CHAPTER 24
Tracy walked into the conference room. Six months ago, she walked into this same room as a normal human with normal human beliefs. Today she's a Protector with a knowledge of the supernatural. Jonathan, John, Jordan, Gideon Blood, Erik, Jack, Carla, Reilly, and Landon sat around the large table. A few moments later, Roger entered followed by a flying Firelight.
"Ah there's my darling." Firelight said flittering towards Carla.
Jack jumped out of his seat and growled loudly.
"Down doggie, down." Firelight said condescendingly before asking, "What's wrong with poochie?"
Jack started to shift, Carla jumped up and wrapped her arms around Jack's middle. Jack buried his face in the crook of her and took a deep breath to calm down.
"Good doggie now, roll over, and let go of my girlfriend." Firelight added.
"Firelight stop!" Carla demanded irritated.
"What? Don't get huffy with me, Missy!" Firelight said with sass, "you're the one going around hugging strangers with your boyfriend is flying right here in front of you! Girl you are crazy but luckily for your very very nice psycho booty I'm in love with you. So I'll let it go."
Jack and Carla started to get worked up. Tracy stood up to intervene, "Firelight! Sit down or fly somewhere else we've got issues to discuss."
"Only issue I see is my girlfriend wrapped around wolf boy tighter than a drunk driver around an electric pole."
"That was a terrible and tragic analogy."
"I know... people didn't have electricity for 2 days." Firelight said dryly. Reilly snorted with laughter.
"Moving on," Tracy said with an eye roll, "Are there any leads on the location of the journal."
"No," Gideon replied, "My nephew, Isaiah, hid it well. He has been tortured everyday for the last 15 years but still refuses to talk."
"That is true dedication! How does someone not talk for 15 years?" Firelight interjected.
Roger spoke up, "A man that endures great pain must do so for one of three reasons: revenge, insanity, or love."
A cold chill ran down Tracy's spine, "Can you take me to your nephew? I might be able to find the journal."
Gideon looked taken aback but nodded, "Of course. He is kept in a cage on top of a mountain in Colorado."
"Ooo... that's cold. Figuratively and literally." Firelight interrupted, "By now his eyeballs have probably melted out of his head with all that sunlight. Skin is probably still the color of glue, but no doubt cherry red and burnt."
"Vampire don't die in the sun?" Tracy asked.
"No but it does hurt our eyes and causes severe sunburn with prolonged exposure." Gideon replied, "I am curious, if we could not extract the information from Isaiah how are you planning to?"
"Touch." Tracy said simply.
A sudden Alpha growl broke through the peaceful gathering. Jonathan and Eli would not tolerate their mate coming in contact with a man particularly a criminal vampire. Tracy ignored her mate's over possessive manner but Jonathan wouldn't stop growling so she snapped, "Stop all that carrying on you idiot."
Jonathan snarled at the disrespect before leaping across the table, shoving the rolling chair back, and pinning Tracy against the wall.
Tracy rolled her eyes unimpressed by the savage display, "What is it with you and walls? Let me go, we have bigger problems. Go find some random and get laid like you always do." she added in a slightly bitter tone. Jonathan immediately felt her hurt and quieted.
Gideon's eyes narrowed before saying, "That would explain it."
"Explain what?" John asked.
"Jonathan is a silver wolf correct?"
"Yes." John replied.
"Silver wolves are enhancers. They take on their mate's gifts as their own and push their mate's power to much higher level. I didn't sense a Protector's power radiating only a mere Aphla's." he said, Jonathan growled at the unintentional slight insult but Gideon ignored him, "I assumed, though I couldn't tell from all the high neck clothing, that she was marked given the fact that she held the title of Luna." Gideon said. He looked like he was contemplating something serious while staring at Tracy. Sensing a fellow predator, Jonathan growled menacingly while blocking Tracy, who was still sitting, from Gideon's view. Whatever the vampire had in mind, Jonathan didn't like it.
"If I may I would like to speak with the Protector in private for a moment." Gideon's tone suggested that he expected to be obeyed. No one moved and after a moment Gideon looked annoyed, "Tracy I would like to speak with you alone if you don't mind?"
"Whatever you have to say to her you can say here because you won't come within 5 feet of her." Jonathan demanded harshly. Everyone looked on curious.
Tracy tried to push Jonathan aside but it was like trying to move a mountain, so she gave up and climbed over the arm of the chair to stand next to Jonathan. Giving his hard form a glare, as he possessively wrapped his arms around her, Tracy gasped at the contact causing Jonathan to smirk. Deciding to ignore him, she turned to Gideon and asked, "What is it? You might as well tell me here because I doubt 'matey' here is going to leave us alone."
"I'm a very old vampire. My bloodline goes back to the ancients. I can offer you immortality and complete loyalty if you would take position as my bride." Gideon offered.
Jonathan snarled as his eyes turned from green to almost black. Eli was ready to rip out the throat of the vampire that dared to suggest taking away his mate.
John and Erik jumped to their feet worrying about the damage Eli would inflict with a rampage. Last thing their pack needed was a war with vampires because of the death of one of their coven heads. Jack, Reilly, and Landon stood as well. Tracy reached up and wrapped her arms around Jonathan's neck as she pulled him close. Jonathan buried his nose into her neck taken deep breaths to calm down. Every intake teased his senses and the warm tingle of her skin touching his threatened to light him on fire. He lifted her and she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. Using werewolf speed he quickly made his way to his room, kicking the door shut behind him. Laying Tracy gently on his bed, he lay on top of her and kissed her hungrily. Every fiber of his being wanting to sink into her, claim her, love her.
...love her?
Jonathan stopped abruptly. An icy chill shot through his veins. Tracy's voice sounded a million miles away as she called his name and her face showed only concern. Jumping up he ran out of the room, out of the house, shifting, he raced into the forest. Eli fought to return to his mate but Jonathan's pain drove him forward. Pacing in front of the waterfall in wolf form, he blocked out all the concerned questions he received through the mind link.
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The glow of the moonlight cast a silvery tint to the darken shadows. The quiet bubbling small waterfall added to the symphony of the nighttime sounds.
"It occurs to me that things would be a lot easier if you would just talk to me." Tracy's voice sounded loudly in the quiet of the night.
Still in wolf form, Jonathan growled, clearly not wanting to be bothered. He lifted his sliver head and turned it away, resting on his front paws as he laid on the large moss covered boulder overhanging the water.
"Wow that's pretty cool. So Eli can come through in your form and you can take over his, interesting." Tracy said.
Jonathan closed his light green eyes and huffed.
"Welp. I'll be over here. Let me know when you're gonna start talking." Yawning widely, Tracy sat at the base of a nearby oak and closed her eyes. Jonathan laid still, ignoring her.
"Nice night. A little chilly though. Are there mountain lions up here? Will they eat me if I fall asleep? I guess I could climb a tree but then cats can climb trees too... though mountains lions are rather big so-"
Jonathan growled barked.
"I know you're not barking at me." Tracy said indignantly, "You're the one that doesn't want to talk and wants to lay out here like an idiot so... I want answers and I'm not leaving until I get them."
Jonathan rolled his eyes and then shifted.
"Oh my gosh! You're naked!" Tracy shrieked covering her eyes.
Picking up the pair of short he had hidden by the waterfall, he put them on. "You can open your eyes now."
Cautiously opening her eyes, Tracy couldn't help but look over every inch of naked chest.
"Well hello abs." Tracy said desire dripping in her tone as she unconsciously licked her lips causing Jonathan to groan as red hot desire streak through his body.
"Can you stop eye raping me."
"Do you have a shirt?"
"No."
"Then no. I can't help that my eyes don't want to behave when they have so much to look at. Yo momma did good."
Jonathan couldn't help but laugh, was there anything not perfect about her? Even her perving was adorable.
"Come on." He said holding out his hand, he lightly squeezed her hand as she placed it on his, "I want you to meet someone."
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Any one else ready for the holidays?
I have seven kids, hubby, 5 siblings, their SO and kids to shop for (almost done)... Neighbors and in laws to bake for... Cards I still have to send out... and a Partridge in a Pear Tree!
I love it but great day! It's kicking my butt... I plan to get the tree tomorrow as a surprise for one of my boys who is turning 5. We'll have a tree decorating party since I already did a birthday party last weekend (which is also why I didn't update).
I have a Christmas family reunion to go to this weekend. A lot of cooking to do so I doubt I'll be updating this weekend either.
I have to grammar check my work but I'll try to get another update up tonight or in the next couple of days! Loves to yous alls! Please let me know what you think of the story so far.