Tears of the Fallen Ch 03 Teaser

Here is chapter 3 Teaser..

Enjoy!

*

Cassia Romanov brushed back the short blonde curl that refused to stay secured behind the bright green butterfly hair clasp at her temple. There was always one thick strand of hair that refused to do as it was told, a constant source of irritation when she was so intent on her work.  The rest of her shoulder length curls were forced into a larger butterfly clasp at the nape of her neck, drawing the eye to the curve of her jaw and her slender neck.

She was completely oblivious to the admiring glances she was receiving from two of her pack mates and the one lone vampire in the hastily arranged lab. If she’d been less absorbed in her microscope, she would have noticed the heated looks from the male Weres and equally speculative glance from the female vampire.

Tall and sleekly built, Cassia was the image of her mother Cedar, carrying the same inherent grace in her posture, an aura of class oozing from her without any real effort on her part. The lenses of the microscope hid her pale blue eyes, her white lab coat failing to conceal the curves beneath, or the frustration she was experiencing.

It had taken less than two days for the vampires to obtain all the equipment required to set up a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Armand-Hanlon Compound. They had even worked to tunnel deep into the surrounding mountainside and build a sturdy wooden structure to serve as an entranceway into the lab. Another day and the lab was up and running, makeshift walls sectioning off rooms for storage and work areas.

Cassia had been drawn to the area to watch them, fascinated at the speed they had moved and how committed they could be when there was a threat that directly affected them. Of course, the ones who had designed, and built the lab had been individuals trusted by the Ancient Council. The news of the poison was still a secret to most of the vampire race, but clearly, work had to begin on trying to analyse it as quickly as possible so some had had to be informed.

With vampires never before having a need to become proficient in the healing arts, none of them had any of the skills the Weres possessed so it made sense that finding an antidote would fall to the Pack. Or that was Caleb’s take on the situation and pretty much what Caleb wanted, Caleb got, with the exception of executing Thereasa.

So, the lab was built into the mountainside in record time and Cassia’s natural leaning towards biological analysis was suddenly discovered to be a talent that was sorely needed. She’d spent the best part of the last few days buried in the lab, with the exception of the trip up to the Praetorian compound, working on the blood that had been provided by Demetri. Pietro de la Rios’s poisoned blood from Europe.

Her frustration was growing though as she strove to identify the compounds used in the poison. She could find very little, the toxin breaking down too quickly in the blood and some possible contaminants creeping in. She couldn’t be sure what was the toxin and what was a contaminant.

Lack of sleep, and failing to find anything useful was making her short tempered, and bending over the microscope for so long was making her shoulders ache. Groaning in frustration, she arched her back and brushed at the stray curl again. ““This is like looking for a needle in a haystack! The sample has degraded too much; I can’t be sure what is part of the toxin and what isn’t any more.”

Her abrupt movement caught the two Weres admiring her off guard and Cassia scowled.  “Don’t you have work to be doing?” It was almost comical the way they quickly turned back to their benches and the experiments they were conducting.

“That was very effective,” Freya Eriksson remarked, her green eyes intent on the two males and the rush of colour suffusing their cheeks. Their heads’ appeared to dip a little lower and she smiled slightly as she moved across to the other woman.  Her curiosity at what was happening in the laboratory had made her a frequent visitor and as she was adept at watching in silence, the Weres tolerated her presence.

She frowned as she looked into the abandoned microscope; not understanding what she was seeing and wishing she could. She had been reading book after book on biology and was starting to get a rudimentary understanding of it but was nowhere as advanced as the Weres. The urge to learn and help in some way was strong. People she loved were at risk from the poison and that wasn’t something she could tolerate.

“Is there some other avenue you could investigate?” Her question had Cassia’s brow drawing down as she twirled the errant curl, her eyes unfocused as she considered the question. Freya was certain there was no artifice in the girl’s action, that she was oblivious to how endearing it made her. She was simply a lovely young lady with a keen intelligence and sassy wit that made most people fall in love with her instantly.

For a moment, Freya felt an ache that her own daughter Elina didn’t have that same ease around others but she quickly brushed it away. Elina was Elina, unique in her own way and maybe too much her mother’s daughter. She had her father’s deep passion though, a strong sense of duty to those she loved. Her daughter would find her own path to happiness one day, she was sure of that.

“Toxins remain longer in the hair,” Cassia said, breaking the short silence. “In humans and Weres that is, I’m not sure if the same would be true for vampires. There would be no harm in checking though.” A hint of excitement was creeping into the Vârcolac’s voice, blue eyes starting to twinkle. “Freya, you may just be a genius!”

“Hardly,” the Ancient vampire drawled, though her smile widened as she inclined her head in the other woman’s direction. “Perhaps Mallen could request a sample from Pietro when he next attends him.”

Cassia was already shrugging out of her lab jacket and heading towards the door. “We don’t have time to wait for that. I’ll run across now and get the sample myself.”

“Cassia, wait! Pietro is not good around others right now. Perhaps you should ask your father or Andrei to speak with him.”

The younger woman halted, surprise on her face as she looked back at the Ancient. “I’m a Vârcolac, someone he feels obligated to protect even though we don’t need that protection. Why would he see me as a threat?”

Freya didn’t want to have the conversation in front of the wolves so she followed Cassia from the lab until they were out of earshot. “It’s not that he would see you as a threat. You have to try to understand the vampire psyche and please, don’t start shaking your head at me. I know you’re half vampire but your wolf tempers a lot of your other half. “

Cassia tried to contain her impatience and listen to Freya, but now she had a chance of finding an alternative means of unlocking the poison’s components, she was itching to get the required sample to see if she could analyse it and produce an antidote. “I get it, Freya, I really do. Pietro needs to come to terms with not being as invincible as he thought he was. I hardly think asking for a few strands of hair is going to psychologically damage him.”

The vampire took a deep breath and struggled to contain the irritation that was starting to well up inside her. Cassia was young and excitable, and her need to find the antidote was admirable, but she could hear that the girl was merely saying the words by rote with no real understanding of the meaning behind them.

“Listen to me child. Pietro has lost much of what he used to be. He carries his scars both physically and emotionally and is therefore unpredictable. It is best if he is allowed the space he requires and only those he trusts most come close to him. I say this for your benefit as much as his.”

It was the most passionate Cassia had ever heard Freya speak. The Vârcolac processed the words carefully, sensing an underlying concern in the vampire’s tone. That Freya cared for both her and Pietro was a sign of the slow changes in the other woman. She had walked a long road to become part of the pack and maybe still had a bit to travel, but she kept trying and that was a sign of the strength the Ancient possessed.

“Freya, I know you can probably relate on some level to Pietro’s seclusion but surely you’ve learned that becoming introverted, hiding from those who can help you is not a good thing? I promise I won’t do or say anything to make Pietro feel compromised but maybe it’s time someone new came into his world so he can start moving towards healing?”

Freya could see she wasn’t going to disabuse Cassia from her course of action. Maybe what she said was true. Maybe Pietro hiding away wasn’t a good thing after all. When it came to compassionate thought, Freya knew she wasn’t the best person to analyse a situation. She removed the hand she’d placed on Cassia’s arm, silently conceding to the Vârcolac.

Cassia hurried over to her uncle’s house, the vampire’s words still resounding in her head. She had to admit she was curious about Pietro, they all were. It was hard not to be when the man had left for Europe before some of them had been born. This unknown vampire had risked everything to try to determine what the threat was to the Vârcolac, and he had suffered immensely for that dedication. It was only natural the hybrid children would be curious about the male.

She found her feet moving faster the closer she got to the house and tried to slow down her pace. She was trying to ignore the faint niggle in the back of her head, something that had been pressing at her since she was first handed the blood sample of the man within the two story building. Her need to protect those she loved was already strong, but from the moment the sample had reached her, that need had been elevated to a higher level. It was only now as she was approaching the front door of Andrei’s home that realisation was setting in.

Why was she suddenly feeling so antsy? Why was the need to find a cure suddenly so much more important to her? And why hadn’t she noticed it until now? It was as if the knowledge had been buried until she made her decision to collect the hair sample.

Cassia rapped on the door, her head cocking to the side as she scented within. Loretta and Andrei didn’t appear to be home so she twisted the doorknob and entered. She was part of their family and they wouldn’t mind her intrusion. The pack was pretty relaxed as a whole and it was only the fact Weres were so uninhibited when it came to their sexuality that most people knocked before entering.

The door swung open just as a tall dark-haired vampire was descending the last of the stairs from the upper floor. The first thing Cassia noticed were his eyes, one the most amazing shade of hazel, the other as dark as a moonless night. Her gaze shifted infinitesimally, tracing the scar running from the corner of his right eye, down the curve of his cheek to end at his jaw, marring a strong face full of a male beauty that astounded her.

As her eyes wandered over his face, she realised that she was holding her breath and that deep within, her wolf was sitting to attention, perusing the male before them as keenly as she was.  The black T-shirt he wore tucked into dark blue jeans left some of the scarring on his neck visible and she knew that where it disappeared to, beneath the cloth, was a place so sacred to a wolf it was a crime for it to be damaged in any way.

Cassia’s wolf threw her head back and gave one long baleful howl, startling her so much that she let out her breath and swallowed back the sudden need to cry for the male in front of her.

“Enjoying the freak show?”

Pietro’s cold words were like ice water flowing over her, allowing Cassia to gather her composure more as she blinked slowly at him. “I need some of your hair.”

Cassia would have dragged the words back if she could. Judging from the dark scowl twisting his face, Pietro was none too pleased at the request or her presence in the house.  It had been the first thing that had come to mind as she’d tried to settle her wolf who was reacting unpredictably to the vampire. It was as if the animal was both furious for the vampire and furious at the vampire at the same time. Her reaction made no sense and until it did, she was going to be on edge around Pietro de la Rios.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be abrupt or invade your space. I’m Cassia Alexander and I’ve been working on your blood trying to find an antidote to the poison. The sample has degraded too much to be useful so I need some strands of hair to test for the toxin.” She managed to inject as much authority into her voice so he would see her as just another health professional like Mallen and not a threat.

He stepped from the last stair and turned right, heading into the living room and walking over to the French doors out into the surrounding forest. “So, you’re one of Alexei’s girls.” It was a rhetorical question.

She followed him into the room, her gaze slowly roaming over his wide back, her wolf moving restlessly as she took in every inch of the vampire. There was something very appealing about the male, something that called to both her wolf and the woman. She tried to tell herself that she was interested in him as a scientist. He was, after all, the first vampire ever to be scarred, a unique specimen among his kind. However, she knew she was fooling herself the longer her wolf prowled and paid attention to the male. There was something else about Pietro de la Rios…

“Since coming here I’ve been poked and prodded, and I’ve had sample blood taken by the pint. I’ve had medical staff and my friends trying to get inside my head to find out if I’m ‘okay’. I’ve had my flesh cut out time and again to see if the muscle and tissue will grow back undamaged. All I’ve wanted is to be left alone, to be given the time to fully heal so I can go back to my normal life and now you show up asking for more samples?”

The heat in his tone caused Cassia to sit down in one of the overstuffed red armchairs close to the open fire. There was a level of aggression in the vampire’s tone, and she was stronger than him, of which she was sure he would be aware. Being as tall as her parents put her at almost the same height as Pietro and she wanted to give the appearance of being less of a threat to him in case the aggression escalated. Freya was right in that he needed handling more delicately than most.

Pietro spun around to pin her with his mismatched gaze, anger burning within. “Today I’ve woken up to find the woman responsible for my scars is living two doors down from me. I wonder if there is anyone in this compound who could even begin to comprehend how that makes me feel. I’ve been informed of the circumstances of her arrival and yet I’m supposed to accept that my torturer is here and let it go. How am I supposed to trust the pack, to trust anyone here when they succour my torturer?”

Cassia took a deep breath, meeting his gaze and holding it. She had not been prepared for this and was surprised that he’d come right out and said it. The reason for his anger was clear, how to diffuse it was not so clear. Taking a slow breath, she tried to find some way to orientate him, to help him focus on what was important.

“Do you regret going to Europe, Pietro?” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “No, think about the question before you answer it. Think about it very carefully. Do you regret going there to try to determine the threat to me and the other Vârcolac, or is it you regret some of the circumstances that occurred while you were there?”

She watched him frown, the scar on his face twisting with the movement. It still looked pink and tender and she wanted to press her lips against it, wanted to draw her tongue slowly over the mark to see if her touch would help speed up the healing process. It was a completely errant thought and she was stunned as it flitted through her head. It was so unprofessional, especially as she was here to try to help him. Her wolf was making an odd sound, urging her to get up and do just that. She had to fight with the animal to keep her contained.

Tears of the Fallen Ch 02 Teaser

Here is the Teaser to Ch 02 :)

Enjoy!

*

The air was subdued as they arrived back at the Armand-Hanlon Pack. Rafe drove into the main compound first, his mate, Lacey, at his side, with Liam and Reasa in the back seat. As the trees parted to open up into a wide, circular enclosure, the Alpha had a split second to decide where he was going to stop.

His large three-storey house was set a bit higher and off to the right of the compound, but he continued forward until he stopped at the two-storey dwelling that belonged to Nors and Ashleigh. It was Liam’s home and from the way the redheaded Vârcolac was holding onto the woman in his arms, it was clear that he wasn’t going to be willing to part from her. The man in Rafe could understand that because he would never allow anyone to come between him and his mate. For the Alpha – he didn’t need the additional headache.

Rafe was concerned on so many different levels. He was bringing a woman into his pack who had come here with the intent to murder the Vârcolac. His wolf wanted her gone and the pack protected at all costs.  Convincing him that she was no longer a physical threat was easy, it was convincing his wolf that she wasn’t an emotional threat that was the problem, because she was on so many levels.

Thereasa was responsible for the damaged vampire currently secluded in Andrei and Loretta’s home, just two doors down.  She was responsible for his torture, his scars, both physical and emotional, and his life almost being lost. Rafe had granted sanctuary to Pietro de la Rios so he could hopefully one day heal from his nightmares. Now he was bringing the instrument of that ordeal into his compound and that weighed heavy on the Alpha’s mind.

The other issue was what she represented to the vampire/were alliance. The harmony they had spent so many years working to foster and improve was now significantly damaged with the events that had occurred up at the Praetorian compound. The pack had sided against the vampires and he was sure that wouldn’t be something they would forget in a hurry. Keeping Reasa safe from any possible vampire justice placed the pack in danger of a possible attack. Rafe didn’t think it would come to that but he had to consider all options.

Then there were the personal issues that affected the Alpha. He had given his word to his sister and he was determined not to let her down. The urgency in her eyes as she asked for his promise told him that keeping the human woman safe was critical, though he knew not why. Annie had protected his pack for decades, taking each member into her heart and loving them the only way she knew how, wholeheartedly. He couldn’t refuse her request. He had to protect her and hiding away the evidence of what she had now become was one way of doing that.

Turning his head, he met Lacey’s pale green eyes and saw the unspoken concern in them. His beautiful mate was being so brave, putting the needs of the pack before her own fear and he couldn’t love her any more than he did right then. The final personal issue that sent fear running through his soul was wrapped up with his mate and the lives they had created together. 

No one knew that Lacey was pregnant. They had intended to announce to the pack soon but events had overshadowed that. Now his children were inadvertently placed at risk by Liam’s emotional outburst at the Praetorian Compound and they had no idea if their fragile minds had been damaged. Liam had affected strong, vampiric minds when he lost control. God only knew what impact that burst of emotional backlash would have on tiny unborn minds. The Alphas would have to speak to Mallen about it, but for the moment, they held their peace.

Liam’s empathy had always held him hostage. When things calmed down a bit, the guilt over what had happened would be hard for him to come to terms with. There was no telling how he would react if he discovered he had harmed his Alphas’ babies. For the moment, the Vârcolac’s mental shields were holding strong. Rafe didn’t want the pack put at risk if Liam should lose control again so soon after the last time.

He leaned over and placed a comforting hand on Lacey’s thigh, giving her a gentle squeeze. Her hand covered his and it broke his heart to feel the tremor running through her. “It will be okay, honey. Everything will be okay, I promise.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she quickly swallowed and blinked them away. Her mental voice was strong as she answered his private communication. “Let’s get Liam and the rest of the pack settled. We can consult with Mallen once we’ve done that.”

Rafe’s pride in his mate knew no bounds and he couldn’t have stopped himself from kissing her in that moment. He caught her lips with his, showering her with his love, both physically and mentally. He reluctantly pulled back as the door to the house in front of them flew open and Ashleigh Bryant flew out.

Rafe and Lacey climbed out of the Jeep as the small blonde hurried towards them, concern on her face as she watched her son open the back door and step out quickly, turning to scoop Reasa back into his arms and help her from the vehicle.

The other Jeep had parked across from them and Kallum climbed out with Elina, Dara and Cassia at his side. Kothari and the other Weres who’d been protecting the Praetorian compound had opted to make their way back on foot, and wolves were beginning to pour into the compound. Kothari was already there, leaning against the large tree outside the Romanov house where Pietro was safely ensconced inside. There was no mistaking the blatant protective stance the lone Vârcolac held.

All eyes were fixated on Ashleigh though, as she skidded to an abrupt halt close to her son, her expression turning hard and hate filled. “No!” Her cry startled everyone, as did her expression. Usually there was no one more compassionate that Ashleigh but her voice dripped venom as she pointed at Reasa. “She is not welcome in my home!”

“Mom.” Liam’s quiet voice held a plea in it, his gaze turning troubled as he looked down at her.

“No!” Ashleigh cried again, her voice rising shrilly. “That woman tried to kill you, Liam. She tried to murder my son! She should have been executed on the spot!”

“Ashleigh!” The tall redheaded vampire appearing behind her managed to put such disapproval into her name that most others would have quelled at being subject to Nors Eriksson’s displeasure. His mate rounded on him, fury in her deep brown eyes, as well as disbelief.

“She enters my house and I will leave, Nors. I will not stay under the same roof as that woman.”

Nors moved forward, understanding her need to protect their son. He felt the same need but could take a step back to analyse all the variables in play. Yes, the woman in his son’s arms had tried to kill him. However, that threat was now nullified and Liam had claimed her as his mate. To take her from him would do more damage than being shot by a poisoned bullet. His mate was reacting emotionally and wasn’t able to see that right now.

He pulled Ashleigh’s protesting body against his, wrapping her in a bear hug. “Hmmm guess that means I’d have to go on the hunt again,” he murmured against her temple, dropping a soft kiss there as he sent soothing love down their mate bond. “We haven’t done that for a while…could be fun.”

“Let me go!” Ashleigh’s tried to free herself, tears running down her face as she wriggled against him. She couldn’t believe he was making jokes when their son’s would-be murderer was right there in front of them. She couldn’t believe he was siding against her, was going to allow that woman into their home.

“Take the woman inside, son,” Nors said, stroking his mate’s back as she struggled harder and kicked out at him. “Go on. I’ll talk to your mother.”

Liam stared at his father for a long moment before his feet moved forward and he hurried inside with his precious bundle. His mother’s rejection of his mate hurt so much but his need to protect Reasa overrode every other instinct within him. He had to take care of her. His mother had to understand that, didn’t she?

Without another word, Nors nodded his head to Rafe and scooped Ashleigh up into his arms, turning to run into the surrounding trees away from the compound.

“I’ll stay with Liam until they come back,” Elina announced, heading up the steps into the house. She closed the door as Aaron arrived at the waiting group.

“What do I need to know?” the blond Were asked as he surveyed the tense faces.

Rafe turned to him, “We need two perimeters in place. Make sure Pietro has sufficient protection at all times. Be especially alert for large build-ups of vampires in the vicinity. If anyone sees anything out of the ordinary I am to know straight away.”

A frown marred Aaron’s face as he regarded his friend intently. “We’re expecting trouble from the vampires?”

“I don’t think so but there’s no harm in being cautious,” the Alpha answered, looping an arm around his mate’s waist and turning to head towards his house. “Kallum can bring you up to speed on things. There’s something I need to take care of right now.” He spotted Mallen in the growing crowd and indicated with a slight nod of his head that he wanted to see him.

Aaron watched them leaving, his gut telling him something major was going on with the Alphas but it was his job to take care of the pack when Rafe was busy, so he quirked an enquiring eyebrow at Kallum.

“Probably best to get the perimeters set up first and then we can sit down and have a long talk about what’s happened,” the Vârcolac said in a quiet tone. He wasn’t sure how much Rafe wanted to be known within the pack and there were a number of people now gathered.  It was prudent to update Aaron privately and then he and Rafe could decide who else needed to know.

“Okay, let’s get moving then.” Aaron began calling out names and issuing instructions and the pack began to mobilise, the soldiers heading off out into the forest as the crowd dissipated.

*****

“How could you?” Ashleigh glared at her mate, tears of fury in her eyes as he stood there regarding her with a solemn expression on his face. In all their years together, he had never once gone against her wishes…well there had been once when she’d run from him but that didn’t count. She’d been young and foolish then, coming to terms with a grief that had almost sent her rogue. She couldn’t really hold that against him but this – this was completely different.

Their son had almost died and the woman responsible for that was now in their home! How Nors could allow that was beyond her.  Her eyes were full of accusation and hurt as she squared up to him. If anything else happened to Liam because of his actions, she would never forgive him for it.

“Ash, you need to calm down and think about this logically,” Nors sighed, running a hand through his auburn hair. “I know what happened to Liam was frightening. It scared the living daylights out of me too but he’s fine and the situation has been dealt with. He is no longer in any danger.”

“She is in our house!” Ashleigh yelled, her angry tears overflowing. “That woman shot our son with poison, Nors! The fact he’s immune to it is a moot point. She didn’t know that. She wanted to murder him. How can you just accept her being in the pack, let alone our own home?”

“Because this is much bigger than just Liam.” Nors moved away, striding over to one of the largest oak trees and sitting down against its base. “This involves the entire pack, our relationship with the vampires, my standing on the Ancient Council, my centuries of friendship with Caleb. This could mean civil war is coming and everyone being ripped apart and placed in unconscionable positions. And yes, this is about our son too, Ashleigh. That woman, as you call her, is his mate. Do you want to throw her out, have her executed? You really want to hurt Liam so badly that he may turn rogue?”

His words echoed in the small clearing, crashing over Ashleigh and giving her pause. Her fear at knowing their son was hurt had almost driven her insane. Rafe’s edict that they had to stay with the pack until he investigated what had happened had been more than she could bear. Feeling so helpless, being unable to protect her child…she had to do something, anything to try to keep him safe now.

That woman couldn’t be her son’s mate. It had to be a mistake. If she truly was then she didn’t know how she was going to be able to reconcile her past actions. If she couldn’t accept her, if the would-be assassin in their midst could start a civil war… Words failed her as she tried to ignore what her mate was saying, tried to find some way out of the mess so their lives could go back to normal. There had to be a way…there just had to!

Nors watched the play of emotions crossing his mate’s face and it was all he could do to sit there and let her work it out in her own mind. Every instinct within him wanted to gather Ashleigh into his arms and sooth her but he knew she wasn’t ready for that yet. When Liam had been hurt, he’d thought his heart would stop beating. His fear for his son had been boundless but his fear for his mate had been even more so. She had been through so much pain in her life, so much grief that had almost been too much for her to stand. Losing Liam would have killed her.

He understood her reaction to Reasa. He wasn’t feeling particularly kind-spirited towards the woman either but he was older and had long ago learned that not everything was black and white. It would harm their son more to try to remove Reasa from his life. They had to protect the woman to protect their son. Maybe, over time, he would find some forgiveness in his heart for what she’d done. For now, all he could do was be as civil as possible and try to help Ashleigh come to terms with things so she could too.

“Come here.” Nors held out his hand, holding his breath as he saw first rejection on Ashleigh’s face and then defeat. He hated to see her in so much pain, pain that he couldn’t really alleviate because it was something she had to deal with in her own way.

He let out a breath as she moved towards him, sinking down to the ground and throwing her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. “This is wrong, Nors. This is just wrong. I don’t know how to handle this. I don’t think I can ever accept her into our family and if I can’t then I’m going to lose Liam.”

Ashleigh’s quiet weeping tore at his heart and he cradled her closely, soothing her as best he could. “I know it’s hard, love. It’s not easy for me either, but she is his. There is a long road ahead for all of us but one day she will bring our son the happiness he’s lacked for so long in his life. He deserves that chance, Ash. We have to give it to him, support his choice, and stand with him. He’s our boy.”

“How could she want to hurt him if she’s his mate? Mates don’t do that, they protect each other.”

“Vampires are always slower to acknowledge being a mate to a Were, you know that, love. It took me a long time to admit it and look at what Cedar and Loretta went through trying to get the twins to accept them. Just think how Reasa will feel when she does finally acknowledge the mating. Can you even begin to imagine the depth of her pain when she realises she almost killed her mate?”

“I hope it rips her apart!” Ashleigh’s voice dripped venom, her tears still falling, hatred in her heart for the other woman. 

“No you don’t.” Nors rocked her gently, stroking her back as he kissed the top of her head. “You’re upset right now and that’s understandable, but you would never wish for anything that would hurt Liam in any way and Reasa’s pain would surely do that. It’s okay to be angry and afraid, Ash. It’s not okay to hold onto the hate for too long though. You’ve seen what pain and damage that can do. You don’t want that for Liam or for us.”

Sobbing, Ashleigh held her mate tighter, hate warring with her natural compassionate nature. She could understand the logic in Nors’ words but she couldn’t rein in her emotions enough to really heed them at the moment. Maybe one day she’d be able to but today wasn’t that day. The hatred ruled her as if it was tangible. She wanted to rip Reasa to pieces, luxuriating in her screams. Her wolf demanded it even as her human side fought the instinct. “Help me, Nors,” she pleaded, raising wet eyes to her mate. “Help me.”

“Always, I will always be here for you. We’ll get through this together as a family and we will help Liam and Reasa too. You are strong and compassionate, loving and tender. These more negative emotions will ease and you will find forgiveness in your heart because that is who you are, Ashleigh Bryant. That is why I love you so much. I have faith in you, my mate. Now have some faith in yourself.”

Nors kissed her slowly, sending all his love and support down their mate bond as she wept and clung onto him. He knew she had it in her to accept Reasa into their family. It was just going to take a little time but she would prevail, because she was so much stronger than she believed herself to be. She’d come through too much not to be a strong wolf and amazing woman. He would have faith in her until she had recovered hers.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just realised that people who follow my Blog and not Facebook may be a little confused at the December 2012 entries appearing. Just to let you know that these pieces are not my work, but are my readers who have entered my Facebook competition which was to write a short scene in December 2012.

I felt everyone who entered deserved a chance to have their work read. Some already write, some have never written before. I wanted to thank everyone for taking a moment to work on something and enter into the spirit of the competition. There is some awesome existing and new talent to be read here. Who knows, maybe a great new author will realise that he/she has a talent and we'll have something new and exciting to read soon.

Thank you everyone for taking part! You guys #ROCK!!!!

Have a great 2013 everyone! May all your dreams come true this year.

Jaz
xxx