“Okay,” Cynthia finally answered. “You need to have their rooms ready. The males are going to want their mates in their territory, surrounded by only their scents. No other males, unless you want a blood bath. Wadim, Vasile is not in control. You need to prepare the others for that.”

The phone went dead. Wadim pulled it from his ear and looked down at it. He looked up at Dillon and Skender. “Did you get all that?”

Skender nodded.

“She didn’t give us a time frame for how long till they get here,” Dillon said as he looked out of the window to the forest. “We need to start preparing for their arrival now. It would devastate Vasile if he killed one of his own.”

Wadim shook his head as he let out a humorless laugh. “I swear, I didn’t think things could get any worse. After everything that has happened, you would think that I’d be smart enough to realize that, more than likely, things are going to always get worse—much, much worse.”

“The important thing is that we stand united. Desdemona’s first goal in any battle with us will be to separate us, either physically or by creating division among us. That must always be in the back of our minds. It has never been as imperative as it is now to put aside our pride, our dominance, and our need to control. If we fight as one she cannot win; she is no match for all of us.” Dillon’s words gave Skender and Wadim the encouragement and renewed determination to put aside their fears and do what they could, what was within their power to do.

Dillon waited as the other two males left the office. He closed his eyes and reached for his mate. He needed to feel the comfort and strength that came from being mated to one who is your perfect match. He felt the return of her love, felt her spirit spurring him on to be the man she knew him to be. That’s what a mate was. She was the one who reminded him, in his darkest hour that there was still light in the world. As long as those who stand for good, fight evil, then there was always hope and hope was all they needed in order to stand firm.

Q

“Where did the ginormous dragon go?” Lilly pointed to the clearing where the beast had fallen, the clearing that was now empty.

Thalion shrugged as if a giant dragon hadn't just disappeared. “He was not of this realm, so in death he would not stay here. He was returned to his realm where he will be laid to his eternal rest.”

Cypher, Lilly, Cyn, and Thalion stood just on the edge of the forest while the other elves gathered the arrows so that no humans or other supernaturals would find them.

“Where do we go from here?” Thalion asked Cypher.

Cypher paused and looked at Lilly. She saw the question in his eyes and was touched that he was looking to her for advice.

“Might as well tell him, he’s going to find out,” she told him.

Cypher gave aresolute nod and looked back at Thalion.

“I made a bargain with Desdemona. At the time, I thought it was my only option. I needed a mate and I needed magic for my people. The magic in the human realm is growing thin since the Fae have confined themselves to their own realm. The divisions among the supernaturals were killing us slowly. Mona asked me for a favor, one that only the King of the Warlocks could perform.”

Thalion’s eyes grew wide and Lilly thought it probably wasn’t a look that crossed his face very often.

“The underworld? She wants you to open the veil to the underworld.” Thalion ran a hand across his face and for a brief moment, he looked much older than his young face portrayed.

Cypher nodded.

“What has changed?” Thalion asked.

Cypher’s eyes fell on Lilly and softened when she smiled at him.

“Ahh,” Thalion drew out. “So Lilly is the mate?”

“My mate,” Cypher emphasized.

“Tell him the really good part, your majesty.” Lilly’s voice was dry and dripped with obvious irritation.

Cypher growled. “There is a slight problem. I made a blood oath with the witch.”

Cyn was shaking her head. Even though she had heard the news already, it was apparent that she felt it just as stupid as the first time she heard.

“You made a blood oath with a witch?”

“That is what I said,” Cypher barked.

“Why?”

“I was desperate. It’s no excuse, but it is the truth.”

“The truth sucks,” Lilly, said with a sigh.

“Now, that I’m mated, I am unsure of how the spell will work, or how it might affect Lilly. It is also very important that I know how to quickly close the veil once it’s opened. I was hoping my brother would shed some light on the situation, but it seems that he is still a tad cross with me about our past.” Cypher explained.

“A tad cross?” Lilly asked, incredulously. “He released a giant dragon on us. I’d hate to see what he’d do if he was really angry.” Lilly pursued her lips and stared at Cypher.

“Not helpful, little one.”

“Not trying to be, big one.”

Thalion held up a hand to stop the bickering of the two mates.

“The warlocks are not the only ones with the knowledge necessary to open the veil to the underworld.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” Cypher glanced at Cyn.

“You didn’t ask,” she defended.

“Haven’t you people ever heard of information that is ‘need to know,’” Lilly asked? “Cyn, sweetie, that is information that is need to know, and should have been offered up without being asked.”