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.

49: Extortion

Recap:
*Tanner instructed Julian to capture, not kill Nate even though Julian would prefer to kill him.

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

The following scene takes place a little before Derek's pack shows up on the cliff overlooking Tanner's estate. I decided to jump a little ahead chronologically in the last chapter so it would flow better, thinking it would've been odd to jump to this scene in the middle of Derek's pack running.

For the record, I'm a little uncomfortable with the next chapters. Not by the way they're written, but with what takes place. They're a prime example of how I feel like the story has taken control even if what's happening is what was planned. I hope that makes sense.

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

      Gabriella stood and watched dispassionately as Julian prepared to go out. The sun was nearly set outside the window.

       Julian saw her looking at him, and he took a few large steps to bring himself directly in front of her.

       "Don't worry, Kitten. I'll come back in one piece, and I have been instructed not to kill your vampire love." he said softly as he reached up to cup her face with his hand. 

       She unsuccessfully tried to bat his hand away before she said, "I don't care if you come back in one piece or not, and you wouldn't have to worry about whether or not to kill Nathaniel if you'd just simply hand me over to him." She said it, but she doubted seriously that he would do as she recommended.

       Julian chuckled deeply in his throat. "I said I was 'instructed' not to kill him, but if I get the opportunity to do it and get away with it, believe me, I will do it gladly. He is an obstacle that needs to be removed." He could smell the cold fear coming from her, and that gave him an idea.

       "What do you mean 'instructed'?" Gabriella asked, trying to mask her fear.

      "Tanner wants him taken prisoner. I don't really care why, and I'm not happy with his order. I may need to find another alpha once again. If that's the case, I'll take you with me when I leave." he said, his eyes drinking in her features as his thumb caressed her cheek.

      "You've had other alphas?" she asked, trying to delay and distract him.

      "Many."

      She studied him for a second before she asked, "How old are you?" She didn't care if he was offended by the question or not.

      He smiled a small smile down at her. "Old."

     "That's a relative term." she said, continuing to distract him. "Old like you should be a grandfather old? Several hundred years? Stone circles old?"

     His eyes took on a curious gleam as he said, "Interesting you should mention stone circles."

     "You avoided answering." she pointed out. Then, she couldn't stand not taking the bait he threw out, "What do you mean by that?"

     He shrugged noncommittally, "Only because of what you are."

     "I don't understand."

     He looked at her in mild disbelief. "Haven't you wondered why there are so few of you?"

     "Are there few of those like me? Seems to me I'm running into them everywhere."

     "Because you have steadily been killing each other over the years." he continued with his earlier statement like she hadn't spoken. "You swear you don't know this?" He waited, curious.

     "I only found out what I was a short time ago. I thought I was just weird."

     He chuckled and said, "No wonder you were so easy to capture." He caught her hand as she reached up to slap him, her fury rampaging across her face. He laughed outright now before he said, "Much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have a vampire I need to try to figure out a way to 'accidentally' kill." He held onto her wrist as again he felt curious about her reaction.

     "No." she whispered, her anger dissipating quickly. "He's not been really good to me either, but he doesn't deserve to die."

     Neither did Charlotte, Julian thought angrily. Pushing that anger aside, he quickly took this opening to execute his earlier idea. "What will you do for me if I don't kill him?"

      Gabriella's eyes widened in horror. "That's .... that's extortion!" She took a step back, pressing her back against the wall.

      He kissed the knuckles of the hand he still held captive. "Maybe." he stated, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "But I want you."

      "You said you wouldn't hurt me." None of my visions prepared me for this. I have to get out of it somehow.

      "And I won't. I want you to give yourself to me willingly." he said huskily, taking a step forward to close the gap between them.

      "You're despicable." she spat at him.

      He shrugged and said, "Maybe I am, but I'm also a man. And you are a beautiful woman that is under my 'protection'."

       Her eyes narrowed as she said, "Like you protected me from your alpha's mate?"

       "That, sadly, was out of my control, and it's another reason I want to leave this pack." He sighed in an over-dramatic way and continued, "I guess I'll have to kill him then."

       "Please, no." she begged.

       "Then agree to my proposal."

       She shook her head and said, "No. I can't."

     He dropped her hand and said, "No matter then. I can wait. I am a patient man all things considering. I'll kill him, and you'll eventually come around." He turned and made his way to the door at a normal pace.

       "Wait!" Gabby cried as he'd made his way halfway across the room.

       Julian turned, his eyebrows raised in question as he asked, "Yes?"

        I'm crazy for doing this, but Nate is definitely outnumbered.... and if Julian can keep him from being killed.... "Fine." she said and tried not to vomit.

        Julian tried not to gloat. He hated the disgusted look on her face, however, and his gloating mood turned sour. He got another idea. "Since I have no time to see that you'll carry through on your end, how can I know you're telling me the truth?" He started back towards her.

        Gabby shook her head hopelessly. "I don't know."

        "I do." he said as he stood directly in front of her. "And it's really quite simple, but it will tide me over for now." He looked into her crystal-blue eyes and said, "Kiss me."

       No. "What?"

       "You heard me. I need a little assurance that you're not going to go back on your word."

       Gabriella's heart raced as her eyes darted around. She'd honestly hoped she wouldn't have to follow through on her end of the deal, and she hadn't expected him to want anything immediately.

       "I'm waiting, Gabriella." he said in a commanding way, leaning towards her to make it easier. 

       She backed her head up as far against the wall as she could because he'd started getting too close.

        "It's very simple, you know." he pointed out laconically. "Just press your lips to mine. Easy."

        "Why are you making me do this?" she whimpered.

        "I explained that already." he said in an exasperated manner. "You're wasting my time. Either do it or I won't take you at your word."

      She closed her eyes and turned her head away from him as her breath came out in painful shudders.

        Julian snorted derisively and said, "I see." He straightened up, looked down at her, and prepared to go.

        "No!" Gabby said in a panicked voice, and without letting herself think too much about it, she did as he asked, hoping it would be brief.

        Julian had no intention of the kiss being brief. He greedily wrapped his arms around her with one of his hands holding the back of her head in place as he hungrily opened her mouth for more.

        Gabby let out a small cry, immediately regretting her hasty decision. Julian continued to demand more out of her, reminding her of the horrible night she had a few nights ago. She struggled to break away from him, but he wouldn't have any of that.

       His hands roved over her unchecked while he had her pressed back against the wall behind her. This had gone much farther than she even dreaded for it to go, and she felt violated by his lack of restraint. When his hand cupped her between her legs, she managed to jerk her head to the side in her shock.

       "No." she whimpered.

       "Oh, that's not what we agreed to, Kitten. You're mine. You said so yourself, and I intend to take full advantage of this short moment before I have to go out and show mercy to the undeserving for you." he mumbled into her neck while she fought against the pleasurable sensations between her thighs.

        He lifted his head and held her eyes with his as he said, "Besides, I want to give you something to carry you over until I can return and really pick up where we'll leave off."

      She reached her hands down to try and pull him off of her, but he, almost angrily, caught both of her hands in his other one and pinned them above her head, now even more determined to prove his dominance.

       "No, Kitten. You're going to feel this. Feel me and what I can do to you." he said as he picked up the speed of his hand.

       "Ah!" she cried out, still fighting against the will of his hand. "Please."

     "No need to beg. Take it." he commanded, deliberately mistaking the reason for her plea. Not too much time went by, and Julian watched her as her breathing became labored. He leaned down and claimed her mouth once again. As he shoved his tongue into her unwilling mouth, her body tensed against him, and he forced her to repeatedly feel each wave as it struck. He pulled back once again to watch her aggravated expression that was often overshadowed with a softening of her eyes that could only mean she couldn't fight off the consuming pleasure anymore.

      He smiled at her spunk at still trying to resist him no matter what her body told her to do. Then he kissed her forehead affectionately and said, "Until the morning at the latest, my kitten." He left her leaning against the wall as he exited the room.

     Tears coursed down Gabriella's face as she thought to herself, What have I done?

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."


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

      "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.

45: Timing is Everything

     Nate awoke with a start and sat straight up in bed. What the hell? ... Bitch! he thought, thinking of Marge. She knocked me out again! He looked out at the window. Nightfall had occurred. Gabriella! he thought suddenly, then he screamed a torturous cry.

      "No!!! Oh God no!!!" he yelled, and he balled up his hands into fists as rage consumed him.

      Marge came dashing into the room when she heard Nate's cry. Nate looked up at her with a furious expression.

       "You bitch!" he cried as he flung himself at her. "You let this happen! You stopped me from saving her!"

        "I stopped you from suicide." Marge spoke as calmly as she could manage.

        "Fuck you! I couldn't sit here and do nothing! Then you knock me unconscious and allow her to be raped!" His voice broke as he said, "She's pregnant! And they've tortured her!" He flung her to the side, causing her body to slam into the adjoining wall before he ran out of the room. He dodged her attack as he almost flew out of the house.

       I'll kill them all. Each and every one will die a painfully slow death, he thought as the realization hit that Gabriella carried multiples and that her gestation period had been drastically and very painfully reduced. I will not share with Derek the knowledge that the 'meeting' will be a waste of time. Why should I tell him? He's done nothing but prevent me from leaving to save her. He continued to race through the woods in the direction he knew Hidden Springs to be.

       "Your plan will not work." he heard his maker say to him from where they both now stood on a mountaintop.

       "Why should you even care, August?" Nate asked.

       "Obviously this was supposed to happen, and your part to play in this hasn't arrived. You will see your love again, rest assured."

       "Yes, while she lays dying in my arms."

       Gus's voice sounded a little peeved as he said, "I do not believe she will die. You shouldn't either. Have a little faith in yourself and your abilities!"

      "My abilities." he said in a scoffing manner. "My abilities are worthless when up against my 'sister'! Your little pet made it so that her daughter could be raped, impregnated, and tortured!"

        Gus gasped. "So, Tanner has finally achieved it. I suppose Katharine allowed it with her as her surrogate."

        Nate looked at him in confusion. "Tanner? This was Julian's doing. The torture is Tanner's fault, but the pregnancy is Julian's idea."

        Gus laughed, making Nate incensed. "Oh my!" Gus said with a huge grin on his face. "Tanner has his beta going behind his back with his own scheme! Oh, I love it!"

        "Fuck off, August." Nate said with disgust that his maker could be so happy about Gabriella's condition.

         "My, my. Language, Nathaniel." he lightly scolded him like a parent would a disobedient child.

       "I cannot let her just remain with them. I must do something." Nate spoke his thoughts aloud while he stared at the granite beneath his feet, ignoring Gus and getting back to the more important matter at hand.

        "Ever impetuous." Gus said with a tsk noise following. "You cannot just go charging into battle this time. Yes, I understand your want to rescue her, but you have to be smart about this. Pick the time and place to your advantage."

          "So, you're going to stop me as well?"

          "Me? No." he chuckled to himself. "I am choosing merely to observe. I am most curious of this turn of events and how I may benefit from it. Two of my enemies going head-to-head in the not too distant future. This shall be quite a show."

        "If Derek is your enemy, why send your best weapon to aid him?" Nate asked, deciding he may as well get a little information from his irritating maker while he was around.

        "I'm not worried over my Marge, and I will not reveal all of my secrets, Nathaniel."

        "Stay away from Gabby." Nate growled, knowing she was part of the 'secrets' that Gus kept from him. That, and she couldn't stay out of his thoughts for more than two seconds.

         Gus smiled. "Now, you know that's not going to happen, so why threaten me?"

       Nate ignored him again. He had other things to worry about ... like how he would get into that compound. She thinks I've tuned her out! After everything, she actually believes that I'd close my mind to her! he thought incredulously. There must be a way to her.

       "I wouldn't recommend going any further, Nathaniel." Gus said because he could sense Nate's desire for flight. "This pack is more powerful, and they won't give a fig about your respect for human life. They've always got sentries on duty scouring these hills."

        "Then let them find my scent. I want them to know I'm stalking and looking for a way in." Nate responded with venom in his voice.

         "So that Tanner will increase his forces? Complete and total surprise is your best option. Derek knows this, and he's had him as an opponent for a long time."

        "I cannot allow that bastard to sit there and try to comfort her. I want to rip his head off ... right after I castrate him."

         August laughed probably a little louder than the situation warranted. "So, after all these years, I finally see the solider I wanted, and all it took was a woman." He walked up to Nate and clapped him on the back like an old friend. "Wait, my son, and you just might get your chance."

         "Derek wants to attack at the full moon." Nate said almost at random, his thoughts flying from one topic to the next as he desperately sought a way to rescue the woman he loved.

        "Yes, of course he does. That's why I sent Marge. She wanted to help, and I'd rather the .. forgive the pun ... underdog weaken his opponent." His teeth shown in the moonlight as he smiled a wicked smile at Nate.

       Nate turned to his maker to ask, "What do you have against Tanner? And for that matter, Derek?"

      "That is none of your concern." Gus answered quickly and stiffly, his smile fading immediately as his arm fell off of Nate's shoulder.

      "There has to be a way inside."

      "And if you get in, what then?"

      "I kill Julian, get her, and get out."

      "It cannot be done alone. You must wait for Derek's decision."

      "That, I can't do. You don't have to help me, August. I'm going to free her."

      "Suit yourself then. Don't say I didn't warn you. Just remember you're no good to anyone dead."

      "I'm already dead, remember?"

     Gus growled and rolled his eyes. "Don't start that again." Then he left Nate standing alone on the mountaintop.

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

       Gabriella found herself curled up in Julian's arms as they both sat on the bed. She'd not been aware of the goings on around her after Katharine and Tanner left the room because she had mentally escaped somewhere deep inside herself to maintain her sanity.

       She wiggled in his arms and lifted her head. "No, let me go! Leave me alone! Stop it!" she ordered as she pushed against him.

        "Shh," Julian said as he held her firmly, "Kitten, calm down. It's okay now. They're gone."

       "Okay? You have a twisted sense of 'okay'. I said let me -- Ah!" she cried as she tried harder to move away from him when pain suddenly struck every joint she moved.

       Julian easily pulled her close again as she started crying. He held her to him and rocked her a little as he stroked her hair and face. Her tears wrenched at his heart. "Shh, I know it's not really okay, but they're not going to mess with you anymore."

        "No, just you are." she sniffed.

        "I promise I will never again harm you in any way." he said as he cradled her in his arms. "I can't go against Tanner's commands, but he's assured me he won't bother you."

        "And you believe him?"

        "No, not really, but I have to try to."

        Deciding to drop the topic of Tanner, she cried, "I hurt everywhere! Why? Why me? Make the pain stop."

         "Rest." he offered as a solution. "Stay right here and just rest." He lightly encouraged her to curl into him and rest her head on his shoulder like she'd had it earlier.

         Exhausted, Gabby didn't feel like fighting him. She already knew he wouldn't hurt her again from her visions, so she obeyed his wishes and let him hold her. He slowly and gently rocked her as he sang a quiet song in a language she didn't understand. The sound of his deep voice mixed in with his heartbeat relaxed her, and she soon fell asleep.

44: Cruel World

warning: contains scenes of a sensitive nature

       "Wake up, Gabriella." she heard Julian quietly order. She saw his yellow eyes pierce down as he lay crouched over her. Her eyes widened, and she immediately tried to get out from underneath him.

        Her quick movements of attempted escape caused him to suddenly pounce. In a flash, he had her hands pinned over her head as he easily brought both of them together to be held by one hand so that his other one could roam free.

        "What was that?" he asked her, referring to the force that had knocked him off of her some unknown hours before. "A spell?" he asked when she didn't answer him. She remained quiet so he continued, "I've seen spells worked that did pretty much the same thing; however, I've not seen anything shot out like that. That came from you... from your center. Most interestingly, it knocked you out. Why use a spell that would weaken you as well?" he asked when he noticed she had very little energy left to fight him.

          "Get off of me." she ordered.

          A small, short 'hm' of a laugh came out of him before he said, "Not a chance." He adjusted his position. "We've wasted more precious time, and I'm wasting more by asking you these questions." he stated. "But I simply must know what that was. How did you do it?"

        "Like I would tell you." she snapped and spit in his face.

        Julian closed his eyes and made the wave of fury wash over him and leave before he opened them back up as he wiped his face with his free hand. "Do not anger me, Gabriella. We're notorious for having very short tempers, and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."

         "Bullshit." she argued. "You're hurting me right now." She had to keep him talking while her mind whirled as it sought any desperate plan of escape.

         "No, I'm not hurting you. I'll allow that you're uncomfortable, sure, but it's not my desire to hurt you. Quite the opposite, if you'll let me."

         "What do you mean, 'if you'll let me'?" she asked.

         "It doesn't have to be that I'm forcing myself on you. I hate the thought of it, but I'd hate more missing this opportunity."

           "If you hate the thought of it, then why are you doing it?" Keep asking questions.

           He decided to go ahead and tell her. "Because I want a werewolf and witch child that can both work the stone and benefit from it." He paused and watched the information sink in.

       "It's all about that damn stone! What's the fucking deal? If I ever get the opportunity, I'm destroying it!"

          He gasped like she'd just uttered some blasphemy. "Doing so would mean your death, I'm sure! It's rumored to have been created by Merlin himself."

          "Hah! Merlin. Oh be serious." Shit! NO! Don't be serious! "Besides," she quickly added to keep his mind off of what he might do to her, "I'm going to die anyway. Soon."

          This did distract him for a moment as he asked, "What?! Why would you say that?" Is she going to commit suicide?

            Damn it. How do I explain this one? He still doesn't know I'm psychic, she thought quickly.

           "Have you had a vision?" he guessed.

           She gasped and snapped her head in his direction. She felt horrified when his eyes widened as she realized that her shocked gasp confirmed his suspicions.

           "Vision or not, I won't let you die." he promised just before her short, cynical laugh. His next movement brought him just hovering outside of her.

             "No. No no no." she gasped out as she got her hands free and tried to push against him. A scowl showed up on his face as he caught her hands again and pinned them on either side just before he pushed himself inside of her in one, quick thrust.

       Gabriella cried out from the sudden shock and pain. Solitary tears escaped her eyes as Julian moaned above her.

         Holy shit, she's so damn tight! he thought to himself as he fought for control over himself so that he wouldn't hurt her again like he'd obviously just done.

         He looked down and saw the tears from her eyes, and they broke his heart. "Don't cry." he whispered as he leaned down to kiss them away tenderly.

         Gabby turned her head away from him, fighting away more tears. Not that she cared about upsetting him, but she didn't want him to see her cry either.

           His hands abandoned hers so that he could wrap his arms around her as he leaned down to kiss her neck. He began to slowly rock his body with hers, gradually increasing the tempo and doing his best to ignore the way she obstinately pushed against him with her hands.

         No, he's too much! Too much, she thought as her arms shook with weariness when she struggled against him. No. "Too much!" she harshly whispered as loudly as she could manage in her nearly-breathless state.

          This caught his attention better than her pushing futilely against him did. "What was that?" he asked and stopped.  "Am I still hurting you?"

          "Yes." she breathed, and he stopped entirely.

          "Oh sweet Gabriella, I'm sorry." he breathed as he kissed her cheek lovingly.

          "Just ... stop!" she cried.

        "That I will not do. I will not stop. I can, however, try to slow down. I told you I don't want to hurt you. I guess I can understand why you don't believe me." he said and started moving again. True to his word, he slowed down... tortuously so.

          Gabriella fought hard to stifle the moan that kept trying to escape her. I'd almost rather he go fast now and just get it over with! 

         Julian wondered at Gabriella's sporadic clawing at his shoulders. It seemed to him that she liked what he was doing but refused to allow herself to admit it. He went ahead and smiled to himself, she wasn't looking at him anyway, as he watched the emotions play on her face. He leaned down and playfully whispered in her ear, "It's okay to like it, you know. I won't tell."

         This infuriated Gabby, and she found renewed energy as she started trying to claw him to shreds like a cat while letting out an enraged squeal. Julian only laughed.

         "Scratch away, kitten." he told her with laughter in his voice, enjoying the new nickname as he started picking up the tempo now that she seemed more used to him.

        Damn him! He's not going to let up, is he? she thought as that moan she'd fought so hard to keep inside slipped out. "Stop." she whispered desperately, angry at her own body for the second time that day.

        "No, because I'm not hurting you." he said as he refused. "Admit it," he whispered back to her as he continued to thoroughly enjoy her body, "this feels damn good."

         "No." she moaned, furious but unable to fight the fact that he spoke the truth. "Please."

         "Okay." he said quickly, mistaking her meaning on purpose as he really picked up the tempo.

         "No!" she gasped. "That's not..." she said, but she couldn't finish her sentence because her body had taken control of her mind. She nonetheless rocked her head from side to side as she continued to fight him even if only in her mind.

           Julian stopped this by leaning down to kiss her mouth. Just then he groaned to her whimper as they climaxed almost simultaneously.

      As the night dragged on, Gabby would go through phases where she'd fight him with everything she had to just giving in and hoping it would end soon. Every time she did the latter, Julian would get a little angry that she could be so distant. So, each time this happened, he forced her to mentally come back to him. He figured out quickly that she hated it slow, and he enjoyed the wonderful torture that they both would experience as Gabby would fight him again. He loved how he could make her body respond to his even though she worked hard to keep it from happening.
    

       When Julian had finally grown tired, he allowed Gabriella to roll over onto her side away from him. He insisted that she remain in the bed with him as he pulled himself right up behind her, draping an arm over her to hold her while they slept.

     When Julian awoke the next afternoon, he momentarily forgot where he was. All he knew for a few seconds was the smell and feel of Gabriella's hair in his face. That's right. Gabriella, he thought as his arm tightened around her. His heart went out to her and everything that she had to go through within the last few days, the things that he'd done to her included. All the same, she was truly lucky that Tanner had agreed to his request. She may not have survived that first night in the state she was in if she'd been given to the rest of the pack to play with. She'd been stupid to be out alone the way she was and get caught like she did. Still, he felt incredibly grateful for her stupidity. She was going to make his dreams a reality. I want to keep her here. She's better off with me than with that lousy vampire anyway, he mused as he promised himself he wouldn't ever do to her what he did to her last night again. Next time, the desire would be mutual. Now he would begin the awesome task of making it up to her while she carried his child.
       Gabriella was having a wonderful dream as she played in a field of daffodils with her father. She truly was Daddy's little girl as a child, and the dream allowed her to relive those loving memories. In her dream, her father scooped her up and held her tight, and she hugged him back around his neck with her child arms.
      Tears rolled down her face with the realization that it was only a dream and her father was dead and gone. She felt Julian's arms tighten their hold of her. Going from father to captor in a matter of seconds took its toll on her emotions, and she began to sob.
       Shit, Julian thought just before he said, "Gabriella! Don't cry, kitten, please. I'm sorry. I had to. I..." He felt like an ass as Gabby continued to cry.
       "You're sorry? Sorry!" she croaked as she turned around in his arms to slap him. "How dare you! Let go of me!" She nearly fell off the bed when he immediately did.
       He easily took the slap across his face as he watched Gabriella's hatred of him with chagrin. She stood up and started gathering whatever clothing she could find, and what she found had been ripped. She wordlessly showed him her ripped clothes with a 'what are you going to do about this' look on her face.
     "There is woman's clothing in the second drawer." Julian said sadly and rolled over onto his stomach. He didn't want to watch Gabby go through Charlotte's old clothing.
        "Who's were these?" she asked quietly.
        "My wife's." he answered her just as quietly. "Robert killed her."
        Gabby felt her mouth drop open in shock before she could get out, "Robert?"
        "Yes. She was protecting our stone." he answered her sadly..
        Understanding began to filter through her as she mumbled, "The one that Derek has. The one that Tanner wants back."
        "Yes."
        "Another reason to hate the damn thing. ... Another reason you say you need me. She was your pack's witch?"
        "We have another. Tanner isn't interested in you in that sense. His mate is one."
        "Then why can't they make this super/hybrid wolf that you're so desperate to have that you would rape me to accomplish it?" she asked in a snippy tone.
         "She is barren." he answered simply.
         Gabriella was quiet for a few minutes. She'd found an outfit that matched one of her own, so she chose that one to hopefully make herself feel normal. She didn't know exactly how she felt wearing clothes that smelled like someone else.
        "I'm going to take a shower." she told Julian as she walked towards the bathroom. Julian let her go, hoping that she understood that any escape attempt would be harshly dealt with by Tanner.
          I want her to stay, he thought as he heard the shower turn on. He got up to get dressed.
       A knock sounded on the bedroom door. I thought Tanner instructed everyone to leave me be. The full moon isn't until tomorrow's night, he thought as he angrily went to answer it.

      "Katharine. What the hell do you want?" he asked her as she strode into his bedroom like she owned the place.
        "And hello to you too, Julian. I'm here to see your bitch." she snapped.
        "I thought Tanner instructed everyone to leave me alone with her."
        "Tanner will be in here shortly as well. He's curious how things are 'progressing'." she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
        "Why would he be interested in anything about her until tomorrow? I get her to myself until then, and if I have my way after then as well."
         "We don't need her to work the stone."
         "She's mine anyway. Get out."

      "Whatever. I don't have time for this." she spat as she walked past him. "You're an idiot if you think she's 'yours'. All Tanner did was place her in your care ... for a reason."
       Gabriella walked out of the shower and wondered who the other person talking was, so she started to walk around the corner of the room when Katharine came into view.

        Katharine smiled in a friendly way and approached her. "You must be this Gabriella I've heard so much about. My name's Katharine. It's so nice not to be the only -"
      Gabriella suddenly gasped as a split-second vision took control of her sight. "No." she whispered to Katharine's confused expression. She backed away in fear, and her eyes darted around looking for some way to escape this witch in front of her. "Get away from me."
         Katharine looked at her in confusion. "What ... are you talking about?"
         "What you're going to do is sick! It's just sick!" Gabriella cried out, also full of anguish that her vision revealed to her her already pregnant state. And to think... everything will still happen in the 'near future', she thought sadly.

        Katharine dropped her friendly facade. "And just how the hell do you know what it is I'm going to do? I've closed my mind, so it couldn't be that. What are you?" she asked, and it reminded Gabby of when she first met Nate when he'd asked her the same thing.
       Julian's suspicions were confirmed. Gabby was psychic... somehow. Before he could ask the question to get the information he was dying to know -what the ladies were talking about-, Tanner walked in.

       Seeing that Tanner had walked in, Katherine threw up her hands as she walked over to him. She said to Gabriella, "I'll deal with you later."
         Julian immediately blocked Tanner's path. "You said she was mine, Tanner! You said I could have her to myself! What are you doing in here?!"
        "Calm down, Julian. Of course, she's yours. There's been a change of plans... your plans." Tanner said calmly.

          "What?!" Julian asked.
          A leer covered Tanner's face as he glanced at Gabriella before returning a wicked smile to Julian. "It worked. Congratulations, Katharine tells me you two are expecting."
          Gabriella wanted to throw up.
          "How could you possibly know that?" Julian asked Katharine.
          "Don't ask me to explain, Julian. We don't have all night. This spell has to be done the sooner the better, and well, you can't get much sooner than this." she snapped almost laughingly.
          "Spell?" he asked, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of his stomach.
         "My plans have changed since this new 'development' of yours, Julian. Brilliant idea. Of course, I'd thought of it years ago." Tanner reached a hand up to lightly stroke Katharine's cheek.

       "What are you going to do to her?" Julian asked, worried.
       Katharine waited quietly for Tanner to explain.
      The desire for flight had never been so powerful in Gabriella than at this moment. She didn't know why or how, but her psychic ability was happening to her in an almost-constant state. The 'trade' that Tanner had wanted to do would fail, and she'd be stuck with Julian until the ... babies ... were born... and those babies would arrive faster than normal, thanks to Katharine's evil.
        She hardly listened to Tanner as he explained what they planned on doing to her. She was too busy trying to keep herself from having a screaming fit. Nate, where the fuck are you in these visions?! How is it that I'm going to be here this long?! Do you hate me? Have you abandoned me?
         I never should've left you.
         He's probably not even listening. But, ... he told me he'd never turn it off, and if I needed him just to think it. What's happened?
          Gus.
          But no, why would Gus want all this to happen to me?
           Maybe he's not able to penetrate into this pack. Shit, is Tanner really that powerful to be able to keep out Gus? Oh sure, the simple banishing statement works, but since it hasn't been applied, maybe, he can still get on the grounds. How big is this pack?
         "Leave her alone!" Julian yelled, bringing Gabriella back to the present moment.

       "Shut up and do as you're told!" Tanner barked. "I want that pup born before Derek attacks like I know he will. I don't have time for nature to 'take its course'. Now, go and make her behave!" he said then pointed to Gabriella.
       Cold fear ran through her as Julian turned around. They planned on drastically speeding along her pregnancy, and to do so, Katherine would cast a spell that would be excruciatingly painful to her.

         "I'm sorry." Julian whispered to Gabriella. She merely nodded and stoically walked over to the bed, where she would lay as Katherine performed her twisted magic. She felt like a fly caught in a Venus fly trap. She knew no amount of struggling would stop what was about to happen.
          Tanner watched on curiously at his beta's tenderness with the witch. To everyone but Charlotte, Julian had been a cruel monster. It was one of the things he liked most about him. He decided to ponder this change in him more later. Right now, he had more pressing concerns. He didn't want Derek getting his hands on this child.
         "I await your orders." Katharine said to him, and he turned his head back to his mate and nodded his ascent.

       Gabriella let Julian help her to lie down on the bed since she was shaking like a leaf. Then she saw out of the corner of her eye the helplessness that he tried to hide from everyone else in the room.
        The world is a cruel and evil place. It's good that I'll leave it soon. Pity my children won't. At least ... I don't know ... I'm forbidden from seeing their lives.
        Tanner watched on in sadistic curiosity as Katharine began her spell. She'd never attempted this one before, but she'd read up on it plenty for the day she hoped to do it on herself, regardless of the pain involved.
         After a flourish, a beam of red light came out of Katharine's wand as her chanting grew louder. It was soon drowned out by the sound of Gabby's screaming.
         Gabby had never felt such pain. She felt as if every bone in her body was being broken and cruelly jerked back and forth. She felt like her abdomen was being ripped in two, and she felt herself screaming ... even if the ringing in her ears prevented her from hearing it.

       Katharine paused in her chanting. More than one, she thought as she redoubled the strength of the spell.
         Gabriella screamed again as another wave hit. Her body involuntarily curled inward as if to ward off whatever it was that was attacking her.
         Julian couldn't stand it anymore. Why isn't she done already?! he thought as he fought with himself to keep from attacking Katharine. He remembered from what Charlotte had told him once that it wasn't wise to interrupt the chanting -- unpredictable results would occur if that happened. He just wanted it to be over.
         Gabby felt and heard herself sobbing as the pain finally began to ebb. She could feel someone lightly stroking her forehead and hair. With a final flourish, Katharine completed the spell. Gabriella opened her eyes to see Julian's looking down at her with a sorrowful expression.
        Tanner turned to his mate and said, "Wonderful. I knew there was a reason I loved you." He grabbed her as soon as her wand was put away and passionately kissed her.

        Gabriella rolled over onto her side, instinctively away from the other witch. She quaked from the minor aftershocks of pain as Julian stroked her hair and tried to apologize repeatedly.