Chapter 6

Fire and mist rose up around her as Serena ran through the dimly lit cavern. She felt as though she were being chased by shadows. On and on she ran, no end in sight. Where was she? Nothing looked familiar. Where was Jake? Wasn’t he just with her?
She could feel the shadows getting closer. Time to change forms and protect herself. Wait! What the? What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she change? On ward she ran, looking back every few minutes trying to make out shapes and sounds. Jake! She yelled, but he didn’t answer. She called his name again, still no answer. Something was closing in on her, something clawed at her. Suddenly she screamed, bony fingers grabbing her shoulder..

~

“Serena! Serena.” Jake said more calmly, shaking her awake from her dream.
He’d been sound asleep in the bedroom when he thought he heard her moaning. Raising his head he listened and heard her call his name. By the time he reached her she had let out a blood curdling scream. Grabbing her, he shook her, finally bringing her around.
“Jake!” she whispered when she realized he was there. Grabbing him, she threw her arms around his neck. He reciprocated by holding her close to his chest. Her whole body was shaking he discovered as he ran his hand over her back trying to ease her tension.
“Easy, Serena. I’ve got you.” he tried to soothe her. “Want to tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know exactly. Please, just hold me for a minute.” she whispered as she squeezed him more tightly.
He had definitely wanted her in his arms, but not like this. He wanted her willing body lying between his legs in splendid surrender. Her lush full lips red and swollen from the attention he wanted to give them. Her tongue dancing a duet with his.
Whoa! What was he thinking! No! No he had to keep his distance. He was already falling under her spell. He couldn’t let that happen. He eased her back away from him, trying to put a little distance between them so he could catch his breath.
Smoothing back her beautiful thick hair from her face, damn but it felt like silk gliding through his fingers, he noticed the regeneration process was all but complete. A few bruises were all that were left of her ordeal with the demons.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” she told him as she leaned back down on her pillow. She had felt him tense then pull away from her. There for a moment though, she had felt safe within the folds of his arms. She hadn’t felt that way ever.
Jake swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat when she had lain back down. Her hair gave the impression of a halo surrounding her head. He shook that thought from his mind and cleared his throat.
“No harm done.” he told her. “Want to talk about it?”
“There’s not much to tell. I’ve been having the same nightmare since they killed my brother. It’s always the same. I’m running down a long dimly lit cavern. The walls were wet with moisture, the cobbled floor slick. Shadows are following me and then a bony hand grabs me.” She left out the part about sensing him with her. This was the first time she’d had that feeling.
“Could be you’re just reacting to your brother’s death.”
“Possibly.”
“Well, we might as well get a few more hours of sleep. We have a long day ahead of us.” he told her.
She said nothing, just nodded her head. Reluctantly he walked away and left her. He knew he should stay and console her some more, but he didn’t dare. His libido was working way too fast for his peace of mind. Better for both of them if they kept their relationship on a professional level.
Serena watched Jake go back into his room. How had the need for him to stay gotten so overwhelming? She knew there was no future for them so why get involved in the first place?
Sighing heavily she pulled the sheet up over her body and tried to settle back down. At least her heart wasn’t beating out of her chest now. Although if she let her mind wander to Jake, it would start back up.
By the holy alter of Shan-da, why did he have to come into her life now when her path had already been chosen? She could feel the connection flowing between them even from the first time he touched her hand. Never had she been drawn to a man this strongly and never before did she wish her path had taken a different turn. But she had been born and raised for a specific purpose and there was no way she could shirk her responsiblity.
If the fates were kind, she would wish to know the power of a man just once in her life. Not just any man, but Jake. Heat pooled between her legs just at the thought of being able to lie within his arms just for one night. To taste his lips, to learn his body.
She sighed again and tried to close down her thought process. It was no good to think about something that would never happen. That could never happen. Time was of the essence and they needed to find the artifact quickly if everything was to fall into place.
She closed her eyes but instead of sleep coming easy, it took its sweet time.
~

Jake lay awake on his bed, his arms behind his head, the sheet covering his lower torso. He glanced back over at the clock sitting on his nightstand. Three a.m. It was only fifteen minutes since the last time he’d looked at the clock. Damn but time was dragging its feet unbearably. Sleep was eluding him and all he could think about was the Alusian female in the next room.
Hadn’t he learned his lesson from the last Alusian female he got close to? He still bore the scars from her attack. He’d thought they were meant to be together. He’d thought he loved her and she him. Boy had he been wrong on both counts. Not only was their relationship doomed from the beginning, she was only using him as a sperm donor!
He threw off the sheet and got out of bed. He walked over to the balcony door and threw them open. Hot sultry air wafted in off the water bringing a salty texture to the breeze. He had to get his agitation under control. Every time he thought of Alora his wolfishness came closer to the surface. He mustn’t let it show. He must keep it under control.
He grabbed the top of the railing and leaned his muscular torso onto it trying to relieve the tension in his limbs. It wasn’t as though he was adverse to having offspring. He’d toyed with the idea for a long time. He had thought the idea of their offspring being of mixed blood, exciting. Wondering which one they would look like or a mixture between the two. But when he had awaken, chained to the bed and stripped naked, warning bells started pounding in his ears.
Alora, beautiful Alora, her long blonde hair hanging loose, falling around her like a shroud, had been fondling him, arousing him until he was as hard as a rock. He’d awakened with a moan on his lips, his eyes trying to focus on what was happening around him, finally landing on her. He’d thought she was playing some kind of game with him and had slipped him a sleeping potion to carry out her fantasy. Well, he’d been partly right. She had given him a sleeping potion, but she had not intended for him to awaken until after she had stolen his seed and disappeared.
Jake closed his eyes as the onslaught of memories came pouring through. He remembered the feeling of betrayal when she’d told him what he had meant to her. Nothing more than a perfect donor to help sate the needs of her dying people. They needed new blood and his would do very well for he was a remarkable specimen of a shape shifting immortal and his seed would do wonders at repopulating their losses.
He had been in shock then in horror as she began to milk him. He remembered they argued, he fought, she changed, he changed, they fought. There could have only been one winner and he was the one standing here alive. He remembered his heart breaking as he buried her. The feeling of what? Sadness? Pain? Remorse? It had been so long ago now, there was no feeling left to ponder. It was over. It was done. There had been no turning back.
Now there was a new complication and she was lying on his couch just to the other side of his door. A burning heat engulfed him as he thought of her in his arms. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Her words of earlier haunted him. Are all werewolves bad? She had asked. No. he had answered. Neither are all Alusian’s, she had said. If only he could believe that.