51: Wanting More

I'm sorry for the huge delay to release this chapter. The original chapter 51 was Jeanine getting raped by Harvey. It's the most brutal rape scene I've ever written, and I couldn't bring myself to release it. So, you're hearing about what happened to her in this way.
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      "There must be a way to kill him!" Robert snapped as he and Marge arrived back at the house, talking about Gus.

      The house was deserted and quiet, the only faint sound being that of Desi's light nickering in her makeshift stall.

       Marge realized that someone should probably go and check up on Nate's other horse since it had been a number of days since anyone had fed him most likely.

       "Where is everyone?" she quietly asked.

       "I don't know, but we'd better wait here. It's possible, likely even, that my brother is taking a very detoured route returning."

       As if on cue, Derek showed up on the lawn of the house. He was injured and limping.

       Suddenly, a fairy appeared next to him.

       Arabella no longer cared about revealing herself to the terrifying she-vampire. Her Derek was hurt!

       "Where?" she asked him.

       "My knee, but don't worry. It's getting better every second," he explained with pain evident in his voice.

       "It will be better now because now is better," Arabella chirped in a sing-song voice laced with concern. She rubbed her hands together as if to warm them and placed both of them on Derek's knee. A small light emanated from her palms before disappearing into his flesh.

       Marge watched, fascinated, as Bella worked her magic. Her mother had always told her to believe in fairies, but Marge had scoffed at her, thinking she was looney. Of course, she'd known differently for a while now. Mothers had a way of being right.

       She'd never witnessed a fairy's healing magic before, and she filed what she saw in the back of her mind for possible use later.

       "Where are the others?" Rob asked his brother.

       "We split up. They should be here shortly," he answered with a calmer voice. His pain had vanished.

       With that, Rocky appeared from out of the trees. "Where's Jeanine?" he asked almost immediately.

       "She hasn't come back yet," Robert answered.
       "We have to find her!" Rocky exclaimed, worried. He turned and headed for the trees.
       "Stop," Derek ordered. "You will stay here and wait for her."
       "What?!" Rocky yelled, now appearing even more worried than before and agitated with Derek as well.
       The five of them argued back and forth about what they should do. Derek wanted to wait, but Rocky demanded they search for her right away since she should've been back by now.
       Just as Rocky was about to attack Derek in a challenge, something no one saw coming, Jeanine came bursting into the yard, naked.

       Rocky immediately threw his jacket around her while Arabella redoubled her calming aura. The three of them went into the house, not speaking.
       Robert stared at his older brother, upset that he told Rocky to not go after Jeanine. Since they weren't alone, he kept his angry, aggravated thoughts to himself.
       "Marge," Marge heard inside her head. Gus called her to him.

       "I have to go," she announced.
       "What?" Robert, forgetting his anger at his brother for the moment, looked stricken with the news. He had a feeling what his Rose really meant.
       "I'm sorry," she said quickly before she sped off.
       "No!" Rob called out as he started to chase after her. He guessed she was headed for Augustus, and he couldn't bear the thought. He knew the likelihood of this happening, but he didn't think it would happen so soon. Surely, he thought, we should be given more time than that!
       Derek's voice rang with authority. "Let her go."
        "But if nothing else, she'll lead us to him!" he tried to use an excuse to chase after her to keep the woman he cared for from her master.
        Derek looked wearily at his younger brother as Rob turned to him with a furious expression.

        "What is wrong with you? You refuse to go look for Jeanine, you offer up a false gem to rescue Gabriella, and you do nothing about our vendetta against the Ancient One!" Robert panted. "Have you lost your edge?"
       "I could not risk the rest of my pack-"
       "To save a quarter of it," Rob interrupted. "We are stronger than them. Yet you ... you order us to stay put!"
       "Tanner had no intention of handing her over. Thinking he would was my true mistake," Derek said, remaining calm in spite of his brother's outburst.
       "With Rose, we could have destroyed them tonight, not run away with our tails between our legs."
       "I didn't know she could do that." After a quick pause, he asked, "What did you call her?"
       "I called her Rose, a name that better suits her."

       Marge quickly arrived at the location of her maker before the pair of them sped off only to double back and check to see if she'd been followed.

        "You were exemplary tonight, my Marge," Gus said as he approached her once they realized they would remain alone. "I'm impressed and quite pleased." He smiled toothily at her in the moonlight. "How many do you think you killed? Tanner will be furious to have had his numbers decimated the way I hope they were."
      "About ten, I think. Five, I'm sure, at the beginning," she answered, not really sure if she should be proud of herself.
      "Yes, that wall of fire was a nice touch. You're improving."

      "And my daughter remains captured. Tell me you killed the rapist."
      "As you put it, it wasn't his time." Gus grinned.
      "We must free her!" she exclaimed in a pleading tone.
      "In good time. I'm afraid she'll most likely be there another month due to Derek's poor judgement."
      "No thanks to you! You're an amazing strategist! Why don't you help?"
      "Derek, first of all, would never accept my help. And second, I prefer to let the dogs fight their own battles. I sent you in only because it's Gabriella they have, and I want her."
       "Then maybe she'd be better with the rapist," Marge hissed all of a sudden.
       He swooped down upon her in an instant. "Watch what you say, witch. Need I remind you on whose side you are?"
       "I hate you," she snarled defiantly up to him.
       "I'd pity you if you loved me," he said solemnly. Then, he could no longer resist her and cradled her head in his hands before bringing his lips down upon hers in a pleading way.

        Marge fought against him. When his mouth finally left hers, he trailed light kisses down her throat.
      "No, August," she said in response to the way he pressed his hips against hers.
      "You've never said no to me. This is the thanks I get for letting you have a puppy? You're mine!" he snarled against her throat.
       She cried out when she felt his fangs pierce her skin, and although she knew her efforts were futile, she continued to try to get him off her as he took in her blood.
        When he'd taken a sufficient amount, he broke his own skin and commanded her to drink from him. When she'd finished, he ripped her panties from her hips and tackled her to the ground.

       "How... dare you .. try to resist me," he said as he undid his belt and pants.
       Marge prepared herself for what she knew was coming, and it happened fast.
       However, as soon as Gus joined their bodies, that euphoric, opiate-like feeling coursed through him. He looked down upon the woman below him and said, "Oh, my precious Marge, why did you wish to keep yourself from me when I need you so?" He knew later he would hate himself for everything he'd tell her, but the pair of them had grown somewhat used to his split-personality.
      "I'm not keeping myself from you, August."
      "But you said no. You love the puppy. How can you?" His voice sounded filled with sorrow as he made love to her.
       "I didn't set out to have that happen."
       "I must keep you from him," he stated resolutely.
       "No! They need me to defeat Tanner and rescue Gabriella," she begged and thought up a quick excuse.
       "You said you prefer for her to remain with the dog. You don't want me to use her power?"
       "Am I still not powerful enough for you?" she asked, hoping to distract him.

       "I always, always want more," he answered her before ceasing all conversation.

50: Old Friends

    "Derek, how very nice of you to join us." Tanner snarled, the enmity readily apparent in his voice.

    "Tanner." Derek gave as a simple greeting. "Where is she?"

    "Where is the stone?" Tanner countered.

    "Here." Marge spoke up, stepping out from behind Rob's back.

    Tanner smirked. "This must be the vampire-witch. Such an interesting hybrid."

   "Where's my daughter?" she asked before a blood-curdling howl rent the air. Someone in the hunting party wasn't happy.

     Tanner's eyes narrowed a fraction before he refocused on Marge.

     "My daughter?" Marge asked. "I refuse to hand this over until she is in our custody."

     "Show her the witch." Tanner barked over his shoulder. They brought Gabby within view through a window they could see through the short patch of woods behind the gate. She struggled against the hold of the wolf that held her.

     Marge glared at Tanner. "Bring her down here. You said-"

     "Don't, Tanner!" Katharine suddenly screeched. "It's a fake!"

     "Preposterous." Marge scoffed. "Why would we offer a fake?"

     "More like why wouldn't you?" Tanner growled while the wolves behind Marge tensed.

     I'm going to kill you, Derek, Marge thought maliciously.

     "Looks like we're going to have a little fun tonight, boys." Tanner grinned at the vampire. With a simple flick of his wrist, his pack charged forward towards Derek's crew.

      Unfortunately for one of Tanner's number, however, Marge shot a killing spell out from her hand, bringing the wolf crashing down in front of his brothers. She quickly felt a sudden inspiration, and she created a wall of flames between herself and the remaining members of Tanner's pack.

      Suddenly, she felt herself jerked backwards, being carried away in someone's arms.

      "Keep firing!" Robert directed as he carried her along, so she did so, downing a few more of Tanner's pack that felt brave enough to dash through the wall of fire.

      Their path got intercepted by Nate as he flew past them, knocking down a few more wolves.

      "Go!" he yelled behind him, looking irritated, while the two small opposing forces worked quickly to get organized, thinking that Nate, Marge, and Robert would do the same.

      Robert and Marge went towards Appaloosa Plains while Nate rushed back in the direction of the compound. Not expecting this, the larger wolf party had to split once again.

      Just before they disappeared from view, Marge's gaze fell upon a wolf with long black hair, and she knew without trying that this wolf was the one that raped her daughter.

      "Robert." Julian growled while the other wolves raced in another direction, chasing Derek and the others of their small band, giving Marge a wide berth.

      Cowards, she thought viciously while Rob set her down and faced the rapist.

     "Murderer." Julian snarled, and Marge wondered what he meant. She didn't bother trying to figure it out and instead kept her attention on the enemy wolf.

     "An accident." Robert growled back, and her stomach plummeted.

     The other wolf took a step towards the pair, but Marge quickly fired a warning shot at his feet.

     "Why not simply kill me and be done with it?" his ancient eyes asked her.

     "It's not my place to do so nor it is your time." Marge answered cryptically before the wolf roared with laughter.

     "Then be gone, witch! Leave the big dogs to their fight." he suggested.

     "I said I wouldn't kill you; I didn't say I wouldn't stop you." she snapped. "Rapist." she finished.

     "I wouldn't be interested in Gabriella if it weren't for your boyfriend here." the other wolf said as he took a step towards them. A look of mock concern showed up on his face as he asked, "Has he not told you he's a murderer?"
     Marge shrugged. "As am I."
     "He killed my wife."
     "You raped my daughter."
     Julian snarled at her, "My fight is not with you, witch!"

     "Well, mine is with you!" she argued back, throwing a stunning spell his way that he quickly dodged.
      Julian had wanted to only fight with Robert, he hadn't really counted on the fact that the woman would want to fight him. Still, he knew he could overpower her if given the chance, and he sought his opening. Finding it, he pounced.
      Simultaneously, Robert reached out to pull Marge out of the way, and Gus appeared from out of nowhere to attack Julian, pinning him to the ground.
      "Foolish move, boy." Gus spit at Julian below him.
      Julian threw August off of him, sending him in an arch through the air. Gus landed on his feet and hands in a crouched position, watching the were with excited eyes.

     In a laughing voice, Gus said, "I was all for you attacking the pup, but you made the decision to go after my woman." He ignored the low growl from Robert.
       Julian smiled evilly at August and quipped, "And yet, you let the pup mate with her. I can smell him all over her."
       "My Marge knows to whom she really belongs, and to whom I lend her is my business." Gus said coldly.
      "My fight is with Robert, Ancient One, not with you, or her, for that matter. If she continues to be in the way, then I must remove her." Julian said almost warily and watched Gus like a hawk.
      "Let's go." Robert said quietly to Marge. "I want you away from this."
      Men, Marge thought, irritated at how both Gus and Robert felt the need to protect her. She looked at Robert with a mildly-irritated expression.
       Rob took her hand and said, "Please." She rolled her eyes, and the pair of them sped off.

       Julian moved to follow them, but August blocked his path once again. He roared with irritation at the vampire and his jovial expression.
      August laughed loudly and asked, "So, hm, what do you call yourself now? Oh yes, Julian. Tell me, Julian, I'm curious. Just how was Gabriella?"
     "Still listening to gossip, old man?" Julian asked in place of an answer.
     "Only when I'm curious." Gus answered. "How much of a fight did she give you? I've found her to be quite resourceful in a state of panic."

     Julian smiled wickedly and decided to give an answer. "She was more than I expected."
     "I must admit I'm rather curious about the offspring." Gus smiled. "I wonder if the old man ever considered that when he made that bauble?"
     "You knew him, only you can answer that question." Julian remarked.

     August's mind went back to a different place and time for a few seconds as he remembered the man that made the stone and what he intended its original purpose to be.
      He smiled and said, "I love how your kind wish to cherish and protect it." Gus felt pleased that Julian looked confused as to the meaning behind his statement. They still don't realize.

      A howl sounded in the distance, one that meant a victory of sorts. Julian sniffed the air.
      "Your pack calls you." Gus pointed out dryly.
      "If the witch gets in the way again, I will remove her." Julian promised.
      "And I will be there to stop you."
      Julian let out a chuckle. "Until next time then, 'old friend'." With that, he sped off in the direction of the howl.

48: Even Playing Field

Recap:
*Nate figured out he can hear the wolves of Tanner's pack due to his ability to hear animals and because Tanner's pack had lacked their copy of the stone for a while now.

*Marge foresaw, when asked, that the relationship she and Robert had was doomed to failure.

    "You disgust me." Tanner spit out venomously after backhanding someone that was brave enough to deliver the message that they'd failed to kill a vampire. "All of you!" he growled to the gathering in his office. "A vampire on our lands, and you let him live! There were six of you!"

     "Tanner, he went into the river and didn't come out. We believe he's actually hiding in the lake somewhere." Harvey, the one who'd been slapped, tried to reason with him.
        Tanner shooed everyone out of his office except Harvey.

     "I don't want your excuses!" Tanner barked as he got right in his face. "Clearly, you feel determined to prove your own ineptness."

      Harvey bristled with the insult. He respected Tanner and felt that the man had the right idea about how they should live. He'd been with Tanner from the very start, Tanner himself having been the one to turn him. He was the only one left besides Tanner of the original five to settle in Hidden Springs. Julian joined them later, and Harvey still felt the sting from the day that Tanner named Julian his beta.

      He took a deep breath to quickly calm his anger and said, "He won't long survive his exit from the lake."

      "No, he won't, because I'm sending Julian out with you. I had thought that you could handle supervising the sentries, but clearly, I'm going to have to send out a real wolf to do a pup's job." Tanner said. 

       Harvey wished he'd slapped him across the face again instead. He was over three hundred years old, and he considered himself a senior member of the pack. He'd proven his loyalty to Tanner on a multitude of occasions, but it was always his failures that Tanner remembered.

       No one knew how old Julian was; he would never say.

      Tanner felt enraged when he considered how he would now have to divide his forces before the meeting tonight. This particular vampire had to be the one that lost Gabriella, and he knew the thing was a highly-skilled mind-reader. He hated vampires, especially those with extra abilities. He'd dealt with two superior mind-readers in the past, but those could only read humans. They were the reason he stopped having humans in his employ.

     This one must be able to read us. I don't know how. Perhaps I should instruct Julian to capture, not kill. I'd like to study him.

      "Fetch Julian for me." he said absently to Harvey, dismissing him with a distracted wave of his hand. Harvey lightly bowed his head and did his best not to storm out of the office.

      After a few minutes, Julian had still not entered his office, and Tanner felt fury rise in him again. How hard is it to tell Julian to get his ass in here? Just as he was about to stand up and find out what was taking him so long, Julian entered.

    "You wished to speak with me, Tanner?" he asked, his eyebrows raised.

     "Yes. Harvey needs babysitting. He has failed again. A vampire entered our lands, and even though we had six after him, he escaped. I believe it is the one from Appaloosa Plains: Nathaniel Hamilton. He has the most motive."
      "Indeed." Julian agreed, his eyes narrowing.
      "I need you with the sentries tonight." Tanner said, getting to the point.

      "Tonight?! But the meeting..."
      "I need you leading the group hunting the vampire." Tanner interrupted him.
      "If then, he is indeed Nathaniel Hamilton then I will gladly kill him, but-"
      "I want you to capture him, if at all possible. I'd like to study him."
       " ' If at all possible'?! How am I to capture him if he's eluded six? And if I see him, I want to kill him." Julian growled.

      "You will not kill him unless that is your only option, do I make myself clear?" Tanner spoke, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
    "Crystal." Julian snarled. Then he continued with his aggravated tone, "You want to study that thing?! Have him here ... in this house?!"
     "Afraid of a little competition for your woman, huh?" Tanner said and smiled sadistically.
    "Speaking of my woman," Julian said, ignoring Tanner's jibe, "I would rather be at the meeting even if the thought of fighting that particular vampire is sorely tempting." 
      "I want that vampire caught. You have to miss the meeting."
      "And you won't hand her over." Julian stated his question, a mild challenge hanging in the air.
      "I have no intention at all of handing her over. I'm every bit as intrigued by this idea as you are."


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      "Good, you've returned." Derek said to Marge and Robert as they entered the yard. The sun had started to set, and Derek was anxious to get started. "Where is it?" he asked, looking at Marge.
      "Here." Marge said, pulling it out of her bag. It had already started to gleam in the dying light.
      As the sun set, the moon rose, and Rocky and Jeanine joined them.
      "Four against somewhere over twenty. Nice odds." Rocky pointed out dryly.
      "I'm not afraid." Jeanine scoffed.
      "Who said anything about fear?" Rocky argued.
      Marge spoke up, "And the number is five, not four." She looked pointedly at Rocky.
     "In league with a vamp." Rocky clicked his tongue dispassionately. "Never thought I'd see the day."
      "Shut up, Rocky." Rob barked. " 'Never thought I'd see the day'. You're fifty. What do you know?"
      "Fifty-seven." Rocky corrected him.
      Rob rolled his eyes while Marge wondered how old Rob was.
    Derek calmly stopped the discussion. "Let's get this started. The moon is high enough." He pointedly looked at Marge, indicating that she should begin.

       Marge held aloft the stone in both of her hands and started chanting. As the moon rose higher, every wolf's eye was upon her. The moon came out from behind the trees, and the light from it fully hit the stone and the wolves. The stone appeared to explode with light, lighting up Marge in an incandescent glow.

      Robert watched, transfixed, as he'd never seen this happen before where the spellcaster would start glowing themselves. He became soon distracted from his thoughts as he noticed that he and his pack mates had transformed with nary a hint of pain.
       For a few seconds, they all looked around in mild amazement. They'd expected at least a mild tingle.
      Derek looked curiously at Marge and wondered if the difference had to do with the fact that she was a vampire. At any rate, none of them had time to figure it out.
      Marge stopped chanting and asked Derek, "Where shall I put it now?"
      He handed her a key and instructed her to put it in a desk drawer with a false bottom. She did so and returned him the key.
      Once the key had been given back to Derek, he fished out of his pocket a copy of the stone.
      "I thought your kind couldn't even touch its copy?" Marge asked. Rob wondered what his brother was up to.
      Derek smiled with malicious mirth as he explained, "I'm not about to give that monster back the copy. This is a fake."
       "Shit." Rocky spat. "He's going to be pissed when he finds out."
       "Which he won't until next month's full moon. By that time, we will have relocated."
       Marge questioned, "Leave Appaloosa Plains?"
       "I didn't say that." Derek answered cryptically.
      Robert's transformed eyes locked with Marge as they both wondered what his brother's plans were. They were playing a dangerous game.
       "I doubt he hands over Gabriella easily. We need to be prepared for anything." Derek instructed as they quietly ran through the woods.
       "I wish I could be able to hear their thoughts." Marge mused.
       "Vampires cannot read us."
       "Yes, I realized that." she said dryly. Idiot.
       Derek smiled at the annoyance in her tone and said, "It makes for a more even playing field, wouldn't you say?" He stifled a laugh.
       "I wouldn't really know, remember? I have nothing against you." she reminded him, irritated at the laughter in his voice.

       Their company arrived at the top of a hill overlooking Tanner's estate. Marge's eyes quickly caught movement off to the right.
        "Look there." she said quietly to Robert, slightly pointing to what she saw.
        "It's a hunting party." he said darkly. "They're going to try to attack us even before we can reach them!" Robert exclaimed quietly with a small growl.
       "Hold." Derek ordered. "Let's wait and see. At any rate, we hold the high ground here."
       "Unless they plan on circling around and attacking us from the rear." Jeanine pointed out.
     "Then we retreat to the very top of the mountain." Derek said, agreeing with Jeannie's supposition.
      After they'd backed to the top of the mountain, they had a more difficult time seeing the estate. However, they could see a small disturbance near it.
      "They're not hunting us." Robert finally figured out. "They're hunting Nate."
      "I'd given him up for dead." Derek pointed out.
      Marge snapped her head in his direction, but before she could ask her question, Derek spoke up again.
      "Then this is good. Tanner has been forced to divide his forces."
    Robert stared at the moving trees below them and said in wonder, "So many against one vampire..." He left the statement hanging.
       "Whatever the reason, we must take advantage of this and get down there before the party can rejoin their brothers." Derek said, and their small party started off again towards Tanner's.

43: Blast

Warning! Contains scenes of a sensitive nature.

       A loud uproar was heard throughout the woods as Derek ordered Rocky to temporarily give up his bedroom to the visiting vampire guests. Nate also wasn't happy since that further proved that they weren't going after Gabriella immediately.

       "I can't stand it! How can he just sit around while that monster has her? How can he expect me to just accept his decision! I need their help! Now!" Nate complained to Marge.
        "He knows this."
      "Then why can't we just leave already!" he yelled. Then he actually stopped and looked at Marge's anxious expression, and he put his head in his hand. He knew Marge was just as worried, and he hated feeling helpless.
       "Nate, he's right. If we go in there now, it's suicide ... at least from everything August told me about them." Marge said. She'd confirmed his suspicions earlier when he asked her about their maker's whereabouts. Gus was hanging out in the woods surrounding the house, not wishing to join the temporary alliance, yet curious all the same.
         "I'm going to go stir crazy!" Nate exclaimed as he sped around the room while he 'paced'.

       He stopped for a few moments to say to her, "What am I going to do? I can hear everything, and no matter how much it tortures me, I can't tune it out. I told her I wouldn't, plus I miss her so damn much!" He paced around again, and a worn spot began to show on the carpet. "How can I just sit here? This is killing me!"
       "You'll do nobody any good if you show up, guns blazing, to that compound." she said, trying to calm him down just a little.
        "Guns.... that thing you do with your hand ... Marge! If we go in there together we can fight them all off. How often can you do that thing? We could kill or injure enough of them to get them to hand over Gabriella!"
     

        No matter how unhappy she was with him, she hated the look of desperation on his face. "I can do it over and over again. It's nothing but a spell."
        "Then we could..."
        "No."
        "What?!" he nearly yelled.
       "What would we do if they should find a way to stop me? And besides ... we can't get into the house."
      Nate reached up to try and pull his hair out by the roots, an impossible thing, but he tried nonetheless. "I can't just sit here!" he yelled. "I'll go crazy if I do!"
        "I have an idea." Marge offered.

         "What." Nate snapped his question.
        "You mentioning the blasting spell made me think of it. I can knock you out. Then, at least, you won't have to listen and time will seem faster." she explained.
         Nate looked at her, horrified. "That's the chicken shit way out." he said quickly. "No, I have to figure out a way to convince that alpha to go after her tonight!"
          "I'm sorry, Nate." Marge said, and before Nate could ask her what she meant exactly, she hit him with the spell again. Nate slammed onto the floor. "Sucks to have your choices taken from you, doesn't it?" he heard her say just before he passed out.

       Like a mother putting a child to bed, she pulled back the covers and lifted Nate onto the mattress. At least he'll be comfortable when he wakes up, which hopefully won't be for a while. He's going to be furious with me, but I'm not worried about him. I'm more worried about the mess he could make of everything.
        I hate that Gabriella's kidnapped, but Nate doesn't understand the force we're up against. Right now, they have the upper hand, and a huge one at that. He thinks he can just go in there and play Rambo until they hand-deliver him my daughter.
        Gabriella, please keep your head on your shoulders and do not do something stupid.

       Marge could smell her, hear her fluttering heartbeat, but she was more interested in the tome in her hands. Sure, the fairy smelled delicious, but she was here to make friends, not the other way around.
      However, Arabella had no idea of this. She'd let her guard down when she'd exited Derek's room a few minutes ago. She'd thought the vampires had gone home. She'd been asleep when they'd arrived, and she'd wakened when Derek hadn't returned to bed. Seeing the vampire witch lady sitting in the living room scared her out of her wits!
     "Hello." Marge said calmly as she placed the book on the coffee table for now. She'd found Derek's collection of books simply marvelous, and she wanted to glean as much new information as she could.
       "What are you doing here?!" Bella accused.
       "I'll be here a few days before we make an attempt at rescuing my daughter." Marge explained.
       "No! No no no! You can't be here!"
       "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to get close to you, just in case, but I'm not going to hurt you."
       "Where is the other one?"
       "You mean Nathaniel?" Marge asked.
       "No! The other other one. The ancient one."
       "Not wishing to disturb our little party."
       "You mean he's afraid of Derek's pack! He should be."
       "I doubt that's the reason." Marge snapped.
       Sensing the vampiress's anger, Bella suddenly said, "I need to get out of here. Stay away from me!"
      "Fine." Marge said, her eyebrows raised as if to say that that's exactly what she'd planned on doing anyway.
         Arabella went outside to escape into her little house, listening out for Derek's return.

     Marge wandered the house some more. Jeanine snarled at her in the kitchen, so she went upstairs again to more closely study something she found earlier but didn't have a chance to peruse.
      This is fantastic! Who was this person that wrote this? She carefully turned to the back page to see if there was any inscription, signature, anything. She found a name: Claudius. No other description was available. Plus, the book appeared to stop in the middle of a recorded experiment. I guess it failed since he wasn't around to record his findings. Better not test that one.
      The book is so very old, I'm worried about turning the pages. Why has no one made a copy of it? She found a particularly interesting recipe and proceeded to try it out with the materials available to her.

      Robert returned home from his run, and on the way up to his room, his eye caught the sight of Marge's red hair in the candlelight near the window. He took a few steps in her direction and stopped to ponder the situation before him.
       He could kill her. Right now. Rip her head from her body. How is it that she was still around when his Caitlin wasn't? Just more proof of the old cliche "life's not fair". Well, neither is death.

       Marge spoke to his reflection in the glass, "What's it going to be, Robert?"
       He jumped a little at the sound of his name.
       "Are you going to attack me or not? I must warn you not to underestimate me." she continued.
      "I don't. I think I'm the only one around here that doesn't. You seem to have my brother fooled, but I'm not falling for it." he answered, irritated that she didn't even have the decency to turn around when he spoke to her.
      "I'm sure I have no idea what you mean." Marge quipped and rubbed the next ingredient on the list between her fingers to crush it as it fell into the cauldron.
       "Don't bullshit me." Rob snapped. "You're in league with the ancient one, sent to spy on us since he has a grudge against Derek."
        "His grudge isn't mine." she explained.
        "Doesn't matter since he controls you."
        She sighed, and her shoulders drooped a little. "And I hate that he does. He told me I could go and join in with Nate to rescue Gabby. I know that doesn't mean I'm eternally free. Of course, you could be right, and he could be sending me in as a spy, only to ask me questions afterwards. So, I'm learning as little as possible about all of you."
         "You already know too much."
         "I'm sure everything I know he already knows."

         "So, he just let you go. Does he know about your little plan to use and give the stone to us?" Robert asked.
          "Yes." she answered. "He's curious to watch it work. I don't know how he feels about my idea to give it to you afterwards. I came up with that part on the spot. The stone is of no use to me. It isn't even mine. My daughter died to protect it for you. Why would I go against her wishes?"
         "Because Gus will order you to." he answered her rhetorical question as he walked towards her.
        "You have no idea how I wish I could call him that." Marge said with a smile. Wary of him, she turned around. The cauldron had received all the ingredients it required. Now it needed to simmer for a few minutes.

        "Why are you here?" he asked point-blank.
      "To rescue my daughter. In the meantime, I'm thoroughly enjoying your brother's collection of books. There must have been someone to collect all this."
        "My step-mother. Most of it was handed down to her through her family." Robert told her, then he wished he hadn't. After all, she'd told him the less she knew, the better.
       "I was unaware of any other magical family in the vicinity other than my late husband's, and they've died out." she pointed out.
         "I'm not telling you any more." he said, clamming up.
         Marge nodded and took a step over to gather the vial of bliss she'd concocted.

        "Alright. Fair enough. I'd just wondered for a moment if I could've been related to her ... by marriage, of course." she said as she lightly smiled. She felt delighted at how uncomfortable she made him. I must say, Caitlin had good taste. I hate that she couldn't tell me she had a boyfriend.
          Robert's mind whirled around in circles. I should walk away. I'd told myself I'd avoid her. She's Caitlin's mom for Pete's sake. Ew. ... Even if I do have a good fifty or so years on her and she doesn't look the age she was when she was turned I'm guessing. Nope, in fact she looks damn good. ... I should walk away. ... Why can't I walk away? What the hell is wrong with me? This is so wrong on so many levels. My deceased girlfriend's mom.... well that's usually weird because of an age thing... but I'm actually the older one. So does that make that part not apply? ... Then there's the whole vampire verses werewolf thing. It ... is not ... in my nature ... to ...
         She interrupted his thoughts by saying, "You really should go to bed, Robert. Don't worry about me. I won't do something stupid to destroy our truce. I need you." Marge had chosen her words carefully, knowing instinctively just what to say to effect him just the way she intended to. I'm getting a little too good at this. It's almost unconsciously done. I suppose it couldn't hurt to have him support me should the need arise, and it might. I sense danger towards me from his brother. Not to mention he's cute. Like a little puppy.

           "Bed ... need you" Marge's words echoed in Robert's mind in a most cruel manner. He knew he had to break the momentary silence before he did something stupid. "I ... yes, need to go get some sleep. Even though someone should watch you. I don't trust you."

        Marge shrugged her delicate shoulders and said, "Fine. I'll go to bed too. I am a little tired after all. What harm can I cause while sleeping?" She watched him as he looked to be contemplating inviting her upstairs to his bed, and she wanted to see if he would. His eyes focused on her lips as a small smile formed on them.

         I should walk away, Robert thought quickly, but the notion lacked the strong conviction it had earlier.

         I don't need to overdo it, Marge thought before she said, "Goodnight, Robert."

       "Pleasant dreams." she continued as she walked towards the room she and Nate were allowed to borrow.

        She's a fucking vampire! Pull yourself together! Rob tried to snap himself out of it. "Marge." he said before he could stop himself. His head turned towards her as she spun around on one toe to see what he wanted. He quickly changed his mind on what to say. "Behave yourself."

       "Or what?" she asked coyly. Before he could choose whichever answer he stood there and debated giving her, she said, "Don't worry about me, Robert. I'm the one that needs you and your help. Remember that." She turned back towards the bedroom door and slowly walked towards it, wondering how far he'd allow himself to go.

       No, don't! Rob thought. What the hell is wrong with me? Damn it, woman! Walk faster! He turned his head away and walked over to the window to stare down at Arabella's little house, taking several deep breaths. This is not good. ... She closed the door, finally. He turned and made his way up to his room for a few hours of tortured sleep.

------------

        Arabella sensed Derek's return and dashed out of her house right towards him. Mildly surprised and a little confused at her exuberance, Derek opened his arms as she crashed into him. She was shaking.

        "Where did you go? Why didn't you tell me the vampires were staying? I have been so afraid." she accused him while laying her head on his shoulder.

        His arms curled around her shivering frame, and he held her to him, relishing the perfume of her hair. "If you missed me that much, why didn't you come and find me?" he asked. He'd not invited her to go with him on purpose. He wanted to go scout the area, and he didn't need a chatty fairy with glowing wings to follow him. He could smell Gus around the nearby hills and not near Gabriella's house. The vampire eluded him, however. He'd had no idea his absence would affect Bella like this, but then again he failed to think that he never told her of Nate and Marge.

       "I couldn't go with you! I can smell the ancient one that hates you. I'm terrified of him." she cried. "And what were you doing going out alone like that?!"

       "Robert had gone off to have a temper tantrum, and I had to leave Rocky and Jeanine here to keep an eye on Marge and Nate." he explained. He too had worried over his own safety, but he had to go searching for any trace he could find. It felt so nice to be back home with Arabella in his arms. He felt like it had been ages since he last held her.

         "How on earth would I be able to go on without you? Did you think of that?! Hm?" she snapped at him while clinging to him at the same time.

        He chuckled lightly and said, "Nothing's going to happen to me, my love."

        "Derek, you're not immortal. Almost. But you --"

       He shut her up the best way he knew how. She acted aggravated with him, but he refused to quit kissing her. I'm fine. You're fine. They won't hurt you, not if they want to stay on my good side. The sudden thought of Nathaniel using Bella as leverage to force him to leave for an attempt that would fail to rescue Gabriella ran through his mind, and he held onto her tighter.

        When she gently pulled away, she told him, "I won't go upstairs with you, but I'm so scared I can't stand it! They're all around me! I want to stay in my little house, but..."

         "Then do it to me." he said and watched her shocked yet happy expression. He knew she knew he hated it when she'd shrink him so that he could visit her in her little house. It made perfect sense to him why he hated it. His power came from physical strength, hers from her magic. Magic doesn't require a full-sized body. He hated feeling powerless.

         "You mean it?!" she asked happily. If he did, then he was definitely out of the doghouse for leaving her like he did.

        He gave her a true smile as he said, "Of course. You won't come up, and I don't want to be without you for what's left of the night."

     "You got new sheets." he said, pointing to her bed once they were inside.

     "Mhm. Silk. Do you like them?" she asked, a fist lightly resting on her cocked hip, one eyebrow raised suggestively.

     "They need breaking in." he said, grinning and picking her up before carrying her to the new sheets.

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     Warm. So warm, Gabriella dreamily thought as a very pleasant sensation made her moan in her almost-sleep. Warm... and rough... and... good. 

     She moaned again as she felt coarse hands sliding up and down her thighs, pulling them further apart as they did. As the rough warmth became more demanding of her attention, her whole body tensed in shock, causing her thighs to clamp together upon a large head between them. Those same hands reached up to pull her legs back apart with a little more strength as consciousness quickly returned to her.

     "No!" she gasped breathlessly as her eyes flew open and she found herself in Julian's bed. He said he wouldn't touch me tonight! she thought as she looked up and saw the first lights of the morning brighten the ceiling above her. Nighttime had ended.

     Realizing all of this only dimly went on in the back of her mind as she couldn't help but be more focused on what Julian did to her underneath the sheets. She tried to gather enough of herself to make an attempt to move away, but she was paralyzed with pleasure. Her body betrayed her, and it wanted the fantastic experience to continue. "No." she moaned, not sure if she told that to Julian or her own body. Julian ignored her.

     Gabriella realized her nakedness as she felt his very warm hands travel up her sides to her breasts, his merciless tongue never ceasing. How could it be that he got her this way without her waking up? "Oh!" she gasped as his thumbs and index fingers started to tweak and toy with her nipples. Her hands flew on top of the covers to where his were, hoping to stop this madness overtaking her.

     "Julian.... please." she whispered, and she herself couldn't tell if she asked him to stop or to give her more than what he gave her presently. His hands left her breasts for her hips, and, tilting them upwards, he switched his tongue's location further down. She gasped again as she felt him enter her occasionally as he stroked the front wall of her vagina with his coarse, dextrous tongue.

     Madness. It's all madness, she thought as she felt the never-ending tumult of sensations consume her. Her breathing sounded alarmingly shaky and ragged as she desperately tried to remember why it was that she wanted him to stop. A high-pitched whine escaped her as she could feel the pleasure mounting until she felt ready to scream.

     She wasn't given the chance to scream. Instead, her body convulsed as the world tilted on its axis. She felt Julian's fingers enter her and press upon her, making her experience her climax again and again until her body was spent. She lay limply on the bed, dimly aware of Julian's mouth slowly working its way up her stomach.

      When he'd traveled up to her neck, his body crouched over her and he said low into her ear, "I wanted to give you a feel," he chuckled lightly to himself, "of what it's like to have me for a lover." 

       He ran his tongue down her jaw and hovered over her mouth for a few seconds before lightly touching his lips to hers, causing Gabriella to become more aware of what happened around her again. Her hands shot up to push against his broad shoulders with all her strength. He rocked his body from side to side as first one of her hands was captured, then the other, before he laid his weight upon her. Both hands pinned now up at her ears, he pressed his jaw against hers and forced her mouth to open and accept his tongue.

     She could feel just how aroused he was as he lay on top of her.

     Nate. Nate Nate Nate.

     She angrily jerked her head to the side to separate their mouths. "No." she said sternly. "I don't want this."

       His deep voice echoed in her head as he responded, "You didn't seem to mind it a few minutes ago."

     She futilely struggled to get out from underneath him and get her hands free as he lazily kissed her neck. "I didn't have a choice!" she argued as she wiggled back and forth, hoping to find the right leverage. He seemed to instinctively know what she was up to because he was sure to intertwine his legs with hers.

     He sighed almost sadly and agreed, "No. You don't have a choice. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to do this this way, Gabriella, but I haven't time to do this the way it should be done."

      Gabriella didn't bother with asking him what he meant by 'should be'. He'd started working on parting her thighs with his legs, and she began to panic when she saw very little hope of her getting out of this.

     Her voice took on a desperate tone to it as she begged, "No. No no. Please don't. There has to be another way." She fought with all her strength to get free, but he held her down easily.

     "There isn't." he said plainly. "And try to relax. This will be easier for you if you do."

     "No!!!" she screamed as a familiar light shot out from her midsection and blasted Julian off of her. His dumbfounded expression as he slid down the wall into a crumpled heap was the last thing she saw before she passed out.