Page 33 of Bound By the Moon

“Dad,” I tugged on his shirt. “It’s okay, and it’snot your fault that you can’t be the one.”

“He is family. He is your father. It is no sacrificeto give up his own eternal rest for his own familial line. It hasto be someone who has no blood bond to you or the baby in yourarms.”

“Well, what a way to narrow it down.” I lookedaround the room full of souls. There were those that lingered onthe periphery, just out of sight, but I knew they were there. Noone else seemed familiar, and my Aunt Anna and her mate, Lucas weregone now too. I didn’t know a single person here who would stand upfor me, let alone give up their eternal rest for my family. “Iguess we get to hang out and wait for mom together. Mikael andWillow will be along eventually too. I have it on good authoritythat we are allowed to wait right here for them.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do, kiddo. We’ll waittogether.”

“Is there some stupid rule that I can’t come toJessie’s aid? I’ve always wanted to be a knight in gossamer-stylespirit armor.” A familiar face winked at me then as he stepped outof the shadows. “I freely give up my rest and relaxation in thisblasé pit, if it means I get to look after Jessie, and herbaby.”

“Jack?” My jaw dropped. It was definitely him, andas if he knew I needed proof, to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, hecame over and wrapped his giant arms around me, picking me up offmy feet, and swinging me around in his trademark Jack Reynolds bearhug. The poor baby strapped to me was not happy about thesituation, and let out a quick wail of protest before simmeringback down to a quiet sleep. I had to do a quick check to make surethe baby didn’t get jostled loose from my skin then.

“It’s really me, Jessie.”

***

HOME AGAIN

Jack Reynolds looked just as good as he did beforehe met his end at Antoine’s hands. He smiled down at me again,before turning his attention back to the other white wolves. “I amoffering myself as the guardian for Jessica Marie St. MarksDe’Lune, her line, and the baby she carries with her. Is there areason why my request should be denied? I am blood kin to neitherof them.” Jack was all business now. I had forgotten what it hadbeen like to watch him at work in that last vision. His fiercedetermination would serve us well.

“You need to understand, you will be driven by asingular duty, Jack Leon Reynolds.”

“Leon? Seriously?” Jack elbowed me with a smirk onhis face when I teased him about his middle name, but he quicklyturned his focus back to the wolves who were speaking.

“If you agree to this, all other obligations willcease to be a priority for you. Your mate will not even top thebond that you will have for these two.”

“Um, that’s a little weird.” I whispered, feelingsuddenly unsure about all this.

“He will not love you like a mate, but if it camedown to letting his mate die, or you, the choice would be to saveyou. He would feel compelled to do so.” Aislynn paused momentarily.“Your mate will not meet you on the other side when she passes. Ifshe chooses to wait for you, her wait here, in the Gateway, couldbe eternal.”

“I understand what is at stake, and I still acceptthe responsibility of taking these two back with me. I will betheir guardian until my dying breath.”

Kezia laughed then. “He truly does not understand.You are not going to have a dying breath, my dear. You will stillbe dead, yet walking in the world of the living. Others will beable to touch you, and you them, but you are just a guardianspirit. You cannot be killed while you are over there, for no onecan kill what is already dead. When her line dies, you will returnhere. That is all.”

“Then her line will have to stop breeding in orderfor them to die off. I understand my duties, and will perform themas I am honor bound to do so.”

“Spirit bound.” Aislynn corrected. You will bespirit-bound, it is, unlike honor, a bond that cannot bebroken.”

“I understand.” Jack responded.

“Then all that is left is for the three of you toclimb on the dais together, and we shall do the rest.” Aislynnturned to me then. “When you feel the popping, like you did on theway here, you will know it is safe to move off the dais toward theside of the living.” I nodded. “Make sure the baby continues totouch you as you are moving around up there, if he becomes unlinkedwhile we attempt this, you may lose him completely.”

“I know. I will be careful.” I smiled at her.“Aislynn, thank you for everything.” She only nodded, and continuedto gather the other white wolves to encircle the dead half of thedais. “Thank you all, for the help and guidance you’ve given me. Itruly appreciate it. I also thank you for this sacrifice.”

“It is our pleasure, my dear.”

“Truly, some of us have grown tired of beinghere.”

“If I’m being honest, I was ready to move on theminute that one took me out.” Emory nodded her head back at Keziathen. “My daughter was already grown up by then anyway. I figuredI’d see her again from the other side. Emory smiled at an elderlywoman who then squeezed her hand. It must have been her daughter,but I didn’t feel I had the time to ask.

Kezia came close to me then, “pass along one thingfor me, would you?” She leaned in even closer and whispered in myear, before Aislynn interrupted to tell me they were all ready.

“Jessie girl, tell your mom I love her, and thatI’ll be waiting.” My dad called out from beyond the white wolfspirits. “And Jack, you take care of my girls!”

“I will, Jameson.”

“I love you, dad!” Tears were streaming freely downmy cheeks now as Jack and I prepared to mount the dais together.The last thing I heard was my dad telling me he loved me too, andAislynn calling out, “good luck,” to us.

I stepped through the portal with baby Jack in myarms, our torsos still connected skin to skin, and his namesake onmy left hand side. I felt the same popping sensation I had when Ifirst crossed the gateway into the world of the dead. I felt itagain as we came through the portal this time, only there was somesort of a blow back as the portal snapped shut behind us this time.Gone was the lavender scent from the other side, and in its placewas the stench of rotting blood and nastiness from Louis’s failedattempts to open the portal.

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