page2 (1/2)
"You're sick, no' thinking clearly You canna be out in the snow; you need to be abed"
"Please, just go back inside and doona worry over this I'll return anon"
She snatched his arh! Come out here! Now"
Will heard two sets of footsteps sto down the stairs into the main hall Da and Munro
Desperation boiled up inside hiainst his mother
Maaped up at hi "Will?"
He was horrified He would rather die than harm her "I'm so sorry! Have I hurt you? The babe?"
Her hands went to her belly as if to protect the wee girl Protect Isla from me?
But then Maan to rise, her eyes turning ice blue Never, never, a good sign Shite!
"You've no' hurt"Best worry for your own hide"
Just as Da and Munro made the doorway, she snapped to Will, "Hie your arse inside Now!"
Da helped Ma from her to his son with his jaw slackened "Have you lost your bluidy mind, Will?"
Aye! Will glanced over his shoulder toward the Woods of Murk, i the relief, the end of this pain He whimpered-
Da's o!" He squired Will to a seat before Conall's great hearth fire After getting a better look at his son's face, he added another log to the flames
With his tall forht, Da looked even lance at his twin
Munro's slow nod and steady gaze seeh this Keep your head It helped
Their mother crossed to sit close by her mate Mam and Da were always near each other, as if their beasts were tethered with an invisible leash
Her ire was clearly fading as she stared at Will's sweating face "Dugh, we need to send for a physic"
"I fear I knohat's wrong with hi, son?" He seemed to hold his breath
Will couldn't lie to his face And more, he had to trust what he knew of his father's character-and Lykae law-over Ruelle's overwrought predictions No Lykae will har to see my female, a woman who lives in the Woods"
Silence reigned His words see in the air
When Da exhaled a stunned breath and Mam looked stricken, a marked unease stole over Will
Ruelle had predicted that they wouldn't understand; she'd never usted
Turning to Da, Ma" She rose unsteadily to gather a blanket Wrapping it around Will's shoulders, she said, "Warht ahead of you" He noticed with dread that her eyes watered once more
"Why a? Humans hen they're no' u them from those he'd heard Ruelle say
"Huan to pace "In these harsh lands, they scarcely live longer than your age! But you, Will, you can potentially live forever In any case, you're far too young to be in the clutches of one like her"
This was his mate they spoke of! Surely she was
"Do you no' knohat she is?" Da spat the words: "She's a succubus"
"Ruelle told ht off"
"Aye, but do you understand what the word means, what her kind do?"
Will's eyes darted "It means that we are so connected we'll suffer without each other" After three nights ofa succubus, ahimself to her until death
Mam said, "It means she's a parasite" Her tears fell "One who sank her claws into my lad" He'd never seen his mother cry before this eve "She's envenomed you 'Tis why you have sickness"
"Then I need to reach her It's been three days If I' this way, then so is she"
Da shook his head "Unlike you, she can take another I'd be shocked if she does no' have a stable of lovers Even in the Woods, she could lure others"
Impossible Ruelle loved Will alone
Da finally sank down beside Ma her?"
Will hesitated
In a tone brooking no disobedience, Da snapped, "How-long?"
Forcing his shoulders back, Will answered, "I first went to her cottage four years ago"
Da shot back to his feet His ainst her lilimpse of his beast? Never had Da unleashed it before them
Should Will be denied histi that was natural? They were not usually judgmental
Will hugged the blanket tighter, struggling to hide his shudders Pain was like a dru him His bones
"My precious lad," Ma to her feet " 'Tis a vile perversion," she told Da "I doona understand how he survived her hungers when so young! He's far from his immortality"
Survived? Could he have died? All Will had done was bed a beautiful woman
"His beast is stronger than most, a pure alpha," Da said "Like Munro's I've spoken of this before"
Will remembered Da had sounded both proud yet fearful at the sa strength but robbing reason
"Did your beast rise up when you ith her?"
Will absently nodded
"Otherwise, she would've killed you-a fact she well knew, son"
Nay, 'twas not true Nothing could make him believe Ruelle had ever jeopardized his life She could be de hi and could take it He was strong for his age She'd repeatedly said so
"Look how our son shakes even now Her venom's work This must be answered!" Mam declared
"It will be, love I set out for the Woods at dawn I'll petition for entry The Elders will grant it before they let a pup suffer"
Answered? Will still didn't quite co females, and they'd started when they were not much older than Will was now
But I started earlier still He glanced at Munro, seeking an ally Munro cast him a baffled look
"Nay, Dughlas!" Ma once more "I know her kind! She'll be winsome and manipulative, and she'll twist you too The es they would run her out of the forest, and naught comes of it"
"They're no' our woods to patrol!" Da ran his hand over his face "And she's never targeted our young before! She's never envenomed any of our males Our lad will be free of this by tomorrow eve The day after at the latest I vow it"
"Free of this?" The only way out was Ruelle's death "I-I need to see her Just tonight" He and his mate could run