Page 51 of Dancing Moonbeam

No! Raidh screamed as the image faded away.

* * * *

Clutching Raidh’s body to his chest, Jaytee followed Panahasi and Casimir as they navigated their way through the veil. It had been a strange sensation when Jaytee had crossed the invisible barrier. One moment he’d been walking toward the forest, and then, with a wave of Panahasi’s hand, Jaytee had strode into an entirely different world.

The magic felt heavy in the air, a living and breathing entity, causing his wolf to growl in unease. The meadow popped into Jaytee’s mind, and now he wished he and Raidh were back there, basking in the sun as they made love. The thought made his wolf howl mournfully for what they’d lost.

Jaytee stumbled when he could have sworn he heard Raidh crying out for him. He glanced around, wondering if he would be able to see his mate’s soul somewhere, like a ghost lingering close by.

I’m here, baby! Come to me, Jaytee!

He stopped walking, his fingers tightening around his mate’s body. His breath came out fast and shallow as he blinked several times. Had he really just heard Raidh, or was this place messing with his mind? Maybe he missed his little fairy so much he was manifesting his desperation.

“What is it?” Casimir asked as he and Panahasi turned to look at him.

Please, come to me! I’m right here!

“Where?” Jaytee shouted, spinning in circles as his heart clenched. Now he was sure he’d heard Raidh’s voice. “Tell me where you are, Moonbeam!”

“You hear him.” Panahasi’s whiskey-colored eyes studied Jaytee, a wealth of knowledge in their depths. “He’s calling out to you.”

Casimir furrowed his brows. “That’s impossible. Raidh’s soul is suspended in unconsciousness. He isn’t aware of anything, let alone speaking to you.”

“Yet, he is awake and crying out for his wolf,” Panahasi said, his gaze never leaving Jaytee. “I can feel the strength of their connection, as well as the vast power Raidh keeps locked away inside himself.” He tilted his head slowly. “His magic reaches out to me, and I wonder if his abilities are too powerful to unleash on this world.”

“Are you saying you want to leave his soul trapped for all eternity?” Jaytee bellowed. “I made a vow to my mate that not even death could separate me from him, and I’m going to keep it, with or without your help.”

If there was even a sliver of a chance Jaytee could get Raidh back, he would fight Satan himself to reclaim his mate. He didn’t care about Raidh’s powers. All Jaytee cared about was his little fairy. His mate had sounded terrified calling out to him, and no way in goddamn hell was he going to leave Raidh suspended in…wherever his soul was trapped.

Curiosity spread across the demon leader’s face. “Did Raidh make the same vow?”

Unsure why Panahasi asked him, Jaytee nodded. “He gave the same promise to me.”

“Tell me exactly what you said.”

“Why, what difference does it make?” Jaytee argued.

“We do not have time to stand here and quarrel over this, stubborn wolf. I can feel guards all around us. As soon as they sense our presence, we will have a fight on our hands. Do you want to remain undetected, or do you wish to engage in another battle?”

Jaytee let out a slow breath and recited his pledge. “Not even death can separate me from you. My loyalty to you is unwavering, Moonbeam. My heart, my soul, and my very existence belong solely to you. To which my mate replied, ‘I give you the same promise in return.’”

“Because of Raidh’s powerful magic, when you two made your vow, it became unbreakable,” Panahasi explained.

“But Raidh died.” Jaytee held his mate’s body tighter against him. “Death separated us.”

“Did it?” Panahasi’s brow rose. “Even now you are still connected to Raidh. You just heard him calling out to you.” Panahasi looked around. “Let’s get moving. I really don’t want to embarrass the guards by kicking all their asses. I’m also ready to get back to my mates.”

Jaytee shook his head when they neared a large, regal home. With Galamir’s arrogance, he shouldn’t have expected anything less.

The demon leader just strolled right in without knocking. Jaytee grinned, loving the demon leader’s “fuck you” attitude.

Before they reached a large hall, Panahasi stopped and said, “I don’t want to make my presence known just yet. Go in with Casimir.”

Jaytee wanted to ask why the demon leader had brought them all this way only to step into the shadows at the last second. But he was too anxious to get Raidh back, so he just nodded and followed behind Casimir.

Across the room, he spotted someone sitting on a couch, their back to him. Jaytee saw the moment the person became aware of them. The person stood and whirled around. This had to be Galamir. He was the spitting image of Raidh, only older, and he had black hair instead of his son’s blond.

“How dare you enter my home uninvited?” Galamir sneered at Casimir. “I banished you from here long ago, and yet you have the audacity to show your face to me again?”

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