In The Shadow of The Moon Ch. 07

"I need you to reach out to her. I am going to have to physically draw her from her body and I need to know where and how it happened."

"I haven't been able to reach her since I felt that blast of emotions. I can't get through, it's like when she focuses really hard on something, I can't talk to her and I can't feel anything from her."

"That, you silly man, is because, as usual, you are going about this the wrong way. What is your last mental defense? When all else fails what do you use to protect your mind?"

Antony thought, his only movement was to chew on the inside of his cheek, a manifestation of his frustration with the whole situation. Then it clicked. His wolf, when all else failed, the unending strength of his wolf pulled through. He had to reach out to her wolf, because right now Victoria and her wolf were two separate beings in order to protect themselves, the wolf would be unfettered by the pain of the mental onslaught.

Without thought, he touched his wolf and used him to reach out towards the she wolf protecting Victoria's mind. He knew the clock was winding down as Victoria let out a faint whimper. He could feel the mistress' hand on his arm feel her walking with him as he reached the wall of magic. He couldn't see her, but he could sense Victoria on the other side. The magic was amazing; it felt incredibly familiar and welcoming as he pressed on it. He kept moving forward and it surrounded him like a second skin and when he came out on the other side, he felt it snap into hardness at the touch of the mistresses touch. He could still sense her in his own mind though, seeing what he saw.

His form had shifted from human to that of a wolf and he looked around his surroundings. Everything in what appeared to be a twenty foot circle was tinged with purple and held a faint glow. There was nothing physically there accept for a midnight colored wolf and child, but the harder he looked the more the child looked grown, just like the Victoria he knew, but then the lines would blur again and she would be some other age.

He approached slowly, the Victoria never moved. The wolf raised its head and gave a piteous whine. His protective instincts kicking in, he took a step forward and was shaken to his core. There was a loud series of thunks and electric pain shot up through his paws. The visual form of Victoria's conscious, for he realized now that it couldn't possibly be Victoria herself, shifted rapidly through ages flickering manically until the electricity faded from the tip of his tail.

He moved, without hesitation, to curl up on the other side of Victoria. As he settled down beside her he couldn't help the pull to protect her. He used his own mind reinforce her wall, adding layers of his own protection, layers of his being laid into the mental defense. The experience was strange. It felt so real, he had to remind himself that this was not really Victoria and this place was not the real world. Still, the instinct driven side of him kept reminding him that the danger was real. There was nothing manifest about that, the dark magic and the magic protecting Victoria's mind, protecting her soul were real. He believed that with his whole heart, because without ever being told, he knew if he stopped believing the wall would falter and they both would be lost.

The sporadic thunks faded and the electric jolts radiating through the floor faded, the wall became more opaque as he focused on the reality of this world. His connection to his body fuzzed and his sense, outside of the bubble of magic blurred and he understood. It would be so easy to lose yourself here. It was quiet, but for the steady thrumming in the back ground. The bubble made it seem like wind, but he realized it was her steady heartbeat and the mire of mimicked illusion sucked him in deeper. He shook the pull though, the pull to throw himself, everything that made him up, into the magic and protect her at any cost.

His thoughts felt frantic and his mind muddled, but he returned his attention to the task at hand. He allowed his mind and body to relax just enough to reach out to Victoria. It was difficult task, with the drowning waves of terror ripping off of her body. He turned his attentions to the midnight wolf on the other side of the ever shifting form of Victoria's conscious. He sent a questioning thought and in no time at all he saw the chain of events that had led them to this moment.

In rapid succession, succinct in their delivery of information, images flashed through his mind. Each one built on his ever surmounting anger, anger that roiled through him like storm clouds. His body was left with defining claps of thunder and blinding bolts of lightning. As with all storms there was not stopping it as it rolled through. With the final image, the view of Victoria's thigh punctured with thick holes rimmed red and pitch black were here delicate flesh to be, the storm came to rest in his mind. He let the billowing winds and ruckus of thunder take him. Swallowed whole he knew nothing but the rage and hatred that scalded him at every turn.

Until, in the midst of his, own inner turmoil, there was a sharp clear pain. The midnight wolf had nipped him firmly on his hind quarters and it was enough for him to surface. A warm feeling that he had not noticed before surged in his abdomen and he felt a sharp tug. He both was and wasn't propelled out of Victoria's mind, he felt half of himself struggle to stay behind. When he snapped back into place in his body, he nearly keeled over from the weakness. The emptiness he felt without his wolf was a acute. There was no escaping it. He knew that it should be there and therefore could not forget it. Gone from him were the keen senses gone was the knowledge, he frantically cast about in his mind until he found, and latched on to, a thin thread. When he touched it, he could feel the connection; see a blurry edged version of the magicked space within Victoria. He shook off the supporting hands holding him and opened his eyes. The Mistress was a hands breath away staring straight in his eyes.

"Steady." Her eyes flicked across his face, studying him.

"I didn't have the energy to fight with a wolf that refuses to leave. He's not gone; it is just that, for the moment, you are two parts of one consciousness...in two separate places."

Antony tried to adjust to the vast emptiness, but struggled with the feeling; trying to resist the pull to rejoin the other half of his mind.

"We have more time now because of this, but not much so I need you to listen carefully. In a moment I want you to go back in and you are going to have to protect her from herself. I will be drawing the poison out of the wound on her thigh and it will be incredibly painful..."

Antony snapped his teeth at the idea of her in any more pain than she was.

"Don't snap at me young man, it cannot be helped. His magic is livid, it doesn't want to leave. It will fight for every inch of ground I force it to concede. It will tug and pull at her very life force and that will set her reflexes alight. She is going to try to dig herself deeper. That wall you saw will attempt to shrink and grow more opaque as she throws more of herself in it. You have to keep her grounded, keep her from retreating any further. If you don't we will lose her. You have to find a way to pull her back, remind her of good times, happy times. Force her to think of warm memories and even painful ones. Anything to remind her that there is more to her world than the agony she is going through. Remind of her of her body of her feelings and emotions. You need to flood her with it so she will stay put. We are already going to have a hard enough time bringing her back as it is; we don't need her retreating further."

The Mistress continued to mumble to herself as she slid up the girls dress until she could see the puncture wounds on her thigh. Vows of death and retribution flew from his mouth and his anger boiled hot through his veins once again. Still he reminded himself of its uselessness in this situation. He satisfied himself with oaths of vengeance and torturous plans while he waited for the bowed Mistress of Magic's command.

The Mistress' fingers circled each puncture would in a continuous figure 8 pattern, connecting each one with golden lines of magic. Victoria's body seized and Antony moved quickly, picking up her head and gently placing it in his lap. He stroked her hair and arms, while the Mistress continued to speak lightly under her breath. With a deep breath she flicked her eyes up to his and nodded. Antony reached for the pull.

Like two magnets being released, he and his wolf slammed together. The exchange of information flowed quickly and his wolf's view of the previous situation overwhelmed him momentarily. Just as quickly a channel was opened to Victoria's wolf and the warning and duty was shared betwixt the three parties.

After brief seconds of trying to reach into her tumultuous mind they began to physically move her. Barking and nipping until finally the flickering form of Victoria sat up, Antony immediately locked eyes with her and refused to let go. He pushed the first memory toward her just in time to catch the first wave a pain crashing over her. He could see her fighting wanting to pull away, but he foisted them on her, memories of her childhood funneled through him from her wolf.

Her whimpers turned to cries, alligator tears poured down her face as she tried to pull away, wanting to curl in on herself. Antony gave up on memories of her child hood, they weren't enough. With only a second to ponder, he thought of the joy he had found in meeting her, the joy he had found in dancing with her, kissing her, talking to her. Her wolf caught on and in moments she was funneling Victoria's feelings and thoughts. Antony was lost in the feelings and images his body boiling with a different heat. From the way Victoria's eyes locked with his and he could feel her clutching at the sensations, so was she. Eyes locked together, he gave her all he had as they weathered the pain together.

**********

Antony had been unable to hold his human form while waiting for the disgusting creature to be brought down to him. He paced manically in front of the compound, his feet barely touching the ground. The images of what had been done to Victoria played on a loop in his head. He couldn't get out the quivering, flickering image of her conscious as she fought off the attacks of dark magic. He snapped his teeth together as he heard the screams and angry yells of the disgraced alpha being brought down to him. If Antony had gone to get him himself, Blyce Landic would have been bleeding out on a guest bed in less than five minutes. Antony wanted this to last.

The doors opened with a woosh; only a subtle change in the wind marked its motion in the silent dusk. Landic was being dragged, by two of Antony's biggest betas and behind them Mistress Sleepwell walked, chanting softly. A chant that took up the form of wind and swirled around Landic, squeezing. Antony stopped his pacing and squared off as Landic was thrown at his feet.

The cocky bastard gave a snarl at the men who moved to stand in the circle that now encompassed the two alphas. Then sliding on a smooth smile he stood and turned to face Antony.

"Is there a problem Alpha Gaylen. I find it rude to be woken so early in the morning in such a fashion."

Antony couldn't help but snap at the man, snarls ripping low and deep from his throat. There was a quick flash of concern in Landic's eyes, Antony could feel the man reaching for his wolf, but Mistress Sleepwell was taking care of that for the moment.

Antony reached into the man's mind with no impunity and brought Landic to his knees as he stalked forward.

Blyce Landic, Alpha to Landic pack, you have been brought before me to pay for the crimes against me and my mate, the Gaylen pack, and to your species. You are guilty of attacking, with no just cause, the mate of an Alpha, my mate, Victoria. Your guilt and sentence has been agreed upon by the shifting council and the sisterhood. Do you have anything to say?

Antony was infuriated by Landic's calm demeanor. When the disgraced wolf gave no response, Antony released him and stepped back. The mistress needed no clue; she released her hold on the wolf, but not the dark magic coursing inside of him. Landic would die here with no aid from dark forces. Antony waited ready, pacing slowly around the crouched man. Landic's shift and leap were one, he waste no time on pain he went straight for Antony's throat.

Training and sparring with Victoria came in handy, with these wolves underhanded moves. Where Antony had once relied heavily on strength and power, now he had stealth and agility on his side. The wolf flew over him instead of into him and Antony landed deep furrows into his under belly. Antony leapt forward sinking his teeth in deep as he took out his furry on the wolf who had done so much damage. He barely noticed the slices on his side, nothing mattered. His furry had blinded him, to the circle, to his pain, to anything, but the wolf who had been thrown at his feet. He tore chunks out, raked and clawed. Antony poured every bit of anger and frustration into destroying Landic.

As he twisted his body and threw Landic to the ground, his muscles quivered. The wolf lay barely breathing, all signs of confidence and power gone, a slow needy whine wheezed out of his badly mangled chest. Antony could not muster an ounce of sympathy. He was torn between his human side's desire for a torturously slow death or his wolf's demands of instant death. It was Victoria who decided, at that moment, through the tremulous link they held, she reached out to Antony for comfort. The pain was still wracking her mind and body. He took the wolf's throat between his jaws and wrenched.

His wolf's satisfaction ran over him as he walked back towards the building. His rage had seeped from him, soaked up by the ground like the blood of his dead enemy.

**********

"Just imagine, being tied to one person for the rest of your life. I mean how oppressive that is. If love is infinite, if we can always make more, why should there be one soul mate."

Madeline stretched out on the rock letting the sun soak in deep.

Victoria stuck her foot in the water and flung it upward dousing Maddie in it.

"Stop being outrageous. True love is different than love. The love between two people meant for each other is different. I can't wait; I'll be just like my mom and my day, just like my grandparents. Of course he'll have to know that I am strong and determined, he can't push me around."

There was a pause.

"No I want to take my love and my body around the world. There may be a soul mate, but I am not looking for him. Just the other day I heard one of the new comers to the pack in the common room talking about her trip to Paris packs and the things she got into..."

Maddie thrust her hips into the air and then clutched her sides laughing. Victoria couldn't help, but laugh too they rolled off the edges of the rocks and landed in the cool lake.

Victoria knew it was a dream. In reality when they had had the that conversation, it had been in no way age appropriate since they were 9 years old and they were laying butt naked having run to the lake as wolves. She and Maddie had never acted their age. The conversation topics always ranging from cooties and weird boys to being all grown up and having sex. Her mother was always throwing fits over it.

She still liked the scene though it was calm and happy, she wanted that right now. She was jolted awake as her body was tossed into the air. She looked around, her eyes still blurred with sleep.

"Where am I?"

"We are in a car."

She looked over at the speaker and it took her a moment to recognize the voice, Antony.

"In a car, going where exactly?"

"To a cabin inside the boundaries of the pack lands."

"Mmm...ok."

She settled back into her seat still waking up.

"Interesting dream?

"Hmm?"

"You mumble something about soul mates and taking your body around the world."

"Wasn't me, that was Madeline...wait what?"

Antony's laughter filled the car and woke her up quicker than she would've liked.

"Well I guess I've learned something new here already, you are very confused when waking up. So why exactly was Maddie taking her body on a tour across the globe?"

She cast him a sideways glance before answering. "Maddie thought the whole idea of one true love a little restricting; she didn't want to be tied down. We were young when she said it though, only 9 or so. It was a few months before my dad's first violent burst so it's a little hazy."

"You were talking about this subject at nine."

"Well we wanted to be grown up and had this terrible habit of ease dropping. Don't you want to know my point of view on the whole subject?"

"I didn't want to push."

"Oh that's nice." She turned towards the window and smiled as the silence continued.

"Really! Did you just dangle a carrot and take it away."

"I didn't think you were interested, wolves aren't usually too fond of carrots."

Antony laughed again. She looked over at his profile. In the few hours since she had woken up, her body hadn't fit right. Nothing had really felt right. In all honesty, nothing had felt right since she had left her father's pack. She didn't know how to get to know people. She only knew how to analyze them for danger and attack accordingly. Now after the whole experience with almost losing herself and losing her mind, she felt as if her body and mind had reset.

She felt rough and raw, easily hurt and extremely exposed, but reset none the less. With nothing feeling right, she could rearrange the way she saw things before.

"So we are going to this cabin because?"

His face turned serious. "The Mistress suggested it. Said you needed time to recollect yourself and you wouldn't be able to handle the attacks of dark magic that would come with her purging the compound. Apparently your mind is like a fresh wound, very susceptible to infection. We pushed the mating back a day or two so that you would have time to heal and the sisterhood would have time to clean."

Heal.

She felt like she needed that. Right now there were things about her that were new or she didn't understand. Stuff she needed and wanted to know. There were things she had locked away from herself and she knew they were there, just couldn't access them. Nothing was forgotten, she simply couldn't feel the emotions attached to them. It was strange.

She looked up at him again. Letting her eyes follow his profile. She would like to get to know him more too. The dream had reminded her of some of her deep inner desires, she was no longer so foolish to believe that she could simply get mated with out knowing him...she didn't trust him enough for that. Through no fault of his own, mind you. Yes she would get to know herself again and him at the same time.

********

It took them another hour to get to the cabin, during which time she had nervously levitate things in the back of the jeep. She hadn't noticed it until Antony mentioned it embarrassment colored her face. The rest of the ride was spent in companionable silence. By the time the pulled up to the front of the cabin she was itching to get out.

The car stopped and she jumped out quickly. She would have helped, she should have helped, but right now an inner instinct was pushing at her to explore and she had to agree. The cabin was gorgeously old and rustic surround by gorgeous wildly growing flowers and trees. The smells blended gracefully with the pine of the forest around them. She walked around the outside. There was a generous pack of freshly cut wood next to the door on one side of the house. On one side of the door there was a strange cushion attached to the wall, she ignored it and kept walking.