The First Mate

Chapter 19: Below the Surface

Another week.
And nothing.
The Greywing Alpha bent the knee to the Bane Moon after Damien's body was returned to them.
Apparently the sight of what was done to him by my mates, was enough to make the Alpha negotiate for a complete surrender of his Pack.
But Jordon moved again, him and his parents vanishing, without a scent or a trace of where.
I had a feeling I knew where, but to even attempt to find out, I had to do something a little reckless.
Xavier soundly slept in the hotel penthouse suite we stayed in when in Santa Feia, slightly helped by a bit of Berry Thistle I slipped into his dessert over dinner to keep him unconcious until I got back.
I pulled my jeans and long sleeve on, twisting my hair into a tight bun and stuffed my feet into the thick winter boots Dane got me for hiking.
I gave Xavier a soft kiss, apologising again, before I pulled my satchel bag onto my shoulder and slipped from the room.
I checked my watch.
11:34pm.
I moved quickly, taking the stairs to the ground carpark and found Xav's truck.
I threw my bag into the front, closing the door and got onto the floor, crawling on my back underneath the car and shuffled to the centre.
I reached my hand into the bay, feeling around the cold metal for the box, pulling it out and disconnected the wire that tracked the cars movements.
I put it back, rolling and went to crawl back out, stopping at the sight of a pair of legs at the side of the car.
The person shifted their weight, their black pants and shoes shining slightly in the light of the garage.
I considered staying right where I was, hoping he'd leave.
Shadows surrounded me and I was crouching beside him.
Gabriel crossed his arms at me as I smiled up at him.
I had felt his aura the last day since we'd been here, but I'd hope it was mostly just the bond demanding I went back to him, an ache in my chest for him that wasn't like the others.
The ache of a mortal woman's love.
"Oh, hey." I got to my feet, ignoring him and went to the drivers side.
His hand grabbed mine as I reached for the door.
"Don't even think about it." He clipped, pulling me away and making me look at him.
I scowled. "Why are you here?"
He looked at me with a bored expression, his hand still holding mine, keeping me there. "Because, I knew you were up to something."
I gave him a suspicious look. "Yet, you're not throwing me at Xav right now."
He gave a small smirk, reaching up to stroke my cheek. "Should I be?"
I pressed into his cold hand, enjoying the soft feel of his skin. "You know she can help." I sighed. He knew who I intended to go find, he wouldn't be here otherwise.
Gabriel didn't rat me out to my other mates about my foraging expeditions, instead he'd started to follow me, watching from the shadows while I dealt with Fey creatures like nymphs, fairies and mermaids.
I had made friends among them, though usually benevolent and uncaring for the world around other than what could satiate their needs and survival, I was an anomaly to them.
Witches and Shifters didn't ask permission, didn't wait for hours at mushroom rings to seek the help and guidance of Fey.
They mostly ignored them until they were needed.
Annie and I saw them as always needed, apart of our world that had been neglected.
Gabriel watched my expression, his ruby eyes flicking between adoration for my determination and fear for my safety.
"You know she's dangerous, even for me." His eyes tightened, worry flooding them.
"I did disconnect the GPS so you wouldn't try to follow." I sighed.
He chuckled, stroking my cheek. "You disconnected the one Dane put in."
I blinked at him. "You bugged the car?"
He shrugged then, releasing me and his hands slipped into his pockets, refusing to say anything.
I glared at him suspiciously, thinking over and then opened the car door to look at my satchel bag.
The keychain of a small iron dagger.
Gabriel had given it to me, iron was poisonous to Fey.
"You bugged me!" I gaped at him, reaching out to shove his chest in annoyance.
He locked my wrists in one hand, spinning me and stepped into me, pressing me against the car with my arms above me.
He glared at me, his mouth set in anger.
"Because you refuse to let me help."
I growled at him. "It's too dangerous!"
He growled back, leaning down over me and bared his fangs. "The Seelie Queen will kill you, just as quickly as she would me!"
"No, she won't!" I snapped back, I rose my knee, slamming it into his crotch.
He doubled over, releasing me and stepped back, growling in pain.
"Ugh, you little-"
I brought my knees up again, hitting him in the face and threw him onto his back. "Don't call me a minx, Gabriel." I said in a sigh, turning and climbing in the car and checked my watch. "If I'm late, you can explain to the others how you got me killed." He shadowed into the passenger seat, swiping a thumb across his lip to rid it of the blood.
I started to drive.
"I really hate when you do that." He mused as I pulled out of the garage and onto the main road.
Gabriel didn't enjoy how violent I could be, how reactive I became when words failed me.
I shrugged. "I hate when you doubt me."
He went silent, looking out the window as I drove through the quiet streets.
"You seem very sure she won't murder you on sight." He noted, not looking at me.
"I made a deal with her." I said flatly. Gabriel turned, staring at me with a heated gaze of anger and confusion.
"You what?"
I flinched at his shout, not use to it, but kept my eyes on the road. "I made a-
"No, I heard that." He snapped. "What deal, Rose?"
I didn't answer.
I wasn't sure how to.
"One that's taken me over a month to secure." I said finally.
Gabriel watched me. "That's why you've been meeting with the fairies." He said softly, the pieces of the last week clicking for him. "Why you helped those mermaids."
I nodded. "I needed things from them." I gestured to my bag at his feet. "Don't touch it, but you can open it."
He hesitated for a moment, looking at me as I stared out into the dark road.
He reached for the bag, placing it on his lap and threw the flap back, unzipping it.
He stopped when he saw the circle of twisted wings, scales and hair inside. "Is that-"
"A Fey wreath? Yes." I sighed. "I didn't want to kill or hurt them, so I had to harvest them when it was safe. The nymphs told me the Seelie Queen had desired one for some time."
"So, you made a Fey wreath in exchange for a meeting? And she agreed?" He asked slowly, closing the back and putting it back down carefully.
I nodded. "Midnight at the lake. I bring the wreath, she talks."
"Do you know what a wreath does?" He asked suddenly, I felt a twinge of annoyance and hurt.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" I retorted.
He didn't react, just looked at me. "You know I don't." He said, his voice stern. "But I know you are headstrong and reckless."
I shrugged. "It's worked well for me so far."
Gabriel sighed, putting his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, taking a deep inhale. "You're very annoying, darling." He sighed.
"So are you, my love." I sighed back, adding my term of endearment for him, mostly to show him I wasn't mad he was here.
He gave a soft chuckle, reaching out and stroking my cheek with the back of his fingers. "You knew I'd come."
I gave a small chuckle. "I did," I leaned into his hand, nuzzling it. "Thank you for keeping my secrets."
He chuckled, tapping under my chin in a loving way. "We both know those three would chain you in the house, just to try stop you."
I giggled. "And you don't have such a desire?" I teased.
He chuckled again, darkly and seductively, placing his arm over the back of my chair. "I wish to chain you to the bed, darling."
I blushed, my thighs tightening. "Shut up." I grumbled at him, making him laugh as his fingers caressed the back of my neck.
He smiled at me. "I know it is pointless to try and stop you. You learn when things burn, not because you're told they will."
I faltered, unsure how to take that.
It wasn't inaccurate, but it made me sound.....
Reckless? Annie giggled.
You shut up, too. I hissed at her.
He chuckled. "It's a compliment, darling. You aren't willing to take no for an answer, not until you've tried every way."
I thought for a moment. "Is that why you loved Roxanna?" I asked softly.
"No, actually." He admitted. "Roxie was much quieter and reserved. She preferred finding the words, rather than the action." His voice was far away, remembering the woman who he loved.
The woman at some point, I was.
We drove in silence a bit longer, my thoughts racing against the shields, leaving on my own thoughts to battle with.
I pulled into the national reserve, parking near the Ranger station that sat before the lake.
I turned off the car, checking the time.
I still had ten minutes.
I decided it was time to voice my thoughts.
I turned in my seat, looking at the beautiful silver haired man beside me. "I'm not her, Gabe." My voice cracked, tears threatening.
"I don't expect you to be, Rose." He cupped the back of my neck, his thumb stroking my skin as he pulled me forward, pressing his forehead to mine and I sighed, melting into his touch. "I am here, not because of a love I had for Roxanna, but the love I have for you." He pulled me back slightly so his eyes bore into mine, begging me to believe him. "I felt your awakening, my heart beat for the first time in three hundred years and I came looking. For you, Rose."
"I don't want you to regret-"
He gripped my hair, stopping me and his lips crashed into mine, a forceful and dominating kiss, one that stole my breath and left me clinging to him for more.
The bond pulsed and danced, demanding completion, demanding his marking.
He growled against me, feeling the same desire.
He pulled back, holding me just off his lips. "I only regret not marking you before you went through with this stupid plan." He growled in a low voice, frustrated and lustful.
My heart sang and I kissed him again, smiling. "If I come back alive, I'll hold you to that." I slipped for his hold and out of the car, teleporting my bag to my hand before he could try to stop me.
"I love you," I called softly as I headed for the waters edge, turning when I felt the air shift. "Get-"
His shadow danced across my back, his lips touching my lips to silence me, before he vanished again. "I love you." His voice breathed in my ear, my eyes closing for a moment, enjoying the caress of his presence as it melded into the night.
It helped steel my nerves as I hit the waters edge, taking a deep breath I pulled off my boots and clothing.
The part I hated most about Fey realms.
They were all underwater.
I shivered as the cold air hit my skin, putting my bag across my chest and dove.
Freshwater reeds, plants and fish filled the water, oddly clear as I swam deeper and towards the middle.
I could see the eyes of a predator, darting back into the shadows as I approached the bottom of the lake, already feeling the strain from holding breath.
I found the ridging of black rocks, cracked and bumpy, an archway hidden below them.
I pulled myself along, a winding and narrow opening between the rocks, feeling the water warm and it started to become crystal clear as I dipped low under a formation, coming out on the other side to the surface of a cave.
I tried to settle my gasping breathes as I swam to the edge, the darkness in the cave disappearing as I reached it.
Twisted weeds and vines hung from the ceiling and walls, gems and crystals embedded into them as shining like fireflies to illuminate the area that was a Seelie Circle.
A ring of red capped mushrooms, dotted between with clovers and flowers formed in the centre, a crackling firepit and a fish speared on a stick hung over it, cooking it slowly.
An offering.
The smell of it filled the room, making my mouth water and I considered scoffing the whole thing down.
Annie smirked with me.
It was a cute trick, but I wasn't easily fooled by Fey tricks, knowing the fish was tainted by magic that controlled minds.
I climbed out of the water, heading for the ring and stopped just before it, kneeling and waited.
The fire sparked, a wind swirling in the cave that smelt of moss and sunlight.
It gathered in the circle, the fire being snuffed out and destroyed as the figure of a woman appeared in it.
I didn't raise my eyes, keeping them on the fire and her bare shimmering dark blue legs.
"Witch," she greeted, her voice like branches snapping.
"Seelie Queen," I kept my voice light, awed. "Thank you for meeting me."
"You promised me something, little mortal." She tutted. "Show me you have not lied, then we may continue."
I slowly moved, reaching into my bag and pulled the wreath from it, holding it just before the ring.
She hissed in surprise. "You truly did it." She stepped towards me, her legs shining as she crossed the ring, stopping just in front of me. "Tell me, how did you do it?"
"Equal trade." I answered simply. "Just as will do with you, Queen. You answer my questions, the wreath is yours."
She chuckled, a noise of stones rubbing. "A clever Witch, I see." She mused. "very well, ask what you wish."
I kept my eyes low, choosing my words carefully. "I seek a Wolf named Jordon."
"Your master?" She asked, confused, seeing the scars. Even the Seelie Court knew of them.
I bit back a snarl, knowing I couldn't waste the time arguing. "He is my enslaver." I clipped. "I believe he is hiding in your realm, Queen."
She hissed at me in anger. "You think I am unaware of my own Court!"
"No," I said quickly. "He uses my blood to conceal himself."
She faltered. "A Witches blood does no such thing." She said through her shark like teeth.
"A Foxen's does."
She took a step back. "Silvena?"
I rose my head, letting Annie rise and met the Seelie Queen's eyes.
Tilted, large ovals that were pure black like tar, her nose was thin and her lips full and big I accommodate the teeth below it.
Twisting hair of green and blue vines, shines of scales across her shoulders and the subtle glow of her wings behind her.
She was a terrifying but beautiful creature.
Annie smiled at her. "Hello, old friend."