will.”

  “Of course, we will.” He grinned at her and patted her cheek. “You came back for me and Daddy. Because we need you. Daddy is great, but you make us shine. Without you, it gets kind of dark.”

  Sally tugged him close again and held him as though her life depended on it. “You shine because you are special. I don’t make you shine, love. I can only help you to shine brighter.”

  Sally felt Costin’s hand run down her hair as he sat on the couch next to where she still knelt.

  “You are my only light. Without you, I am in utter darkness,” Costin told her through their bond.

  “I’m not anyone’s light at this point. I’m a mess.”

  “Maybe, but you’re my mess. And I love you. You’re beautiful. I adore you as does our son.”

  Costin’s words were like a tiny balm to a gaping wound, but they were a start. And where else can you begin to heal than at the start?

  Jen clung to her mate as the night faded away into morning. She’d slept very little; her head was too full of worry. It had been a long time since Jen had felt such heaviness inside of her. But no matter how she tried to find the good in all they’d been through, all she could see was Sally’s devastated face.

  “You didn’t sleep hardly at all,” Decebel told her as he pulled her tighter against him.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because my wolf didn’t sleep. His mate was restless, and when my wolf refuses to sleep, the man doesn’t get much either. Baby,” —Decebel grabbed her chin and tilted it to look up at him— “Sally is not alone. Not only does she have her mate but she has all of us. We won’t let this destroy her. Can you trust me on that? Trust me as your mate and her Alpha. I won’t let her slip away.”

  After a few heartbeats of holding his stare, she finally nodded. “Okay, I’ll trust you. But if you let me down, B, I will totally have babies with the mailman and name all of them after you.”

  “And there’s the woman I love,” Decebel growled. “You scare me if you don’t threaten me with my manhood, stripping, or having another man’s babies, at least twice every twenty-four hours.”

  She smiled up at him and patted his cheek. “Sorry about that. I’ll be sure to add extra threats to make up for the lost time.”

  He chuckled. “So what do you want to do today before the meeting?”r />
  Jen tapped her chin. “Well, remember how you built those dog houses for Thia?”

  “Jennifer,” he warned.

  “I’m thinking that she needs some doll houses too. So I ordered two kits for you to put together. That way if one falls apart, you at least have a backup.”

  “She can’t play with dolls or doll house stuff yet. She’d wind up eating the tiny lamp or plastic people,” Decebel argued.

  “Dec?”

  “Yes, baby?”

  “Build the doll houses.”

  “And if I decline?”

  “The mailman gave me his number, like a month ago.”

  He scoffed.

  “It’s in the top drawer of my dresser.” She pointed as if he didn’t know where her dresser was.

  He looked at her and she could tell he was trying to gauge whether or not she was telling the truth. Finally, he snarled and threw the covers back as he climbed out of bed. He pulled open the drawer she indicated and removed a piece of paper with the Serbian postal service logo on it, a name, and a number.

  Decebel’s eyes turned a dangerous shade of amber. “You were telling the truth?”

  “About which part?” Jen asked innocently.

  “What time does the mail run?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Quit being dramatic. I’m hot. Do you really expect guys not to hit on me?”

  “Jennifer, the mail?” He wasn’t being dissuaded.

  “Hey, wait,” she said with a wicked grin. “Isn’t today Sunday? Great day Sunday. You know why it’s a great day, B?” She winked at him as she climbed out of bed. “There’s no post on Sundays.”

  Epilogue

  “Defeat is never truly realized unless you lay down and refuse to fight. The Order of the Burning Claw does not lie down. We do not cower before those who are weaker than us. We do not accept the perverse order of the world because of tradition. We stand for change and change is coming. We will burn through your cities and towns, bringing everyone to their knees. And we will not stop until we have absolute dominion.” ~Member of the Order of the Burning Claw