Chapter 12

Eight days after the fire, Jacque, Fane, Sorin, Crina, and Wadim all sat in various places around the burned room. The smell of smoke still lingered and soot still covered the walls. Jacque groaned as she rolled onto her back, holding a book above her face, reading intently. Suddenly she sat up.

"I think I've got something."

The other four stopped what they were doing and turned their attention on the red head.

Jacque began to read:

"The year was 1605 and the Fae had instituted the Great Purge. The witches were overpopulated, taking residence on continents all over the world. More than in any other time in history, the balance was off. It needed to be restored. The task fell to the Fae, who were the most powerful of all the supernaturals. Perizada, the high fairy, decreed war on all witches. She sent out her people with the command that there were to be only four witches to each continent. What the Fae did not expect was for the witches to fight back. It had always been accepted that the balance must remain and when too much evil filled the world, for it to be purged.

"The Fae are steeped in magic. Their very beings are magic. The witches, however, conjure magic. It is unnatural and only accomplished at the expense of another's blood. And so, the Great Purge was a massacre. The Fae wiped out the witches in a matter of days, at a great cost to themselves. The supernatural world held its breath as it waited for the repercussions of the balance once again being thrown off.

"Days passed and nothing happened. Perizada met with the Alphas of the packs, searching for any problems that might have occurred as a result of the purge. Nothing. It was decided at the meeting of the Alphas that the only explanation was that evil had not been eradicated. A witch, somewhere, somehow, had survived. "

Jacque sat and stared at the book as she continued to skim.

"Is there anything more?" Crina asked.

Jacque shook her head. "That's the end of this volume. She closed the book and looked on the spine. Volume III, it read. "I need volume four."

They all began searching through the books on the floor and the shelves.

"Got it," Sorin announced a minute later. He handed the heavy tome to Jacque.

She opened it and began skimming. Everyone waited. Finally, she snapped it shut.

"Nothing! No name, just mentions of an unknown witch leaving her mark across the world."

"What was her mark?" Fane asked his mate.

"Supernatural deaths. And don't think I'm not noticing that there is a whole slew of "sups" out there that you didn't bother to mention, wolf-man." Jacque glared.

Fane held up his hands. "If I remember correctly, Luna, you told me you wanted to stick with just werewolves."

Jacque growled. "And since when do you give me what I want?"

Fane chuckled. "I'm learning."

She rolled her eyes and continued to sift through books and papers.

For several hours they continued to search for information on the witch. Every now and then, one of them would run across something and read aloud to the group and then continue on in silence. Night had fallen by the time Jacque decided she could no longer ignore her aching stomach.

"I'm starving. Anyone else ready for some food?"

"I'm with you," Crina said as she stood up from her spot on the hard floor. She stretched her arms over her head and let out a loud yawn.

The others muttered in agreement and all headed back to the surface of the mansion.

"So, Wadim, you don't remember this witch's name that survived this purge?" Jacque spoke in between spoonfuls of the hot soup Jacque and Crina had thrown together.

"I feel like I should remember it, but it's just not there." His voice was thick with frustration. He had been trying to fill the blank spaces in his mind since the day the others had arrived, but nothing helped.

Jacque shook her head and growled. "I swear, if I ever get my hands on the wicked witch I'm going to witch-slap her."

Crina snorted at Jacque's change-up of the phrase, nearly sucking her drink up her nose.

"Good one." She smiled at Jacque.

Jacque winked with a chuckle. "It was weak, but I'm trying." She looked over to Fane. "Has your father heard anything from the others?"

"No. When I spoke with him earlier, he said things have been quiet. Although, he said every now and then he has been feeling some pain seep through the pack bond to him. He thinks it has something to do with Dec and Jen. Something has happened, but there isn't anything he can do. He didn't say, but I can tell he is getting restless not being able to take action. His wolf is agitated with the pack being so divided."

"Well, I'm going back down to do some more searching before I call it a night," Jacque announced as she finished her meal.

"Luna, I think you need rest. We have been going through book after book. You need a break."

"I will take a break when I find that witch's name," she snarled at him, which was not like her at all. Snappy, yes - snarly, not so much.

When Fane stood and growled at her, stepping close, she took a few steps back.

"Don't," she whispered. "Don't pull that Alpha crap on me, Fane. Not now."

Fane could hear the hurt in her voice. He took her by the hand, and without looking back at the others, said, "We will be going through the documents." The unspoken message was everyone else was to get some rest and leave the prince and his mate be.

Fane walked briskly back down to the archives, never looking behind him as he held Jacque's hand, towing her along. When they finally reached the room, they had spent the last eight days in, he turned abruptly and pressed Jacque against the wall. She let out a sharp gasp at the quick move. Her breathing increased when Fane continued to press forward, their bodies touching from toes to chest.

"Why do you question me, Luna? It's my job to take care of you." Fane's voice was low as he spoke directly into her ear. His lips grazed the sensitive flesh with each movement.

Jacque closed her eyes against the sensation.

"I'm a grown woman, Fane. I can decide when I need to sleep," she ground out through her gritted teeth, bracing herself against the desire that began to simmer as her mate placed one hand on her lower back and pulled her even closer. His other hand went to her chin, tilting her face up to his. He stared into her eyes and she watched as his began to glow brighter and brighter blue.

"Fane." His name on her lips was a plea.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She didn't respond right away and he growled low at her. Jacque responded to this by running her hands through his hair as she deepened the kiss. When Fane let go of her chin and placed his hand on her hip, under her shirt, his warmth sent a shock through her and she moaned into his mouth. Fane pulled back abruptly, his own breathing heavy.

"Let me love you, Luna," Fane whispered as he began placing gentle kisses all over her face, her neck, and collarbone. Jacque groaned and tried to shake off the lust-induced fog.

"Stop trying to distract me, it won't work," she muttered in between short breaths.

"It looks like it's working to me." Fane chuckled as she pressed against him.

His chuckle broke through her haze as she pushed him away.

"GRRR! Fane! I won't let you try to get me to go to bed by seducing me."

"Why not? You need a break and I need you. It's a win-win." Fane leaned forward, trying to kiss her again, only to meet her hand.

"Listen up, Don Juan." Jacque poked a finger in his chest, punctuating her words. "If you think you are needy now, just keep pulling this Alpha crap and seduction crap on me. We'll see just how needy we can make you."

Fane took a step back, straightening his shirt, and ran his hands through his hair. After composing himself, he smiled at her. "A compromise?" he asked sweetly.

Jacque couldn't stifle the giggle at his raised eyebrow. "Lay it on me."

"I was trying to. Geez, woman, make up your mind," Fane told her, eyes glowing.

She threw one hand up to hold him off. "I meant your idea, fur ball, not your delectable body."

Fane let out a growl. "Delectable?"

"Oh, get over yourself. What's the compromise?"

"I give you two more hours, then you come to bed with me."

Jacque shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "You will give me? Really, Fane?" She stepped around him. "Fine, two hours, then bed. To sleep," she clarified and laughed to herself when Fane growled and tugged on her hair. They fell into companionable silence as they both began to read.

An hour and a half later Jacque stood up and walked over to Fane. She didn't look up from the book in her hands as she moved toward him.

"I found it. I found her." Jacque's words were a near whisper as she looked up at Fane, finally tearing her eyes away from the name on the page.

"Desdemona." Jacque shuddered as she spoke the name aloud.

Fane brushed some wisps of hair from Jacque's face as he asked her what it said.

"It says she's the only survivor of the purge. The account is from a member of the Serbian pack in 1711. He is talking about how an unknown female came to their pack and darkness followed her." Jacque looked up at Fane. "She's been working with the Serbian pack since the 1700s?" Her voice was full of dread at the realization of how old Desdemona was, and how long the alliance between her and the Serbian pack ran.

Jacque continued to read the document, explaining out loud what she was reading.

"She started the werewolf wars. After the wars were over, she disappeared." She handed Fane the book and let him skim over it as she thought about what she had read. Desdemona, a powerful witch, probably the most powerful in history.

Fane closed the book gently and wrapped his arms around Jacque. "Good work, love. We now know who she is. There is power in having a name. I think we should call it a night. We can share with the others what we have found tomorrow. Then we can continue to search for a way to break the curse."

Jacque nodded and allowed him to guide her out of the archives and up to their room.

"So... sleep, huh?" Fane asked slyly.

Jacque rolled her eyes. "We just find out the name of the most powerful witch in history, the witch who cursed the Beta of our pack, and that's what you want to talk about?"

Fane chuckled. "Who said anything about talking?" he whispered against her neck as he pulled her toward their bed. Fane gently pushed Jacque onto her back and covered her body with his.

Jacque let out a small moan as her mate kissed her. When he pulled back and stared into her eyes, she smiled. "Talking is definitely overrated."

She closed her eyes and let her mate love her, closing out the nightmares crowding in on them.

Ten Days Since Departure

It was two days later when another breakthrough finally occurred.

"What could possibly break the curse on Decebel?" Jacque asked Fane as he searched through the stacks of old parchment.

"I've got it!" Crina shouted. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"What's it say?" Fane asked from across the room.

"Love," Crina answered solemnly.

"Love?" Jacque asked incredulously. "That's the answer? That's what will make Decebel remember?"

Fane began to set aside the documents that crowded his lap. "Crina, bring that paper with you. Luna, grab the books with the references to Desdemona by name. Sorin," Fane started toward the hallway that would lead them back to the main room, "it's time to head back to the tavern. We've got a witch to hunt."