RISE OF THE LYCANS - Mates and Bonds

Selena

“The last time our kind encountered a demon, my parents were in Egypt with Balthazar and Grandma,” Ranger told me. “I wasn’t with you at the cemetery, so I didn’t see it. But if Storm says she saw one, then I know she did.”

“Lukas saw it, too,” I reminded him.

“Storm is hardly ever wrong,” he replied and reached for his phone.

His mother, Hazel, was the first known shifter to possess magic. Hazel wasn’t an ordinary mage. She was a child of Hecate, which made her magic uniquely powerful. Hazel had natural, God-given abilities that mages could only dream of having.

The phone rang, and a video image of Hazel came through. Her long, curly brown hair was wet, and she sat in a bathrobe. Her hazel-colored eyes filled with warmth when Ranger moved into view of the camera.

“Hi, Mom,” Ranger greeted her.

Her smile radiated, and she waved happily. Despite having a horrific childhood, Hazel was one of the kindest and most gentle people I had ever known. She had been tortured and lost most of her tongue at the hands of her father. The pups and family members who couldn’t mind link had learned sign language to communicate with her. When we were pups, we thought of it as our secret language and used it in school with each other to keep others from listening to what we were saying.

Phoenix bobbed in the background and waved hello. As a werewolf shifter, Phoenix had already reached maturity but chose not to attend the mating ball. I suspected it was because Ranger was here, and the men in the family were always protective of Hazel.

Her hands started moving eagerly, and I read as she signed. “Selena, I can’t tell you enough how happy everyone is for you and Lukas,” she beamed as her hands did the talking… “And we’re so honored to have your sister for a daughter-in-law.”

“Thank you,” I said as my hand subconsciously moved to my stomach.

“How’s everything at home today?” Ranger asked.

“Calm. Your father is running patrol right now,” she signed back. “Is everything okay?”

“We’re not sure if we saw a demon or not,” I replied, and she gasped.

“Uncle Ares thinks it’s not possible because they saw it in daylight,” Ranger told her.

“Where did you see it?” She questioned.

“We saw it first at Père Lachaise Cemetery, and it evaporated into black mist,” I explained. “Then we saw it in the catacombs. It moved in a misty black fog and took on the shape of a female with horns. She evaporated just as quickly as she had appeared.”

Hazel paused a moment as she considered what I had said. “The cemetery…” she started to say in her low, languid voice. “The cemetery and catacombs are both hallowed grounds.”

“So, demons can’t step into cemeteries?” Ranger questioned.

“Yes and no,” she replied thoughtfully. “Demons can’t set foot on hallowed ground, but those cast out of heaven to live as demons can.”

“Heaven?” Ranger asked. “Shifters belong to the Greek Gods.”

She shook her head and switched back to sign language. This happened when she was excited or wanted to communicate faster because it was easier for her to sign. “Most civilizations have been rooted deep in religion. Just because you don’t believe in something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

“Is dark magic needed to summon demons into our world?” Sol asked.

“I’m afraid my answer is yes and no, again,” Hazel replied verbally and went on to sign the rest. “Portals need to be opened from this side, which requires strong magic. The sorceress who did it in Egypt was a descendant of King Rameses.”

“You mean the Great Pharaoh of Egypt?”

“Yes, King Ramses the Great was a grand wizard,” she replied as her hands moved. “I know you’ve heard Balthazar say this, but many of the humans who accomplished extraordinary things throughout human history were not actually human.”

“Could it be a mage playing a trick on us?” Ranger asked. “Maybe creating an illusion?”

“Possibly, but it would be foolish to play such a game with lycans. Lycan senses are very sharp.” She lowered her hands and opened her mouth to speak. “Did Storm see it?”

“Yes,” I told her. “So did Lukas and Rex.”

“Storm is rarely wrong,” she replied in her soft voice. “I can come to Paris, but I think Ares is sending all of you home tomorrow.”

“Plans may have changed,” Ranger said.

“What do you mean? Is everything okay?” Her expression reflected worry, and Ranger hesitated.

“Everything is fine, Mom,” he assured her. “We should be home soon, but I think we’ll be here for an extra day while they sort out the pack situations.”

When the Vampire King collected Medusa’s blood over two decades ago, it took them years to unlock some of the secrets. My father had used a single drop of that blood with his healing gift to help regenerate Hazel’s tongue. My mother had told me that the magic flowing in Hazel’s body was so strong that the regenerative process had nearly drained my father of his life.

“Is Uncle Balthazar really keeping the French pack?” Phoenix asked, standing behind Hazel.

“I’m not sure,” Ranger told him.

“Where’s Grandma Dori?” Hazel asked as her eyes roamed the space behind us.

“She’s on the rooftop terrace with Storm and Flaym, waiting for her afternoon coffee,” he told her.

“What do we do if it is a demon?”

“Demons are not immune from the fire of the Gods,” she said softly. “Ares is in Paris with you,” she replied.

“What if it’s a dark mage?”

“A mage is essentially a human with magic,” she said before switching back to sign language. “Some magic is stronger than others, but a mage is no match for elemental lycans. Do you need me to come to Paris?” She offered again. “I can talk to Zeus—”

“Yes,” my wolf yapped in my mind.

“No,” I replied, shaking my head. It was pointless to drag her all the way over here if Ares could take care of a demon. I was starting to doubt it was a demon since Erick was a mage. “I’m sure Ares will send us back before you get here. You know how protective he is.”

“I know exactly how he can be,” she replied with a soft giggle. “You take care of that pup.”

“We’ll call if anything changes,” Ranger told her.

“I love you, Sweetheart,” she said with a warm smile.

We ended the phone call with Hazel, and Ranger stepped out for a quick word with Zander, who was still running security at the hotel. Caspian was supposed to take the evening shift, and I wondered if Lukas had found him yet. It seemed strange that Caspian would just walk off and not tell anyone through the mind link.

Frustrated, I reached for my phone and dialed Jose again. It went straight to voicemail.

“Have you heard anything from Dad yet?” I asked Sol.

“Yes,” she nodded. “He told me to be careful and stay close to Ranger. Alpha Darc might get desperate and try something.”

“It looks like we’re all going to be stuck in the hotel until we get shipped back home.” There was no way Lukas was going to let me go anywhere without him, and he was keen on keeping me locked away.

“Do you really believe it was a demon?” My sister asked with wide eyes.

“Yes,” my wolf yapped again.

“I do. There was something ethereal about it… Something you could feel in your core just being in its presence.”

“Storm’s visions have to mean something,” my sister said. “We’re not going to figure it out if we’re trapped here.”

“You’re starting to sound like Grandma Dori,” I chided.

The door flung open, and Ranger growled as he returned. “Damn it to hell! Next time, I’m going to cuff them with silver!”

“What happened?”

“Storm had another vision and left with Grandma,” he told us. “Zander said they gave Flaym the slip.”

“Where’s Flaym?” Sol asked.

“He stole a motorcycle and is following them.”

“Did he say what her vision was about?” I shoved my feet back into my shoes and grabbed my purse.

“Something about a wolf tower,” he paced the room. “Do you have any idea where Grandma still wants to visit? Is there a wolf tower in Paris?”

“There were a few places still on her list,” I told him. “Place de la Concorde is where Marie Antoinette was guillotined. She wanted to see the stained glass at Sainte-Chapelle and the Moulin Rouge.”

“I need to call Lukas,” he said as he held the phone to his ear. “Storm took off with Grandma Dori on a motorcycle…” there was a pause before he spoke again. “Stole it. Flaym snatched a motorcycle from a food delivery guy and is chasing after them.”

“Are you sure Flaym didn’t just steal a motorcycle and take off with it because it had a full basket of food mounted to it?” Sol whispered to me.

“Okay,” Ranger replied and disconnected the phone. “Lukas is on his way.”

“We should see if we can catch up to Flaym before we get too far behind,” I said. “Then we can tell Lukas where to meet us.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Lukas doesn’t want you leaving the hotel.”

“Grandma is out there alone with Storm, who might be falling into a trap by Darc.” I started feeling the anxiety rise as I spoke the words. “They wanted Storm first, and they won’t hesitate to hurt Grandma to get to Storm.”

“Fuck!” He snarled, giving in. “Let’s go, but if either of you wander away from me, there will be consequences.”

Ranger’s phone rang just as we reached the hotel lobby. Flaym had found the motorcycle Storm had taken near Rue de Rivoli. They hadn’t gone very far, but if we wanted to keep up with them, we needed transportation.

“If she’s looking for a tower, Saint-Jacques is in that area,” I told them. “It’s the second most popular tower after the Eiffel Tower. It has carvings on it… there could be a wolf or dog.”

We rushed out of the hotel in time to find a young couple getting into a taxi.

“Fifty Euros for your taxi,” Ranger held out the orange bill.

“Oui!” The man snatched the money and stepped aside to wait for another taxi.

Fifteen minutes later, Ranger handed another orange bill to the driver and told him to keep the change. We quickly made our way to the area where the church once stood. It had been destroyed in the revolution, and only the tower remained. I had seen this tower regularly but never paid close attention to the gargoyles and statues mounted at the top.

“I don’t see any wolves on it,” my sister said. “Maybe it was the Eiffel Tower since the packs own the restaurants?”

“No,” Ranger said. “This is it.”

“How do you know?”

“Because Storm and Grandma are over there with Lukas and Rex,” he pointed to the bustling street full of eateries behind us.

Grandma was seated on a bench beside Storm, digging through her purse. Lukas stood behind them, looking like he was ready to strangle someone, and Rex looked disheveled. My eyes scanned Lukas with worry. Stella let out a low whine, and uneasiness filled me. My hand settled over my stomach, and I could feel my mate’s frustration. He wasn’t happy to see me out of the safety of the hotel.

“What happened to you?” Ranger asked, taking in Rex and Lukas.

“There was an explosion,” Rex said drily as the smokey scent reached my nose.

“I know I have some in here,” Grandma mumbled, still focused on finding whatever she was looking for in her purse.

“Another apartment?” I asked though I could already smell the answer.

“Yes, and it was just like yours,” Rex told us.

“Well, not exactly,” Flaym said. “Everyone seems to have their clothes on.” I hadn’t noticed him because he was seated on another bench with a large sack beside him, eating something that looked like a sandwich wrap.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“Ah-ha!” Grandma said as she pulled out a little blue spray bottle. “I found it. It should help with the smell.”

“Of course, she has a travel-sized bottle of Febreze in her purse,” Storm laughed as Grandma handed the bottle to Rex.

“Which apartment was it?”

“It was Erick’s, and there was no trace of Jose or Caspian,” Lukas told us.

“Well, they couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air,” Flaym said.

“They could if someone opened a portal,” Storm replied.

“Has anyone heard from Zane and Cynder yet?”

“Nothing yet,” Ranger told me.

“Okay, let’s think this over carefully,” Lukas said. He told us about Alpha Darc being found dead on Erick’s kitchen floor and his mother in the closet. Darc had been shot with a silver bullet, and his mother had been poisoned. The apartment had exploded in the same way mine had, and I wondered if the corpses would be found. Would they be able to identify them or know they were dead long before the explosion?

“Alpha Orléans is still in the wind, along with Jules Darc,” Rex said. “Erick mysteriously disappeared inside a church, and we still have no idea where Caspian and Jose are.”

I could sense my mate’s frustration radiating. As an Alpha, he wasn’t used to not having control. “Where are we, and what are we doing here?” He asked as he ran his fingers through that gorgeous hair of his.

“You’re on Nicolas Flamel Street, and we followed Storm here,” Flaym answered. “You want a shawarma? There’s plenty more in here.” He held up a foil-wrapped roll.

“I’ll take one,” my wolf barked.

“I saw an older tower, something from another time period. It was next to the river,” Storm said. “I don’t know how I knew it, but somehow, I knew it was called Wolf Tower.”

“And you couldn’t just look up a picture of the tower to see if it was the same?” Lukas asked.

“Sometimes the new is built on top of the old,” Storm shot back. “I needed to come see it and didn’t want to wait for a hall pass from you or dad.”

“There’s nothing under Saint Jacques Tower except Nicolas Flamel and his wife.”

“Where have I heard that name before?” Flaym asked as he took a meaty bite of his shawarma.

“The Flamel house is the oldest stone house in Paris,” I told him.

“No, that’s not it,” Flaym looked thoughtful. “I swear I’ve heard the name before… like something magical.”

“There’s a Michelin Star restaurant on the ground level of the house.”

“That’s it!” Flaym nodded. “I heard about the restaurant. The food there is pure magic in your mouth!”

There were forty-four thousand restaurants in Paris, and this is what he remembers. I’d never eaten there because it drew a huge crowd of tourists, and I had always assumed it was because it was the oldest standing stone house in the city.

“Dad wants you to try meditation while thinking about Caspian,” Lukas told Storm. “He thinks you might be able to see him or his surroundings.”

“That’s what I suggested,” Grandma said. “She tried that, and here we are.”

“Did you see Caspian?”

Storm shook her head. Like Lukas, I could feel the frustration radiating from her, too. “No, I saw the tower.”

“This tower you’re seeing. Is there a castle?” Rex asked. “With a stone wall around it?”

“Yes,” Storm’s eyes widened.

“I’ve seen the castle before in a vision,” Rex told us.

“There was a fortress beside the river long ago, built by King Philippe-Auguste. The woods nearby were home to wild wolves, so they built a watchtower…”

“Wait just a minute!” Grandma interjected. “We saw it in the basement of the Louvre.”

“You saw what?” Rex asked.

“When Caspian took me to the Louvre, there was a medieval fortress underneath it. It’s been dug up nicely, and it has wooden walkways.”

“Turris Lupara!” It hit me, and I knew just what she was talking about.

“Taurus what?” Grandma asked.

“The Louvre was once called Lupara, which came from Turris Lupara,” I explained. “The remains of the tower are under the Louvre.”

“Turris Lupara,” Storm’s eyes started swirling. “Wolf Tower!”

******

A quick birthday shout out to the real Jose! Happy Birthday!!!! You are not a bad gay! LOL

(And if Erick doesn’t behave... I’m going to give him a terrible death worse than Nevets!)