I don't know what had woken me up. One moment I was in a sense of peace and bliss, then a coldness filled me, like something was missing or something was wrong.
When my eyes had fluttered open I was in an unfamiliar room, a bed much comfier than what I'd been sleeping on in the motel. While the motel had had the carpet and the off-white walls, this room was much nicer. It had the furnishing of a master bedroom, with hardwood floors, while a large soft rug was placed under the bed, and deep green walls.
A million sounds and senses were hitting me at once. A wild smell was in this room, like the kind of smell you encounter in a large, clear forest, where animals roam and plants grow free. There was another scent, but it seemed farther away, something sort of like cinnamon and herbs. Outside the closed window, I could even smell the scents of the wind, the trees, and the nearby city. Crickets chirped louder than I had ever heard before, as if they were inside of my head, and in the distance I could hear car engines as they drove down a road I couldn't see. I could hear the rustling of animals outside. But the one sound that froze me, was the sound of the voices downstairs.
"A-again?" A female voice asked.
It sounded deeper, with a layer of emotion, but I would know that voice anywhere.
I almost ran out of the room, pausing when I realized that I was wearing a mans shirt. White with short sleeves, and yet it reached well past my hips. I didn't have time to change though, not while Ravena was so close.
A whimpering sounded from somewhere, but I couldn't place where. It hadn't been anywhere in the building I was currently in, and it hadn't come from outside, but I couldn't think of anywhere else it could be. Not that I really had the time to think about it.
Ignoring the whimper and the feeling of another presence, I moved to the door, surprised by how quiet I was moving, and opened the door. The door didn't even squeak. Wherever I was, this place was very well maintained.
"Yeah, again. Hannalee already tried it." I heard Dante's deep voice.
He sounded cocky, with just a hint of irritation, and I heard a whine, this time realizing it was coming from within me. Within my own mind.
"How the fuck do you remember her then?" Ravena asked, snapping me out of my daze.
I didn't have time to search for whatever was going in my head, I needed to get downstairs and stop Ravena and Dante from slaughtering one another.
I saw the stairs, down the hall to the left of the room I was in, and ran for them.
"I-" Dante started, then stopped as I reached the top of the stairs.
I heard his footsteps moving fast, then Ravena calling out to him to stop and answer her, and then I saw him. He looked worn out, his brown eyes glowing gold as they rested on me. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt that showed each of his muscles, and loose fitting jeans held up by a simple black belt. His feet were bare and his fists were clenching and releasing at his side.
Ravena came into view of the stairs, glaring at him, then noticing him staring up at me. She wasn't even trying to wear her glamour, her red eyes at full glow. A soft gasp escaped her, then she pushed past Dante, with her incredible speed, and was at my side, holding me in a tight hug.
"R-Ravena...what are you..." I stammered.
"I came here to bring you home, sweetie" she whispered.
Her voice sounded so much louder than I had remembered, even when she whispered.
"You will not be taking my mate anywhere!" Dante growled loudly, moving up the stairs and pulling me from Ravena's hold, hard.
"Mate? What nonsense is that? We don't have mates!" Ravena sneered at him.
"She is my mate. There is no nonsense about that"
I felt the vibration of each word he spoke, heard the sound of his pulse as he held me against his chest.
"And, as you can see, the bite has already healed." he added.
The previous night came back to me in flashes now. I remembered what had happened. I had gone to dinner with Dante, he told me he was my mate, we started to get intimate, but I ran away when my glamour had failed. I had tried to wipe his memory of me, but it hadn't worked, and he had tracked me down, showing up just as I was on my way to the gateway home. His touch had been so demanding, and my own need had responded, and I had let him not only take my virginity, but I had accepted his bite.
Another whimper came from my mind as I mentally saw a pair of glowing purple eyes appear in my subconscious. I couldn't see it in the sense of visually, but I could see it with my soul. A beautiful beast, a wolf. An impossible fact that I had not only accepted his bite, but I had transitioned into having my own wolf within me.
Part of me had wanted to be angry, or at least annoyed, but I simply couldn't. I hadn't ever felt as whole as I felt at this moment in time. Of course, that also meant that I had lost everything, not only my dreams and goals, but now my entire race. I would be stripped of my power. Something I had feared since he had first began approaching me. And, yet, I couldn't bring myself to resent him, or regret what had happened.
My hand moved, subconsciously, to where I remembered his fangs having been embedded. It had hurt a lot, at first, but that had quickly changed to more of a numbing warmth filling me down to the very tips of my fingers and toes. I knew what I had learned of shifters before coming to the realm, but no one taught us of the feeling of the bite.
"You took everything away from her! And you took away the chance to make our people better!" Ravena spat.
I stared at her, wide eyed.
"They'll take her power from her. All her dreams are lost now, do you understand that?"
I heard Dante chuckle, making me look at him. He was simply staring at her, a knowing look in his eyes.
"You really think they can do that?" he smiled "You and I both know she's strong, and way different from the rest of you. I bet you actually know more than any of you had been willing to let her know before, don't you?"
It didn't seem possible, but I could swear that Ravena's pale skin actually went even paler. It was the first time in my life that I had ever seen such a powerful woman stunned into such silence.
"Talk! Now!" Dante demanded.
My new wolf practically rolled around like a puppy just by hearing the dominance in his voice. It wanted that directed at us. A rather scary thought.
Ravena looked from him to me, with a look of what seemed to be shame. The cinnamon and herb smell from before was clearly from her, now that I was close enough to tell, but now it was mixed with a slightly bitter smell. A smell that I really didn't like. Whereas his scent was that of the forest and morning dew.
"She's not like us" She said, looking down.
I just stared, feeling tears burn my eyes. True, I had heard that said about me so many times in my life, but she had always been the one to assure me that, even though I was a little different, I was a protector, just like everyone else. And now, here she was, saying that I really wasn't like them. Logic wanted me to believe in her, that she wouldn't hurt me by insulting me like that, but emotion was more powerful in this situation. Still, I remained silent.
"She's so strong" Ravena continued "Her body is so similar to us, but she is different. She won't ever face the difficulties the rest of us face because she was simply made different."
"'Made'?" my voice was a whisper.
"We obviously don't know where you came from" Ravena quickly replied "I mean, you were just found in the middle of nowhere, but no protector had ever been born with your appearance. And the power you have, it's...it's not normal. So, the council suspects that whoever made the humans may have had a rival, who made you, so that we could restore balance."
I stared at her, trying to understand, then realizing just how much she had just said in front of Dante, in clear English. I looked at him, seeing all of the confusion on his face as he looked down at me.
I sighed, knowing that now we had no choice but to tell him. Even though I knew once the council heard of me not only being romantic, but having been bitten by Dante, he and I would both have our memories wiped of the entire situation. I would probably be given new memories, so that it made sense for me to be with him, but at least he would know the truth for a while.
"I'll tell you everything" I said, quietly.
Ravena didn't even argue with him or me as he led me down the stairs, through a door to the right of the ground floor and into a large living room with beautiful, hand-crafted furniture. The large couch and the 2 chairs had matching, soft velvety fabric, over unnaturally comfortable, fluffy material, and a sturdy wooden base.
"I made these" he spoke into my ear, seeing me admire the arrangement.
Another large rug was in the center of the room, though this one was more of the smoother, intricately woven pattern, and held a large drink table in the center of the couch and chairs. A TV was placed just off to the side, in clear view of the couch and slightly off view to the chairs, and a massive window made up the wall from about 3 feet off of the floor. It was night time, so I couldn't see much outside of the window, but I could smell the nature all around the place.
Forcing myself back to the present, to the situation that I dreaded having to explain, I let him guide me to sit next to him on the couch. Ravena took a chair, looking at him with an almost pathetic look on her face.
His arm wrapped around my side and pulled me against him, and my wolf practically purred.
"Talk to me" he said, his voice soft, yet demanding.
I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep steadying breath. It was going to take all the courage I had to open up to him.
"You already knew that I wasn't human." I spoke, trying to keep a calmness in my voice that I knew that I didn't have.
I had to push through my fears now.