Fane looked away. She nudged his head gently, encouraging him to tell her.

He let out a loud huff.

“I didn’t want to know if you wished that it hadn’t happened, that you might have wanted to continue a relationship with Trent,” Fane admitted.

“That’s absurd.” Jacque laughed. “Even if I had still been with Trent when you showed up, I would have left him. The pull I felt to you was like two magnets. The closer we got to each other the stronger the pull became. No one could have kept me from you, Fane. Surely you know this.”

Fane sent her an image of him caressing her face. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the physical sensation she was able to feel even through the bond. She nudged him to get up and stood. She was tired of the depressing conversation.

“Race ya back.” Before the words had registered in his mind she took off as fast as she could.

Jacque heard a low bark from Fane and pushed even harder. The entire time they ran, Jacque was constantly sending him reassurances that he was the only one she could ever want or love. They made it back to the mansion and saw that Jen’s clothes were already gone.

Jacque phased back into her human form and began to dress as Fane phased as well.  He looked up at her and grinned.

“That was fun.

“I agree.” She smiled and tugged his hand to go inside. “So what now?”

“How about I run a hot bath?” Fane asked.

“Aw, that would be great, babe.”

“I didn’t say it was for you,” he teased and jumped out of her reach when she swatted at him.

“Tell you what,” Fane told her, walking backward while he spoke, “whoever makes it to the room first gets the hot bath.”

Jacque didn’t respond, she just took off running. Fane smacked her backside as she ran past him, causing a sound that was curiously close to the yip of a wolf to emit from her.

Chapter 10

On the road again.  Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends, insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way…is on the road again

“Who knew that Willie was writing a song just for our occasion? We even have a gypsy. Now, if we could only get the world to turn our way. Yeah, no. That's not gonna happen.” ~ Jen

After spending the previous day packing and preparing for the journey ahead of them, Jen, Jacque, and Sally spent the morning talking over hot chocolate. Nerves were on edge and the atmosphere of the mansion was tense.

“So...Pixies, huh, Jac?” Jen waggled her eyebrows.

“Knowing my luck they'll be like the little blue demons in Harry Potter and I’ll find myself hung from a tree by my clothes like Neville did.”

Sally choked on her hot chocolate as she laughed atthe image Jacque painted.

“If that happens, will you please ask Fane to get a picture? That would be so Tweet-worthy,” Sally teased.

“Yeah, Sal, that’s exactly what I’ll be sure to ask him. 'Hey, wolf-man, can you get a good pic of me up here hanging like a dumb ass? No, babe, don’t worry about getting me down, I want to make sure that Jen and Sally get a good laugh, because that’s what really essential here,” Jacque spouted off.

“Did you take your meds this morning?” Jen snorted as she rolled her eyes.

“It just sucks that I won’t be with you guys,” Jacque whined.

“Yeah, but you’ll get to see that hot little number, Adam,” Jen responded.

“Once again, Jen, you baffle me with your ability to see the big picture.” Jacque shook her head at her blonde friend.

“I’m just trying to show you that the glass is half-full. You got great eye candy. I mean, for an old dude Vasile’s easy on the eyes, and we all know Fane is drool-worthy. Adam is just the cherry on top.”

“Man, I wish I had recorded that so I could threaten to let Decebel hear it,” Sally huffed.

Jacque nodded, agreeing that any ammunition on Jen was always a plus.

“Oh, I heard that,” a voice in Jen's head said. Jen shivered, but didn't mention it.

“Sally, you and I've got to go.” Jen pulled Jacque into a firm hug. “You take care of yourself, Red. No heroics, okay?”

Jacque nodded. “Will do. You try to keep your clothes on in that bar.”

Jen snorted. “No worries. I’m under contract with Dec, and Sally is a witness.”

Sally nodded. “She’s locked in tight. No loopholes.”

“Sally, you know better than that. Jen always has an out. Always,” Jacque pointed out.

Sally hugged Jacque once Jen stepped back.

They all headed to the foyer, where the others had already gathered.

Vasile and Decebel were off to the side, talking quietly while the bags were being loaded into the vehicles.

“Vans?” Jen snorted. “Hey, babe, at least the Hummers were cool. These are just so 'juvenile detention, here we come'.”

Decebel didn’t outwardly acknowledge that but she felt the swat on the butt he directed at her in her mind. She still thought that stuff was freaky. Freaky, but definitely had potential for freaky in the right variety.

“I’m just saying,” Jen muttered. “If we’re going for bad ass then this is definitely not the way to go. But then nobody asked me, now did they?”

Sally stood off to the side as she watched everyone wait to load up into the vans. Peri walked up beside her and smiled.