Page 23 of Bound By the Moon

“I understand that, but how the hell am I going toget that through Louis’s head? I mean, even if he realizes that Ican open the portal so easily, it’s not likely that he will let mewalk out of there unscathed. Obviously, he’s going to want at leasta modicum of surprise on his side. He won’t want anyone to knowwhat the hell he’s trying to raise from the underworld.”

“No, he won’t. That is why we are left with very fewchoices, and none of them are good ones.”

“We have to get him back!” Sierra choked out throughher sobs as she rushed around the corner of the kitchen.Apparently, she had been perched there, eavesdropping the entiretime. “Those monsters don’t care. If they find out he’s a boy, andnot the baby they’re looking for, they will eat him. If they growtired of waiting, and desperate, they will sacrifice him. I can’tlose another Jack. I can’t.”

“I will not sit back and let your baby be hurt,Sierra. I will get him back, I promise you.”

“Don’t make promises, Jess…” This bit of advice camefrom Avery as everyone slowly made their way back into the room. Ishot him a scathing look, because his words set Sierra up for aworld of hurt. The words he held back hung on the air, just asthick as if he had uttered them anyway. I shouldn’t make promisesthat I probably can’t keep.

“We have to get him back. There’s no question aboutthat. Sierra has already lost too much for this pack, and I won’tadd to that tally for her. Baby Jack was a much needed miracle forSierra in her darkest hour. I’ll be damned if I won’t do everythingin my power to get him back in her arms.”

“Even if it means giving up ever holding your ownbaby again?” Gabriel called out. “That’s what you may be doing.You’ve only begun to touch on the power that comes with being awhite wolf, and you are currently disconnected from your ancestorsright now, if what you said earlier about your dream vision istrue.” It was. I was. That didn’t mean I still couldn’t try to getbaby Jack out of his impossible situation. I was also well awarethat it was a situation I may not come back from, and that myrescue attempt might only be good enough to ensure that Jack passquickly into the land of the dead with me, instead of lingeringnear the portal being drained of blood.

“I need a few moments with Layla, alone. Please,don’t follow us. We’ll call you once I’ve heard everything aboutthis portal, and how opening it works.”

“You can’t open the portal, Jess.” My father spoketo me directly for the first time since he had left my houseearlier. “We have no way of knowing why this Louis wants it open,or what the hell is going to come out from the other side.”

“I understand that. Now, I need to speak to Layla,alone.”

My father rose, raised his hands in the universalsign of ‘I give up’ and everyone else relaxed back and followedsuit. I handed Willow off to Ashley before I got up to leave, andthen I leaned down to speak to Sierra. “Sierra,” I waited for herto turn and acknowledge me before I finished speaking. “I need youto help look after Willow while I go find baby Jack for you.” Shenodded through a sob. “If I don’t come back…”

“You will come back, and you will bring Jack to me.”She all but whispered. “I will be here for Willow, no matter whatthough.” That was all I needed to hear. I needed to know that shewouldn’t give up and quit like she almost did when Ashley’s brotherpassed into the world beyond.

~*~

Once Layla and I finished our powwow, I knew exactlywhat my plan of attack was, and so did she, for the most part. Itwould at least give baby Jack a fighting chance of survival whenpitting us against unnumbered dark ones and a Fiul Sange. WhenLayla left to join the others I noticed Gabriel lurking in thehallway, and called him into my father’s office. “Gabriel, I have atask for you, if you feel you are up to it.”

“I thought you’d never ask. I’ve been waiting to beable to assist you.” I stepped back, and eyed him then as hesighed. “Not in a weird, creepy way. If you knew your completehistory, you would understand. One hunter is almost always chosento stand by the side of the White Wolf as her humble servant. Ithought, perhaps, you would chose me.” I quirked up my eyebrows athim, not knowing whether to amused or surprised. “For some thatmeant they used us a shield in battle or for other, less grimtasks.” When I gave him my angry face, he quickly added on, “notthat I expected that of you. It was obvious that you had a truemate when we met. I just hoped you would still chose me to yoursword in battle, or your advisor in those sorts of things.”

“I see. Well, you probably should have mentioned allthat a bit sooner, because until Layla got here Mikael and Ithought you had some sort of weird fantasy crush on me, and it wasstarting to creep me out.”

“Oh, well, I suppose with such horriblecommunication skills, I didn’t deserve the spot after all.” Ismiled at him, easing the tensions a bit.

“I do have a job for you though. I need someone tobe able to keep Layla safe, and hidden while she upholds her partof our plan. Apparently the only way for her to direct me to theportal is by physically taking me there. You hunters have specialgifts, correct? Do you have anything in your bag of tricks thatcould keep her hidden?”

“I do, in fact, and I would be honored to help.”

“Great, but while on the way there, you need to keepyour distance, and make sure she doesn’t see you. I don’t want youto show yourself until we get close enough that she can go nofurther without risking herself, is that understood?”

“Completely.”

“And one more thing…” I added as I got up to leavemy father’s office. “If I am not able to come out in one hour withthe baby, then you are to take her back home. Do not let her stayand get herself killed.”

“I understand.” As I was moving through the doorwayhe grabbed my hand and pulled me back momentarily. “Jessica, if wemust leave without you, what would you have me tell the others whenwe get back?”

“Tell them I loved them, and it was an honor to knoweach and every one. Tell Sierra how sorry I am, and that I tried.”The words were out of my mouth before I could even think of them,because it was all that needed to be said.

He nodded. “You are a true warrior at heart. I wouldthat you had been born a hunter. You would have made us veryproud.”

My father’s voice, full of disdain and worry, rousedmy attention as I entered the room again. I’m not sure what exactlyhe was saying though, because by the time I actually started payingattention again, it was Sierra who was coming out of her seat toplead with me.

“Don’t listen to that. We have to get him back!”Sierra’s face was stricken, and tears once again streamed freelydown her face. I had always been under the impression that thereason mothers loved their babies so much was because they felt themiracle of growing a person within themselves. I was seeing now,that it simply wasn’t true. Babies, children even, have a magic alltheir own that wraps around a person’s heart and ensnares them.Sierra would give up her everything for the child that wasn’tbiologically hers just as I would for Willow.

I turned to my mother then, “I need you to keepWillow safe, and take care of her until Mikael or I get back.” Mymother started to protest, but I shushed her quickly. “I can’t sitback and leave that baby to be drained because I was afraid formyself. If it were Willow, I would have been out the door themoment I knew how to get there. The only thing that held me herethis long was to make sure my daughter is taken care of while I amout there, and in case I don’t get back. You tell her how very muchI loved her.”

“You need to wait until Mikael and Asi are back,Jess. I will not stand by and watch you march yourself right intothe arms of the enemy. We don’t even know exactly what a Fiul Sangeis capable of.” The worry was back in my father’s voice, but so wasthe authority of a pack master. Were I not the White Wolf, he wouldforce me to stay behind. I felt the power in his words, and thankedmy ancestors for the blood line I possessed.

“I am going. It would also do for you to rememberwho I am. White Wolf blood runs in my veins, and those tricks youare pulling to keep me here won’t work. What they will do is pissme off and send me in search of another pack to reside with when Iget baby Jack back.”

---