Page 20 of Bound By the Moon

“But I need answers from you in order toprotect...”

“No!” The white wolves hissed, but followed that upwith a whisper, “He’s here, and he is of the living and the dead,he can hear our conversations.”

The white wolves, who usually flickered through allthe spirits of the past white wolves stilled themselves todaybefore blurring around the edges. “There has to be a way.”

“The only way is to be far from here, now go!” Theypushed mentally, but before they managed to knock me out of thedreamscape, I caught an unfamiliar scent on the air. It was almostone of fresh turned earth, pine needles, and underneath it was analmost decay and copper smell. Then I heard the laughter that wasdefinitely all male and nothing to do with finding somethinghumorous. I shut everything else out as I listened trying to hearmore. I was trying to hear something that would give me a location,or at least point me in the right direction. When that seemedfutile, and only the laughter pervaded my thoughts, I allowed thepush the wolves had given me to do its work and wake me up. I cameback from the dream world covered in sweat and shaking with fear. Ihad felt Louis’ essence, and what was worse, he definitely knewexactly who he was looking for now.

***

WHICH WILLOW

“Jess, is everything ok in here?” My mom poked herhead in my bedroom door, and smiled as she watched me push mysweaty hair out of my face.

“Hey, mom. When did you get here?”

“I’ve been having coffee with the girls and thebabies downstairs for about twenty minutes or so.”

“You do know coffee isn’t good for babies,right?”

“Always the smartass, Jessica. Of course, I knowthat. The babies were with us while we had coffee.” She smiled inspite of herself. I came over after Serena filled me in on what youwere attempting. I didn’t want to disturb you until I knew you wereawake again.” She came over and sat beside me on my bed then. “Iheard you gasp all the way from downstairs, what happened?”

I explained to her what happened in my dream vision,and that I needed to try again, because I wasn’t sure if the whitewolf guardians were in danger.

“How can they be in danger? They’re alreadydead.”

“I know, but something was off. I can’t put myfinger on it, but they were panicked.”

“Maybe because they knew that Louis would be able tosee you and focus his search better?”

“Well, he definitely knows where the portal is. Isuppose all he needs now is my blood to open it. Either way, I needto make sure they are okay, and that the portal hasn’t somehowmagically come open on its own yet.”

“Are you certain you want to attempt this again?What if he has some magical way of latching on in thedreamscape?”

“What else can I do, mom? We don’t know where he is,and last I heard, Serena was still trying to get Layla here,because her sister won’t talk about the location or anything elseunless it’s done in person.”

“Okay, but let me get a hold of your dad first. Iwant to make sure we have plenty of security before we start.”

“Fine, just keep them outside.”

“Hey guys, sorry to interrupt, but Sierra needs somemore diapers and stuff, so I am going to run to town for those andsome other things. Is there anything you want to add to mylist?”

“Ashley, make sure you take security with you. Louisknows who I am now. It wouldn’t take a leap for them to figure outthat they could get to me through you, or someone else I love. Iwouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to you,because of me.”

“I will, and when I get back you’re going to tell meexactly what the hell went on in that dream of yours.” Concern waswritten all over her face, and she hesitated before leaving.“You’re not going to try again are you?” I didn’t answer her, whichwas answer enough. “Please, be careful. You don’t look like it wenttoo well the last time.” She continued to stand there until my momnodded her assurance.

“I’ve got her covered Ashley. Go get whatever isneeded for the house. See Emory Davis at the Old Country Market,and tell her to put it on my tab, and I’ll be in to see her at theend of the week. Ask Sierra to please keep an eye on Willow until Iget Jess knocked out, and back in dreamland again too, please.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Ashley was gone before the words wereeven out of her mouth.

“Now, do what you need to in order to focus, honey.Let me know when you’re ready.” My mom never hesitated. She knewwhat was at stake and she wasn’t about to stand in my way offinding out how to make us all safer. I always admired my mom’sability to be practical, even in the face of danger.

“Thanks mom, I love you!”

“I love you too, now be careful. Try to get theinformation quickly, and then get out. Do not, under anycircumstances, interact with Louis if you see him again.”

“I will do my best to get in and out as quickly aspossible.” I went through the same process that I did earlier inthe day. I got settled and focused on the white wolves. I picturedevery aspect of the cave I could remember, and specifically thedais they always sat upon. I couldn’t fall asleep on my own againthough. I was too worried about my previous encounter with Louis.That’s where my mom came in though. Her influence blanketed me witha calming effect that helped me relax and navigate into the dreamrealm easily. Everything became lighter, my concerns were stillthere, but only as a reminder, not a crippling worry. My mother’strick work to get me back into that other-worldly place, but I hadto fight my way back through the foggy dreamscape to try to get tothe wolves.

A presence hovered just beyond my reach, and pushedback at me through the fog. I could almost taste the panic on mytongue, it was so tangible in the air with each push. It wasn’tLouis. That much I knew, because what I attributed to his essencehad actually been attempting to tug me forward to where I wanted tobe. He was well aware that I was trying to communicate with myancestors again.

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