Den of Sorrows (The Grey Wolves #9)(25)

"That is why you were not designed to be alone. On your own, it would be too much. Without your mate by your side, the evil would leave a stain on you each time you encountered it. But I've given you a pack, a family, both in blood and by choice. Together you are stronger. Together you can hold each other accountable. You can remind one another that evil, in whatever form it comes, will do one thing and one thing only—kill you. Maybe not instantly, but eventually. It will reach inside of you and start eating away at your soul. It will contaminate your thoughts, your actions, and remove your ability to see right from wrong. Stand together. Don't allow there to be any division among you. I live in each of you, and, in my light, no darkness can exist. I am always with you."
Costin felt the dream slip away, but the peace his Creator filled him with remained. The danger they were facing was still there. He knew it was going to be more than difficult, but knowing he had his pack, his mate, and the Great Luna fighting with him made it seem like victory was possible.
Alina held a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, enjoying the warmth that seeped into her cold fingers. Her girls, as she'd begun to think of Jacque, Jen, and Sally had gotten her addicted to the chocolaty drink and now, anytime she had things on her mind, she also had a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.
She'd curled herself up in her favorite chair in their suite and stared out into the night sky. The stars that filled the sky were as numerous as the worries running through her mind. But unlike the stars, her worries wouldn't fade with the rising of the sun. They would only grow as they continued to pursue the vampires that had grown too great in numbers. Alina felt as if there would never be a time that she wouldn't be worrying. Would there ever be a time when her family was safe, truly safe? 
"We will make them as safe as we can." Her mate’s voice came from directly behind her just before his hand caressed her neck. Vasile kneaded the tension that had gathered between her shoulders as she continued to stare out the window.
"We will," she agreed, just before taking another sip of the hot chocolate.
"Do you think Sally will be alright?" Vasile asked her.
Alina’s chest tightened as she thought about how the healer had come apart in her arms. She'd never witnessed anything like it before, and the frustration of not being able to fight tooth and claw against what it was that hurt Sally had been overwhelming. Alina may have been female with a stronger inclination to comfort than to fight, but she was every bit as much a wolf as her mate and the need to protect ran deep in her veins.
"I don't know, Alpha," she finally admitted. "Sally is strong, but how many times can silver be exposed to the flame before it begins to weaken?"
He made a thoughtful sound. She felt his hand leave her neck and then pull the tie that had held her hair up. Vasile ran his fingers through the loose locks, causing chills to run down her back.
"We will just need to keep an eye on her. Those girls aren't known for showing any sort of weakness." He took the cup from her hand and set it down on the table beside her. "Let's get some rest so we have the energy to worry some more tomorrow." Vasile smiled down at her as he held his hand out. Alina took it without hesitation, as she'd been doing for over two centuries, and let her mate lead them to their bed.
As her mate’s arms came around her, pulling her body close to his, Alina set the worries aside. She thanked the Great Luna for the strong arms that held her, for the new life growing in Jacque, and for getting them all out of the first day’s battles alive. Did those things cancel out the fears? No, but they did make facing the fears worth it.
"Sleep, Luna," Vasile murmured against her neck where he'd buried his face.
She smiled to herself. "I'm going to sleep, but not because you told me to."
Vasile’s breath tickled her skin as he chuckled. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, Mina."
Jen held her sleeping daughter in her arms as she sat in the dark nursery. The only sound was the whispered whooshing of the fan, which they ran to help Thia sleep. From the minute Peri had flashed them back to their home, Jen had picked Thia up and not put her down, except when Decebel made her take a shower. She'd needed the tangible proof that she was fine. Their daughter hadn't been snatched by the vampires. Their daughter hadn't been tortured and sucked dry. Their daughter was safe.
Jen didn't notice the tears on her cheeks as her arms shook. She didn’t hear her mate come into the room. Though he knelt in front of her, she didn't see him. All she saw was faceless bodies of children.
"Jennifer," Decebel’s deep voice rumbled through the quiet room. "Let me take her, love." He started to slip Thia from her arms but Jen snarled and jerked her back. Her stoic mate didn't react. He stared back at her with compassion and love.
"I have to hold her. I have to," Jen began, but her words faded as the tears flowed faster. "Why is our child safe and those children are not? Why did something so utterly horrific happen to them? How do I know she will continue to be safe and why can’t we keep the others safe?" Her voice broke and this time, when Decebel reached for Thia, she relinquished her.Decebel stood and placed Thia in her crib. Her face was as beautiful as her mother’s, and he loved watching her sleep, just as he loved watching Jennifer sleep. He looked on as she turned her little body over onto her stomach, tucked her legs underneath her, and wiggled until she was comfortable. She was safe and he would make sure she stayed that way.
He turned back to his tired, hurting mate. She'd done a remarkable job of holding herself together, but seeing Thia after what they'd been through that day had just ripped something open inside of her. Decebel had let her have all the time she wanted with their daughter, and he'd hoped it would help, but it seemed to just be making her more upset.
"I don't know the answers to your questions. I wish I did," he admitted to her. He got back on his knees, pushing himself in between her legs and wrapping his arms around her. Their faces were close, and he could see the dark circles that marred her fair skin. "It's an ugly world, baby. We know that better than most."
"But children? It's not right." Jennifer shook her head and closed her eyes as if by closing them she could block out the revolting things in the world.
Decebel leaned forward, closing the small gap between them and pressed his forehead to hers. He flooded their bond with his love and comfort. He had no words, no solutions, no answers. He couldn't fix this. He couldn't tell his mate that everything would be okay because he didn't know if it would be.
"Come. You need rest," he told her as he pulled back from her and held out his hand to her.
Jennifer shook her head. "I'm not leaving her."
"Jennifer," Decebel started but her stern whisper cut him off.
"No, don't ask this of me, Dec. I'm sleeping in here until we have to leave in the morning."
He could tell in the stubborn set of her jaw that she wouldn't budge. And she needed this. This was something he could do.
"Okay," he said quietly. "Okay."
On the floor, in the dark of their infant’s nursery, Decebel wrapped his arms around his mate. He held her shaking form as though he could somehow keep her from falling to pieces.
Fane couldn't sleep. His wolf was restless, pacing inside of him. After taking out five covens, all of them fairly small, he didn’t see how they could possibly eliminate all of them on their own. Fane had overheard Peri mention to his father that the pixies had found at least thirty covens in Canada alone. How had they grown to such number without any other supernaturals noticing? Had they all truly become so self-absorbed, focusing on their own races problems, that nothing else mattered? It wasn't really a question that mattered anymore. All that mattered now was dealing with the evil that had unknowingly been festering. 
Fane glanced down at his sleeping mate. She was curled up on her side. Her face was usually peaceful in sleep, but tonight, worry seemed to pinch her brow. He ran a thumb across her forehead, hoping his touch would ease some the tension that was still coursing through her. Jacquelyn moved closer to his touch and his lips tugged up in a small smile.
The smile didn't last, however, as his thoughts shifted to the memory of the fear on her face when they'd heard Sally’s screams. His mind was torn about having her with him. He wanted her by his side because then he could protect her. But having her by his side also meant deliberately putting her in harm’s way. His wolf wanted to tuck her as far away from the vampires as he could, but putting her in a cage wasn't the answer, no matter how appealing it was.
After another hour of sitting in the dark thinking too much, sleep finally saved him from himself.
Chapter 11
"They're coming. Those who have some twisted idea that they must be the ones to save the world. When will they realize that as long as free will exists, evil will exist? As long as a being can choose for itself whether they want the peace of the light or the power of the darkness, evil will always gain a foothold." ~Sincaro
1502 A.D. The Red War.
Sincaro pulled the fae blade from his chest with a trembling hand. Perizada’s aim had been true, but not deep enough. He’d seen the look of triumphant fury in her eyes. He was sure she thought him dead when he fell. He wouldn't give her any reason to believe otherwise. Sincaro stayed flat on the ground, pulling himself through the tall grass, further and further from the fighting that continued amongst those still standing. When he finally reached the cover of the forest, he pulled himself up until he was standing and turned back toward the sounds of the dying, the screaming, and those who were quickly overtaking what was left of his race. Their numbers had been depleted to less than two dozen. The fae had nearly accomplished their plan of wiping them out completely. Little did they know, they'd only steeled the vampires resolve to survive. He would disappear with the vampires that were left and slowly they would regain their numbers. He would do whatever it took to build any army that could stand against the fae. His blood was powerful and he would make sure that those new vampires he created were empowered with his own blood. They could then pass it on to those they turned. Then he would seek out a food source that wasn't as easily broken as the humans. They would need something that could withstand their feeding and recover—a renewable food source. His eye narrowed as he zeroed in on the fae who so foolishly believed she'd killed him. They would need a supernatural food source.