Jewel of Darkness

Chapter 2-3

Gustavo shot him a grin full of teeth. “It is one of my many talents, my friend.”

The door in front of them opened drawing their attention. Sally, Costin’s mate, stood with both hands on her hips, glaring at them.

“Hey brown eyes,” Costin grinned down at her.

“Don’t, hey brown eyes, me,” she snapped.

Gustavo started to laugh but quickly turned it into a cough when those brown, angry eyes landed on him.

“Peri is going to kill you both if you attempt what you were discussing.”

Costin reached up and ran a finger across her cheek which she promptly slapped away. “Sally mine,” Costin started but his little mate held up her hand stopping his words in their tracks.

“Don’t. We can discuss your plan to tick off the most powerful high fae alive, after.” She motioned them to follow her inside.

Gustavo had to give it to the little American female. She had a growl that was worthy of an Alpha werewolf.

“You sure you want one of those healers to be your mate?” Costin whispered as they stepped into the living room.

“You might want to listen to him, Gustavo. Gypsy healers are no one to trifle with.” A voice that Gustavo hadn’t heard in centuries filled the room and then the owner of the voice stepped in from the doorway to the kitchen. “And pardon me, healer,” the male said giving Sally a slight bow, “but Peri is one of the most powerful high fae, despite what she wants you to think.”

“Alston.” Gustavo stepped forward and held out his hand. The leader of the council of high fae clasped the Spanish Alpha’s forearm in greeting. “It has been a long time.”

Alston nodded. “Too long,” he admitted.

“Did Peri send you?” Costin asked.

Alston shook his head. “Actually, she’d probably be ticked off if she knew I was here.”

“Well pissing Peri off is something we enjoy doing, so, by all means, make yourself at home,” Costin grinned.

Sally smacked his chest. “Behave, you’re already in enough trouble.”

Alston’s brow rose as he looked between the two.

“Pardon, but if Peri did not send you, why are you here?” Gustavo asked, stepping forward as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I’m checking on her progress with Volcan. She doesn’t like council interference, of course, but then she also complains that we don’t help the humans enough. Peri likes to be in control. That being said, Volcan is a very large problem for us all. It is in everyone’s best interest that he be taken care of sooner rather than later.”

“Well, we’ve hit a little bump in the road,” Sally told him, her hands twisting together as she glanced at her mate. Gustavo could tell the healer really didn’t want to tell Alston about Jewel being taken.

“A bump?” Alston’s eyes narrowed.

“Okay, more like a large amount of construction.”

He waited.

“Jewel Stone has been captured by Volcan,” Costin said for his healer.

A breath was sucked from the high fae’s lungs as his face paled. “He has a healer in his possession?”

“Dalton Black is her true mate. He, Peri, Lucian, and Dillon have gone after her,” Gustavo added quickly.

Alston’s eyes grew unfocused as he seemed to slip away from them for several minutes. “We have seen this before. If history is any indication, he will attempt to rebuild his army of witches. He almost destroyed us last time. And that was without today’s technology. In this day and age, he could unleash his power on the world so much quicker.” He paused and then looked at Costin. “Why has she not taken more of you? Vasile sent all of these wolves to help, and yet she has left all of them, save two, here.”

“She’s been trying to keep the males separate from the newly discovered healers,” Gustavo answered with a low growl filling his voice.

“I take it that it wasn’t a popular decision?” Alston’s lips pursed.

Gustavo smirked. “When is it ever okay with a wolf to be kept from his possible mate?”

“Where are the females?”

“Peri had Elle and Adam take them to the pixie realm.”

Alston let out a string of words in another language. “What is she thinking dragging the pixies into this?”

“She felt that all of the unmated pairs would be a distraction, doing more harm than good,” Sally offered.

“I understand her reasoning, but that doesn’t make it right.”

“Before you came, I was discussing with Costin the idea of making a visit to the king of the pixies,” Gustavo told the high fae.

Alston looked thoughtfully at the Alpha. “Just you?”

Gustavo nodded. “I feel the pull of my mate and it is too strong to ignore. I respect Peri’s position as a high fae, but no one will keep me from what’s mine.”

“How do you plan to get there?”

“I was hoping Costin would be willing to show me the way.”

Sally huffed and folded her arms in front of her, mimicking Gustavo’s position.

The alpha didn’t acknowledge her.

“Perhaps, it would be faster if I took you,” the high fae suggested.

This time Sally’s mouth dropped open as she nearly shouted, “What?”

Costin held out his hand to keep his mate from moving any closer to the high fae.

“Do you really think that is the best course of action?” Costin asked.

“I think that Peri has no right to keep the males from their mates. But I do agree that it wouldn’t be wise to have all of them meet at once. Perhaps, if we just allow one of them to go and explore the possibility, then a mated pair may indeed be the result. And this would be a great boon for our side. A mated alpha male is a much stronger wolf than an unmated Alpha. And we need all the power we can get. Volcan will not be defeated easily, especially if he controls a healer. And this healer will only be the beginning. His hunger for power is insatiable, and he will not stop until he has enslaved all of the healers. How better to protect the females than to have them paired with their mates?” Alston pointed out.

“Peri is going to be pissed that you interfered,” Sally argued.

“Probably,” Alston agreed. “But then, I’ve never really cared if Peri was unhappy with my actions. If I did, I would spend my entire life disappointed. We both know that Peri is only pleased when everyone else is doing exactly what she tells them to.”

“She’s doing her best,” Sally defended.

“I’ve no doubt that she has been, but she can’t do it all on her own. She needs help and I’ve been hesitant to step in in the past. We cannot afford to let Volcan reestablish himself in the human realm. The human world would not recover, and Volcan’s depravity would eventually spread to all the realms.”

“So, you and Gustavo are going to take a little field trip to meet the healers,” Sally said. “What then?”

“I’m sure Peri has given them specific orders of some kind. Maybe Gustavo can help. There is no harm in just checking in on them.”

“What of the other males?” Costin asked.

Alston made a dismissing motion with his hand. “They don’t need to know anything until we’ve gone.”

“Maybe we should go too,” Sally said turning to Costin.

He grinned at her. “You don’t want to be here when Peri comes back, do you?”

“Do you?” she asked, her voice rising slightly.

Costin thought about it briefly then shook his head. “You’re right, Sally mine, we totally do not want to be here with she shows up.”

“I don’t really care who tags along,” Gustavo spoke up. “I’m just ready to be gone.”

“Then it is settled,” remarked the high fae genially.

Alston started to hold out his arms for them to grasp.

“Wait,” Sally said as she hurried to the stairs, “we can’t leave Kara here with these males.”

“Good point,” Costin agreed.

“She is one of the healers?” Alston asked. “Has she no mate in the group?”

“She’s only sixteen,” Sally snapped. “She’s not ready to have to put up with a possessive, bossy, butthead just yet.”

“Hey” ―Costin threw his hands up― “I’m standing right here.”

“You can’t refute the facts, babe,” Sally retorted as she headed up the stairs taking them two at a time.

The three males stood in the living room waiting on the two gypsy healers to join them. Gustavo was growing more and more restless with the need to meet his mate. The need had been growing gradually and now it was nipping at his heels like a relentless pup determined to make him do what it wanted. Finally, the two girls appeared at the bottom of the steps.

“Okay, let’s go before the other wolves come in from their practicing.” Sally motioned them all over to Alston. She narrowed her eyes on Gustavo. “You’d better know what you’re doing.”

Gustavo thought it was funny that the little female was attempting to give him orders. He didn’t take offense but he didn’t back down either. “I figured you would argue that we bossy, possessive males could never possibly know what we are doing.”

Sally snorted. “Good point.”

They each grabbed a place on Alston’s arms, and a moment later they were swallowed by darkness.

When they reappeared, they were surrounded by thick forest.

“Ainsel, king of the pixies, I request entry into your realm,” Alston called out in a booming voice.

There were several heartbeats of silence before a short man suddenly appeared. “Peri did not inform me that more of you would be coming,” the king of the pixies huffed.

Gustavo stepped closer to the pixie and spoke before the high fae could. “My mate is in your lands and I am requesting entrance to see her.”

“And you are?”

“Gustavo Rivera, Alpha of the Spanish pack of Canis lupus. I was asked by Vasile to assist Perizada with the disposition of Volcan, the evil sorcerer. In the process of that assistance, I’ve discovered that my mate is one of the healers that has recently been discovered.”

Ainsel began to pace in front of the group. “Does she know you are coming?”

“Probably not,” Gustavo admitted.

“Does she even want to meet you?” Ainsel challenged. “I’ve been charged with their protection.” The pixie puffed himself up proudly.

Gustavo let out a deep growl. “I do not want to disrespect you, little king, but you and any army you could muster would not keep me from her.” The large wolf stared at the pixie evenly for several moments. “But you needn’t worry. I will not harm her.”

“But you sure as hell might scare her if you don’t tone it down a notch or two,” Kara spoke up for the first time.

Gustavo shot her a questioning look.

“Dude, she doesn’t know you. She’s been told about the whole mate thing, of course, but she’s human. And being told something and coming face-to-face with it are two very different things. If you don’t get your crap together, you will send her running in the opposite direction.”

“Then I will give chase,” Gustavo said with a toothy grin. “My wolf loves a good hunt.”

“And you’ve just stepped past possessive land into creepyville. Seriously, you need to get that mess under control.” Kara motioned with her hand from his feet all the way up to his head.

“Are you not only sixteen, niñita?” he asked, a frown marring his handsome face. “I am centuries older than you. Forgive me if I think I know a little more about true mates than you.”

“Yeah, well I’m more human than you, not to mention a tad more female. So, forgive me if I think I know a little more about the human female you are attempting to claim,” Kara snapped.

“I’ll ask again, do you really think you want one of these healers as your mate?” Costin asked, his brow raising as he glanced between Gustavo and Kara.

“She’s right,” Sally told him. “You’re going to have to get your natural instincts under control if you don’t want to scare her.”

Ainsel looked at the high fae. “Can you subdue him if he gets out of control?”

The high fae nodded then added, “I don’t believe he will be a problem. He simply wants to meet her.”

Sally coughed. “Meet her, claim her, bite her, and drag her to his den by her hair,” she muttered.

Costin smacked her on her backside. “Behave.”

She stuck her tongue out at her mate, earning her another swat to her rear.

The pixie king let out a long sigh. “I suppose I might as well let you all in. He’s just going to stand out here until I do.” He motioned to Gustavo. “And I don’t like hulking Alphas roaming the borders of my realm. It sets my people on edge.”

“Good idea,” Alston agreed.

Ainsel made a motion with his hand and the air in front of them shimmered. “Welcome to our most glorious realm.” He swept his arm forward dramatically inviting them in.

The group stepped forward, transitioning from one realm to another.

Gustavo nearly fell to his knees as emotions swarmed him. Anxiety, confusion, fear, desperation, need, curiosity, and frustration all bombarded him in the same instant. He heard Kara gasp and Sally mutter, “Here we go.”