AUTHOR'S NOTE #1

Thre are some songs mentioned on this chapter which i loved and believe they are the best fit for this one! I am posting the one on your right. Make sure to listen to them as you read the chapter! :)

"Crazy Love" by Sofia Karlberg

"Haunted" by Beyonce

"The Wolf" by Fever Ray

ENJOY! :*

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Masks and songs

Claire

"Houston we've a problem!" Mina shouted from the other side of my room's door. I groaned and pulled the covers above my head.

November had entered with snowstorms. The first week Fred, Jericho and I cleaned the road from the door gates to the mansion and even around Lethinia. Her magic tree body was able to withstand even the coldest climates and she had taken quite the pleasure filling us with snow.

On the other hand, Mina and Todd had grown close, to the point making Elfas pestering them with teasing comments and questions. But I knew that Mina was the one who worried about the curse. Her body had grown smaller since the night Todd fed of her and she looked mostly like a child rather than the woman she claimed to be.

"Go away..." I mumbled under the blanket, knowing that she could hear me.

Luckily, the house was warm and the soft blanket had made it harder to get up. I smiled with my eyes closed. It was a tiny piece of paradise.

"I could turn you into a frog!" Mina shouted from the other side.

"Details, details..."

"And make your true love kiss you!" Mina continued, her voice rising.

I smirked. "Good luck with that!"

Mina laughed. "Oh just imagine him, leaning over your froggy lips, knowing that his teeth can-"

I had bolted into the door before she could finish her sentence. Mina smiled sweetly at me, her yellow eyes glowing. "You," I panted "are evil."

"Aww thank you!" she clapped her hands and pulled me from my hand. "I need your opinion with something."

"Mina, I haven't drank coffee yet. Can you wait until I have really woke up?" I yawned.

"No." she opened the door of her room and we walked inside.

I woke up pretty fast.

I knew that the guest room had appeared after Mina's decision to stay but I never expected this. Her room's purple walls were covered with posters of many known and swoon worthy actors and models. She had also placed glittery shining letters which said "My men" above the posters of Taylor Lautner, Zac Efron, Alex Pettyfer, Gerald Butler and Nick Bateman, which were above her queen sized bed.

Wow.

On the other side of the room where her wardrobe laid at the corner of her room, close to her balcony door, two posters were placed one close to the other and they were covered with black ink, darts thrown on the groins of the featured people as also horns were drawn at the tops of their heads. Red flame letters said above them: "To Hell they go".

They were Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift.

"Claire, what do you think?"

I turned around and Mina lifted the two pairs of clothes; one was a grey dress with faint purple colors on the edges, no-sleeves, while the other was a pair of black jeans and a silver turtleneck.

"Are you going somewhere?" I pointed at the second choice and Mina grinned.

"No, I just wanted a girl time." She pulled off her nightgown and began dressing. "Todd can be really boring."

I smirked. "I think this," I pointed at her clothes "has more to do with Todd than the girl time right?"

Mina blushed and groaned as she applied mascara. She peered at me from her mirror. "And how about you and the pup?"

"What about us?" I crossed my arms on my chest. Jericho and I hovered on dangerous ground. He always cared about me, assisting on everything I needed and his humor would make me laugh. But he still looked at me with longing, something that made my toes curl and my heart beating fast. I didn't know what to do with him.

Mina shook her head and turned. "You need to be more..." she searched for the word.

I headed to the door, not wanting to make that discussion with her. "I am going back. Good luck with the bloodsucker."

Mina smiled, flashing her teeth. "Good luck with the pup!" she shouted and mimicked a wolf's howl, which reminded me of a pups' whine. When I closed her door and spun around, I came face to face with Elfas. He was dressed, again, in a costume which seemed like it had come out from Paris of 18th century. His green hair was spiked up with gel and he held one book of his favorite author of the "Fever" series.

I preferred to read about the alien guy with the green eyes and his fight with the DOD. Or about that girl which couldn't kiss anyone, except from the tattooed Demon. That was hot.

"Morning Elfas." I said.

He looked at me from top to bottom. He titled his chin up in a superior look. "You have made it your life purpose to torture us all."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He turned, instead, and walked to the living room. I shook my head in disbelief. I would never understand Fae. When I finally reached my room, I noticed Jericho standing outside my door; his back was straight and his tail moved slowly left and right. He held something in his arms, covered with a white sheet. "Jericho?"

He turned abruptly, almost losing his grip on the bundle he held. His eyes moved up and down my body, then snapped on my eyes. When I looked down at me, wondering what had riled both Jericho and Elfas, I gasped.

I was on my short pajama bottoms and a t-shirt which was clinging on my body. My no bra body. Fighting the urge to cross my arms over my chest, I went to circle around Jericho. He stopped me and lowered his head, placing the bundle of white in my hands. "For you." He mumbled, staring at me.

"Thank you." I whispered breathless, watching the way he fisted and un-fisted his pawns.

"Claire!"

Jericho swore and pulled back.

"You need to be more spontaneous! That's the word!" Mina smiled with mischief and closed her door again.

"Sometimes I want to skin her alive."

I clutched Jericho's gift and sighed. "Welcome to my world."

Three hours later, more clothes and bra on, I helped Todd to move the table and the couches on the walls of the living room, creating more space before the fireplace. We were going to help Mina perform a ritual in order to see what was needed from the physical plane in order to break the curse. The witch had explained that the spell involved a physical part and the emotional agreement of the residents.

Mina and Jericho brought from the library everything she had gathered, placing them carefully on the floor. Elfas sat on the couch watching us with mild expectation. She sat on the floor and took on her hands, two crayons, a white and a purple. "I am going to draw the symbols. Be quiet everyone."

For once we all listened to her.

I watched fascinated as Mina swept her hands over the carpet, drawing at first a big circle, then two smaller inside the big one. In the gaps between them, she drew letters I couldn't understand and filled them with powder and stones. After that, she produced a tuft of Todd's multicolored hair, strands from Elfas's green hair and some black fur from Jericho.

She placed them with careful and precise movements on the thee edges she had also drawn on the top of the three circles, behind her and the two spots on her left and right. We watched her holding our breaths. Elfas and Jericho were still, while I could hear the soft thud Jericho's tail did behind me.

"The keys." Mina spoke with heavy voice and I pulled them out from my belt, giving them to her. She sat on her knees and lifted them above her head.

Mina began chanting, closing her eyes and tilting her head back, swaying with the rhythm of her words. The keys shone suddenly and Mina left them hovering above her head to stretch her hands open and wide. The hairs of the men produced three rows of lights; a green, a rainbow and a black one. They merged with the keys and all of sudden Mina's palms hit the ground.

I swore I felt the house shaking.

The keys flew to me and hesitantly I took them. They were warm and scents enveloped me. Pine and blood, ice, smoke and fire. "Stand up Claire." Mina said to me and I got up, slowly moving towards her. I stepped over the circles and I felt the hairs on my neck standing up. Pressure settled on my body and I felt like wanting to fall down to the floor. Mina's arms encircled mine and she pulled me down, helping me sit with her.

"Now, see with the eyes of your mind." She pressed my eyelids closed. Light suddenly exploded behind my eyelids and I gasped.

I felt someone holding me and sure that this was going to be some kind of vision, I relaxed, concentrating on Mina's soft humming. The light filled with color, like swirling water under the sun. Slowly, the colors became solid and soon images appeared.

"Snow." I breathe deeply the scent of ice, feeling the cold on my cheeks.

I looked around, suddenly standing on a clearing. Bare from leaves trees were towering me, almost losing them into the dark sky. Warmth appeared at the center of the clearing.

"Fire." I whispered and all of sudden masses of bodies began dancing around the fire, as if they had pooped out of thin air. "Women in masks." The biggest bodies moved slowly, sensually, making no attempt to his their claws, teeth, fur...

"Wolves, dancing around the fire. The women moving around." I was trapped into the moving bodies and I pushed myself out trying to flee. The women twirled and the werewolves caught them by their waists, lifting them up.

They glided their bodies down, pressing against the wolves in every possible way. I blushed and lifted my head up. There, on the top of the burning fire. "The mask. The mask is doing this." I breathed watching the wolf shaped mask hovering above the flames, which burnt red, yellow and a faint blue. I stretched my hands, wanting, needing to touch it, to feel it real; I wanted to dance!

Dance.

Move.

Swirl.

Hands on me.

Around me.

Everywhere!

"Claire!"

I opened my eyes. Her palm came down to my cheeks in a vicious slap. "I am awake!" I shouted and sat up, rubbing my cheeks. I glared at her, grunting.

"You were spaced off." Todd said behind Mina.

"I've never seen a mortal surviving a vision." Elfas noticed as I got up.

Everything moved around me and I felt my body falling back.

"Claire." Jericho's deep voice was enough to make me shiver. He held my shoulders from behind and helped me to the couch.

"So you saw a mating dance." Mina rubbed her palms in the evil type of fashion. "Interesting." She said.

"What does it mean?" Jericho asked and Mina's eyes glowed.

She lifted two fingers. "It means two things: one, you are going undercover and, two, you are going to dance."

I gaped at her. "Why should I dance? And for what reason?"

Todd stepped forward. "You expect the kids to dance in a place where werewolves mate?"

"Oh, she is sending them to their death! So cool!" Elfas clapped happily.

We glared at him.

"Have you even thought what will happen if they find out who I am?" Jericho spoke in a growl and I noticed the blue irises slowly darkening into black.

"Calm down!"

Everyone turned to me. "Let's clean this mess first-"

"Mess!" Mina protested.

"-then we will discuss this vision."

Relieved to do something we settled into cleaning the rearranging the room, except from Elfas who gloriously had sat on the couch like a pasha.

Mina made circles with her fingers and a crashing sound came from the kitchen. Soon, trays with mugs and teapots flew into the living room and stopped in front of her. "Now," she spoke as she filled one mug. "It seems that the ritual revealed a strong artifact which can amplify the breaking spell. And what do you know? It's a mating mask. Momma surely was sarcastic."

"What exactly can a mating mask do?" I asked quietly, still having the images of the dancing women and werewolves on my mind.

"Jericho can explain." Mina giggled and my opinion of her being a demon amplified.

He stepped next to her and sat to the floor, while the rest of us occupied the couches. He linked his arms on his chest and sighed. "Three masks exist along the packs of North America. One is at Yellowstone, one at Mark Twain National Park and the last one resides at the depths of George Washington National Forest."

Jericho turned and looked at me. "I guess you saw werewolves dancing with women."

I nodded. "They wore wolf masks. The women. And they were dancing around a huge fire."

"And the mask hovered above it. I know." Jericho turned to Elfas and Todd. "The rules for entering the pack are simple yet they depend on secrecy. When a woman, or a man, wants to join their mates into the pack, they dance and enter with the outmost trust. A pack will always protect their pack mates and their children."

"The question is: how do we get the mask. The closet one is at the Washington forest, almost a three hour drive from here." Todd asked and looked at Mina.

She grinned. "The good thing with that mask is that it accepts any wolves who want to mate, not only packs who decide to hold a mating dance." Her eyes flickered to me. "You will join with Jericho the dance, intercept the wolves and steal the mask. No harm done. When I extract a portion of the mask's power, I will teleport it back to the forest."

I gasped. "Why don't you teleport it from there?"

She huffed. "Because, girl, only a werewolf can touch it." Mina drank the last of her tea and got up. "Jericho knows the way. The mask always calls to the children of the moon." She laughed with herself and walked out from the living room.

I noticed Elfas and Todd glancing at Jericho's way. It seemed pitiful, as if they thought that this idea was idiotic and harmful. "This is interesting!" Elfas chimed in. "If I didn't know better, I would say that Claire would look nice as a werewolf's mate."

Without waiting for an answer, I stormed out from the living room, hearing behind me the characteristic sound of throwing punches.

Jericho

Elfas's jaw almost shattered under my punch. So refreshing. How Tinkerbell could be so strong yet so cheese-like brained? Elfas fell to the floor moaning from pain and I felt the wolf stirring inside me.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

No. Shut up.

"Jericho, calm down. You know Elfas's brain is like Swiss cheese." The vampire's arms circled my waist pulling me back. But even after all these years together, I still felt alone, caged.

Fucking exiled.

"For what's worth, I believe that you should do this mission with Claire." Todd spoke softly, almost so quiet, as if afraid to note the fact that this mission was important to all of us.

I whirled around staring at the man. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, he was still handsome, in the vampiric way. His multicolored hair was tied back and his purple-red eyes glowed faintly. Even Elfas was the top of the beauties on his la-la land. I had stopped considering myself normal, on my standards a long time ago.

"Are you kidding me? You expect Claire to agree with that?"

The wolf stirred again and I felt a pang under my pants.

Stop it!

He whined.

Soft.

Want.

Need.

Gimme!!!

"But she wants to help." Elfas said as he sat up, his jaw healed.

I turned and looked at the direction she had gone. Sadness and grief mixed together and for once the canine inside me understood. A mating bond is the strongest magic of all the clans; not even the blood commitment of the vampires could be compared with the deep feeling of laying your soul bare, uttering the words of adoration and eternal faith.

Never did I expect to have the chance. Never did I want to own and be owned by someone. Until now. What the fuck could I give to her? Nothing. If the curse was to be broken I would still probably remain in this state, unchanging, while Claire would grow old and die. The thought was unbearable.

Turning to the others I grumbled an apology to Elfas and strode out of the living room, following the scent. When Claire had first arrived here, she reeked of blood and sadness. Both were vile, coppery, making my wolf senses crazy, to the point of wanting to kill her just to make the scent go away.

But as the weeks passed, her scent changed to something...fruity, like cherries and apples with a hint of banana in it. Shit, I was losing it again.

I want her!

No you don't.

Deny it all you want boy, but she liked me on the moon night.

That night.

Claire's short blond hair illuminating under the moon, her hands touching me.

No one had ever touched the human body even I had never seen. But even locked away from my body's control I had marveled and feared her. I dreaded the moment I would wake up and see her lifeless body in my arms. I loved the way her chocolate eyes gleamed with mischief, or how well she knew to use the daggers.

That red costume had been giving me dreams and nightmares, ever since.

The gym's doors were half opened when I reached the base of the stairs. Grunts and the echoes of music filled my ears as I stepped in. Beyonce's "Haunted" was blasting from the speakers of the Ipod but Claire wasn't to the weights or to the treadmill. I looked around and then I looked up.

Her body moved into the air, with the help of the ropes and the thick metal poles, which were placed up in order to help me and Todd improve our climbing skills. Her hips and feet are secured with the thick holders while her arms moved with the dangling ropes. It looked like she was flying, trying to escape her fears and maybe her own...what? Emotions?

She leapt and her hands caught the edge of the connected steel and climbed up, straddling it. I could hear her breathing, hard and quick. She turned and peered down, looking straight at me. She always had a way of knowing where I was.

I liked that.

"Want to join me?" she shouted over the sound of the music and I nodded.

I grabbed the edges of the wall on my left and climbed, familiar with each part, each step I had to take in order to reach the top. I held myself over the deep nothing below me and I made a full lop, hearing Claire chuckling and murmuring 'show off'. I tried not to laugh as I bent and grabbed the pole above the one she held herself.

Leaning down carefully, I came on eye level with her. She was sleek with sweat, her light green tee with the logo 'bite me' clinging to her small frame.

Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick. Lick.

SHUT UP!

Why? Don't you want her?

Never that way. Not without skin to skin. Never hurt her. Never.

"You're spacing out." She mumbled, never stop staring at me.

Tell her!

No!

"I was just thinking..."

"About the mission?"

I nodded, waiting to hear her thoughts.

She rubbed her palm over her face, while her cheeks were still flushed pink. I wish I could have lips, human ones, to trace the line of her nose, her round jaw and in the end to dive into the sweetness of her mouth.

"I know we have to do this but...how about you? Forming a bond with me..." she quickly looked up "I am not the best mate material Jericho and..."

She thought it was about her? Not me? Wait, she doesn't care that I can't be human? Or she cares for my feelings? This is so wrong. In every way.

Gently, I fumbled with her short hair, attempting to smile. I would bury that feeling in my chest deep into me and keep it safe, unharmed, in that place where I would open it at night and caress it like a lover lost.

"There will be no problem." I spoke softly. Claire looked up at me. "We will do it and come back. And we will deal with everything after. Day by day." I pulled my paw back and she snaked her own fingers into mine.

"Day by day." She echoed and the wolf inside me howled with despair.

Claire

Mina put more eyeliner and then brushed the soft brush with pink over my cheeks. She was really concentrated on her work, her eyes roaming over my face making sure she hadn't miss anything.

We had decided to use the black wig in order to cover my blond hair, so it was safely strapped on my scalp with the help of Mina's spells. Next came the dress; well, it looked more like a nightgown, white with long sleeves, falling to my knees. When she first mentioned it I thought that I would die from frostbite but Mina reassured me that at the perimeter around the mating grounds the temperatures would be as warm as a summer day.

"Of course, you will leave wearing boots and a long coat but when you reach the outskirts of the forest, you will go on foot." Mina said and pulled me up from the chair making me turn on a full circle around her. "Yup, I am amazing." She huffed and smiled.

The white nightgown had lace around the shoulders but fell on waves on my knees. It didn't restrict me in any way and it would be good to conceal weapons on my thighs and elbows. While I strapped myself, feeling safe under the weight of the metal on my skin, Mina produced from a box a mask.

It was dark blue with two vertical white lines going down the eye sockets. The pointy ears on the top glowed black, as if dusted with black diamonds and the small wolf snout ended at the tip of the nose, leaving the mouth and the jaw bare, while the rest of the face was covered.

"It's a nice one. I had bought it from a traditional store in Venice. They can make amazing masks." Mina spoke and gave me the mask. "When you reach the forest, wear the mask. Jericho knows the ritual and he can fill you on the details."

"Thank you Mina."

She looked at me for a moment, her eyes crinkling on the corners and took my hand in hers. "No matter what happens tonight...be strong Claire."

I nodded, unable to find an answer.

The knock on the door helped me from answering. Jericho had been so far the best part on these crazy months. He was funny, with a wicked sense of humor, could cook, not to mention how good he was on laundry. For a canine he was quite domestic. But he still held himself away from me. I could see it on the way he clenched his paws, how his eyes would flare or on the way he would hug me, afraid of breaking me.

Mina opened the door of her room and Elfas peered in, taking a glance on the interior. When he saw the poster of Taylor Swift he sighed. "Women." He said. "So eager for a man's arms, so spiteful for other females."

"Oh you speak of your Fae females? Yes, they are bitches." Mina deadpanned him and took my hand stepping out, while I laughed.

Todd and Jericho stood on the doorway, speaking with soft voices but when I really looked at the werewolf I gasped. "Why are you grey? What happened to your fur?"

"I painted him." Todd said proudly and Jericho covered his eyes muttering 'in all places."

"He also made me wear contacts." Jericho said and leaned, showing us his dark brown eyes.

"That's good, less complications that way." Mina helped me with my coat and I wore my knee-high black boots.

"It's six o'clock. Since it's already dark you have three to four hours of driving. Then, you have the night to find the clearing and take the mask." Todd spoke as he gave me a detailed map of the forest and Elfas rolled a cigar on his fingers.

"I could give you a vision, if you want."

"No." I and Jericho said and we waved them goodbye as we made our way to the exit.

Fred wished us good luck and I saw Lethinia's branches move as I climbed on the driver's seat. The SUV was the same one Jericho and I had used on the night of Halloween and quickly I pulled off, heading to the iron gates.

Jericho pulled his seat back, making more place for his huge feet, looking at the windows. I noticed that he wore nothing except from the grey pants, which stretched nicely over him. His silver earring giggled as he moved his left ear and quickly I turned my attention to the road.

"That mask is beautiful." Jericho grumbled beside me.

I glanced from my side to the mask which laid between us and then turned back to the road. "Mina gave it to me. She said she bought it from Venice."

"Oh." He echoed and I sighed. Maybe he was nervous. Maybe he was as anxious as I was about this trip.

"How about telling me more about the wolves. I think you make more sense than the Fae and the vampires."

Jericho laughed saying 'yes' and began speaking about the structure of the packs. He spoke of the way the communities were organized, how the female werewolves, the few who existed, could work as well as a man but also be compassionate like the mothers of the pack.

"When I was fifteen," he winked at me "still growing, I would take the pups out for a run on the forest. Since I was in werewolf form, I was an excellent teacher on the ways of tracking and hunting." He closed his eyes and smiled. "You should see them Claire, furred puppies, running all the way into the forest, peeing everywhere!"

I laughed at the mental image. "I guess they peed in every tree marking 'their' territory, yes?"

"I had to stand away from every tree, or they would snap and bite my tail. I lost some good hair those times too."

I cracked up, from laughing, careful not to take my eyes of the road. Luckily they were clean of snow.

"I guess," Jericho continued, "these were the few times, I truly felt a part of the pack. The rest of my days were passed in caves and into scouting."

"I am sorry Jericho."

I felt his paw on the heel of my palm. "Don't be Claire. It belongs to the past. The present matters."

I smirked and quickly looked at him. "Not the future?"

"No, I dread that moment." His paw pulled suddenly away and I missed the warmth.

The next two hours passed in silence. I turned on the radio and "Crazy in Love" by Sofia Karlberg filled the car. Her voice who sang of lost love and kisses, touches and sadness, made me think of tangled sheets and bodies grasping for each other. I inhaled deeply, tightening my hold on the wheel.

"Tell me about you." Jericho spoke suddenly and I jolted from my fantasy.

From where should I begin? From the shameful family or the past? Oh, no I could say something good, something that used to be the light in my life. "I used to have an older brother and a younger sister. Thomas and Mimi." The names were choked and I tried not to cry.

"Thomas was three years older than me and Mimi ten years younger. Mama was surprised when she found herself pregnant." I could still remember her glassy hazel eyes, her blond hair and olive skin as she caressed the plump on her stomach. I smiled.

"I would usually lay my ear on her stomach and say: 'hi, baby, I am going to be your sister. Don't steal my Barbies.'"

Jericho laughed beside me. "You with Barbies? Hard to believe."

It was hard to believe. My father had looked at the newborn Mimi with disgust before leaving the hospital. Thomas was furious, even for thirteen years old boy. I, instead, loved the way Mimi's fingers were curled into tiny fists or the way her lips were pursed and her eyes closed. I loved her from the first moment.

"Yes, she was such a happy girl. She would call me 'Clai, Clai' and jump into my arms."

Jericho was silent for a moment. "You said 'used to'. Where...where are your brother and sister now?"

I glanced at him quickly feeling the wetness on my eyes and his eyes widened. "Dead."

The sign of George Washington National Forest passed quickly from my left, little illuminated by my car lights. Jericho opened the window and the cold air made me shiver. He looked out and lifted his snout letting the forest smells invade his senses. He quickly closed the window and instructed me to park at the side of the road.

"We are close. I scented ten males and ten females. On their way."

Twenty people. Two against ten. Not so good odds. When I parked at the side of the road, Jericho jumped out and began pulling whole bushes, with the roots, dropping them at the hood of the car and around the wheels. "To cover our smell." He said as I helped him by throwing leafs and some frozen twigs. I was shivering from the cold, almost not feeling my toes.

"Will this be good enough?" I asked as I watched the SUV covered with thick snow covered bushes and leaves.

"I could urinate around it, but that would be really inappropriate at the moment."

My eyebrows rose and Jericho laughed.

"J-Jericho-o. What now?" I stuttered from the cold. He turned and took the mask from my hands.

"Now you pull off your coat."

My eyes widened. "I will die from cold!"

"No, you won't." he leaned closer and his warmth enveloped me like a warm blanket.

Carefully I pulled off the coat, telling him that I had left the keys on the ignition. Jericho nodded and slowly he placed the mask on my face. Thanks to the night, the wig and the blackness of the mask my face was almost invisible. The werewolf smiled.

"In tradition, it's the werewolf who carves and offers the mask to the female." Jericho said and I felt his paw moving slowly from the left side of the mask down to my jaw.

"That sounds romantic." I smiled, even if I really wasn't into the cheesy kind of romance. But devotion and faith were some of the morals I appreciated much.

Jericho fell on all fours and I climbed on his back. Despite the frigid cold, I was feeling the warmth of the grey fur and I crawled up, holding Jericho from the shoulders, while my belly was atop his shoulder blades.

"I will go really fast. We might come across other pairs. Don't speak Claire no matter what you see alright?"

"I understand. Anything else I have to keep in mind?"

"Yup." I heard the chuckle on his voice. "Hold me tight."

And did he run fast. I was surprised we hadn't even hit a tree. But werewolves were also good at night hunts. Jericho's muscles strained under my body, while I prayed not to fall on the hard snowy forest floor; In that thought I tightened my hold on his shoulders and clutched my feet on his sides.

Jericho came to a sudden halt and lifted his head, sniffing the air. He stopped, then looked right and left. And then...

The howl felt like music on my ears, haunting and melodic in a primal way. I could feel the vibrations on his back as he howled one more time. In return from our right two more howls echoed. I shivered, not from cold but from expectation. "Claire." Jericho whispered. "Don't be afraid, they will scent it. Let the forest cover you and you will be one with it."

I moved my palm close to his chest and nodded to his right side. Jericho pressed his paw on my hand and then he turned and continued running. Suddenly, two more figures appeared, on our sides. I dared to look at them. On my left was a dark brown werewolf and on his back a woman with a wolf mask too held him tight. I couldn't see her clearly since the motion and the darkness couldn't let me distinguish the details. To my right a light brown with spots of grey and white werewolf also carried his mate. The women were dressed in white and their masks were hiding well their features. The three werewolves ran in precise speed and grace, their bodies becoming one with the deep forest and the tall trees, with the night and the snow.

Until we stopped at the outskirts of a clearing.

A fire had already been lightened and the flames were huge, as if they were trying to reach the sky. And into the flames, I saw it. Deep black with big pointy wolf ears and empty eye sockets, the mask burned, but not yet burning as it hovered into the flames. Eight more werewolves appeared with their women on their backs.

Jericho leaned and I followed the example of the women around me. I got down and stood as Jericho straightened and caught my hand. Breathing deeply, feeling the warmth of both the fire and magic which surrounded it, we walked into the clearing. I watched the werewolves.

Some of them looked small in size while others were as big as Jericho. The women also, despite their different masks but same white dresses, were in various ages. Some were thin, others quite curvy and I saw that three women were dark skinned, a fine contrast upon the white cloth.

Jericho and the others stepped forward and they formed a circle around the fire. They bowed to the waist and howled. When they stepped back, retreating to the outskirts of the forest, I felt Jericho's paw slowly pushing me forward, urging me to go to the fire. I walked, shoulders squared, breathing slowly with my eyes fixed on the burning column of fire. Ten women, eleven with me, stood in a full circle. Their masks were in different sizes and colours but definitely admirable.

Small balls of flames suddenly exploded from the fire and they flew around us. As they descended I saw each tiny ball of light, it wasn't fire, land on the open palms of each woman. I spread my own hands, palms up and mine touched my skin.

'You who seek light, you who seek freedom, I see your soul and it sees back at me.'

I gasped at the voice in my mind. It was male and sounded ancient, like time itself.

'You seek my help, no?'

Yes, I replied feeling the warmth of the light in my hands spreading all over my body. It didn't even faze me that an ancient mask could speak into my mind. At least it sounded more logic than Elfas.

'If you promise to restore me back in here, I will. But I want to ask one more thing.'

What is it?

'Open your heart and mind to the soul behind you. And you shall know the truth.'

The truth? The truth about what?

A song echoed into the forest and I felt my muscles relax. My hips swayed with the rhythm and I lifted my arms above my head. Even though I couldn't dance, the song made my body move as all of us danced in a circle around the fire. While to someone it would seem like a pagan ritual, the atmosphere wasn't filled with lust. It felt like the moment when the bride enters the altar and the people surrounding her, smile with adoration at her and the groom.

I had been in some weddings on my life and I always loved the soft feeling of satin and silk or how pearls would make a woman look so, so pretty. As we moved around the fire dancing in an pattern ancient and loving, I realized that life itself had a different meaning for the people and the magic creatures around me. Despite their magic, they thrived, loved and struggled, finding their way back into those they loved.

As we danced, we howled into the fire, a calling towards the unseen moon. I moved closer to the fire, never taking my eyes off the mask. But when I felt the strong paws on my waist, lifting me off the ground, I stared down at Jericho. He looked back at me and twirled me around the growing circle of dancing pairs.

Slowly, he held my middle and pulled me down, making my body arch towards the snowy ground. I lifted my arms above my head and breathed deeply. When he lifted me up again, I locked my arms around his neck and leaned closer to his neck. "It wants us to take it." I whispered.

Jericho spun me around and nodded quickly. The werewolves howled as they danced with their women clinging to their sides, wrapped safely into their arms. When they would leave from this place the men would turn back into their human bodies. The knowledge of this made me think of Jericho. What was he thinking, dancing with me like this? Was he disturbed? Or he didn't care?

"On my mark." Jericho whispered and lifted me again, helping me on his back, as he stood on his back legs. I wrapped my feet around his waist and held tight, ready to spurn into motion.

He made another circle, close to the end of the ancient song of the forest. And then, we leapt into the fire. I held on tight, as Jericho grabbed the mask with his mouth and began running into the night. The cold air and snow hit me like lightening as the magic of the clearing disappeared behind us along with the mask's effect.

Furious howls echoed behind us and Jericho ran faster, jumping over fallen logs, still having the mask in his mouth. I dared to look back; there, five bodies growling and howling in anger trailed us. They would catch up soon.

"Jericho there're five and drawing closer!" I almost shouted.

He didn't answer, but instead he jumped on the trunk of a nearby tree and grabbed me, roughly making me sit on a thick branch. He gave me the mask. "Stay here. I'll be back."

"No! Wait!"

But he had already jumped into the night, leaving me shivering into the cold. I didn't speak, straining to listen at the sounds. Barks and howls, then yelps of pain were heard and I brought my fist to my mouth, trying not to give away my position. If the avenging males were to hear me, Jericho would be in worse trouble.

The mask in my hands trembled. I looked down at it, wondering why. It glowed, a black shimmering light all over its surface and suddenly I hovered over the branch. I shrieked and tightened my hold over it. The mask flew me to the ground and the light dimmed.

When I looked up, I almost vomited.

The snow had turned pink, the bodies of the five werewolves lying unconscious but luckily with all their body members attached Blood fell from their wounds on their necks and feet and at the middle of them Jericho stood. A fog cloud appeared from where he breathed, hard and fast. His grey painted fur was red on his back, arms and thighs and I wondered if he was injured too.

"Jericho?"

He snapped at me and growled. His eyes were black, the wolf had taken over. His back lowered, poised for attack. My hold over the mask tightened and I stood rooted from fear, losing slowly my feeling over my feet and arms. But I could feel the blood roaring on my neck and heart as I stared over the werewolf.

"You didn't kill them." I said slowly.

The werewolf growled, teeth appearing.

I swallowed. "It's me Jericho, wolf, whoever is in charge. Claire."

Suddenly he stood in front of me, muzzle lowered, sniffing around my head and neck. A guttural voice said, "Protect, mine." And his paws cupped my head, titling it up.

"Jericho, listen to me. We must go. Now." I said slowly, urging him to take control over the wolf.

Instead, he leaned closer and I felt something wet brushing my lips. The tips of his tongue had licked me.

Blue eyes suddenly appeared over the black and as if pushed by an invisible force Jericho screamed 'NO!' and fell back into the ground trashing and clawing his own body. Blood appeared over the wounds of his chest and I cried out for him to stop. His body stilled and for few minutes he laid like that still like the dead.

I reached over him and brushed the fur over his forehead, muzzling his neck, trying to check for a pulse. He was so still. "Jericho, wake up."

He didn't move. I brought the mask over his chest and pressed it on, willing any magic it had to help him. When nothing happened, I looked around foolishly desperate to call for help. But I couldn't; there were five more werewolves out there who wanted revenge for their destroyed mating dance. Looking down, I traced the lines of his wolf face, brining back the image of his human one.

Olive skin and scars on his torso with tattoos on his forearms; full lips which carried an idea of Native American in him, Jericho was truly handsome. I didn't realize I was crying until I saw the teardrops falling on his face. I had failed yet another one again. I hadn't managed to save Thomas and Mimi and they were gone. Jericho was gone too.

"Please...wake up..."

A gurgling noise made me look down on his chest. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Thank God, they were blue.

"Jericho!"

His eyes widened at the sound of my voice and retreated back, crawling away from me. "Stay back!" he cried horror making him whimper.

I lifted my arms, wanting to make sure he hadn't died, but he shook his head. "Don't touch me, don't look at me! What have I done? What have I done? Oh wolf spirits! I almost killed them! I almost did it again!" he spoke quickly looking at the fallen bodies around us at the same time; he was frantic from fear.

"And you!" he look at me. "I stopped him in time! I wouldn't bear it to lose you. He was this close to complete the bond. Oh spirits, no! I wouldn't bear it I wouldn't!" he repeated again and again holding the sides of his head, rocking his body back and forth.

"Jericho...come here."

"NO!" he roared. "This was so wrong from the beginning. I should hope. I shouldn't! It tears me apart, I can't stand it anymore!."

Too tired to stay on my knees, I fell back on my butt, feeling the cold around me. "What can't you stand Jericho?" I asked softly.

"I like you! So much it hurts! So much that I want to bring the world upside down for you! Yet, I can't even be worthy of you!" Jericho screamed looking at me.

I was stunned to silence, both from the cold and his words. He liked me? He liked me. Letting my arms fall to my sides, too tired to shiver, I made one last attempt to hold myself warm by curling my arms around my belly. "Maybe I am not worthy for you Jericho. Have you ever wondered that?"

He stopped rocking himself and looked at me. The distance between us never felt bigger. "I could made it in time and I lost them both. When I entered the room they were both cut open, blood all over the walls Mimi's blond hair red from her blood. Thomas was almost in pieces and I stood there unable to realize that the carnage before me was real."

"When you lay here almost not breathing, I feared you were gone too. Feared that I had failed you!" I screamed at him, not caring about the werewolves or the fact that my voice was coming out sore. "I care about you, stupid wolf! I can't be alone again; it will drive me crazy! I care about Todd, Elfas, Mina, Lethinia, Fred and I care about you!"

I fell to the ground, curling into a ball, not able to stop crying and shivering. I sobbed, feeling my eyes closing. "I am cold Jericho..." I whispered seeking his warmth, wanting him with me.

It was quiet for a moment, only the sound of my sobbing and crying disturbing the forest. Footsteps drew closer to my and I was scooped up into Jericho's arms. Not caring about the blood on his body or the fading paint, I curled closer, locking my arms around his neck.

"I will keep you warm, ageyv waya." He whispered to me and began walking back to the car.

I didn't realize when we reached the mansion until the moment I heard Fred's worried voice. He said something but I didn't hear Jericho's answer. When I felt the familiar scent of the house I sighed.

"Holy shit!" I heard Elfas saying.

"Which one is hurt?" Mina.

"No one, just... let us rest. Here, take the mask; tomorrow we will tell you what happened but tonight, please leave us alone." Jericho said with strained voice.

"Go rest my friend. You did well." Todd spoke with a soft voice.

I was too tired to open my eyes but soon I felt softness on my back. I shivered and Jericho rubbed my back. "I will draw a bath. Just hold on a moment."

When I cracked my eyelids open, I saw Jericho disappearing into the bathroom of his bedroom. If I was to die from pneumonia, at least I would go down with style. As I tried to sit up, I noticed they way the white nightgown, wet from cold and snow, fitted to my body and the boots on my feet. Slowly, I tried to call for Jericho but I couldn't find my voice.

I was drained.

He appeared again, kneeling in front of me. He was red and grey with some spots on his fur black. He had wounds on his arms and face but I saw them healing before my eyes. I trailed the healing lines on his muzzle and neck and Jericho sighed.

"The water is warm. Can I...help you?"

He saw my alarm and shook his head quickly. "Never Claire. You will never feel shy with me. I am a werewolf of my word."

I swallowed and nodded.

Jericho pulled carefully the boots tossing them on the corner of the room, then gently he pulled the nightgown off my head. I saw him noticing the metal strapped on my sides. He didn't say anything but pulled the weapons off me. Then, he unclasped the wig off and my short, blond hair appeared. He smoothed them down and lifted me in his arms.

The bath tub at the corner of the room was on the floor, resembling a wide pool. While the last time I was here, I had used the shower, Jericho bend and gently helped me into the warm water. I moaned, feeling the warmth of it, seeping in my bones. There was a bench in the water, so I didn't sink as Jericho released me.

"I will take a quick shower okay?" he said softly and I nodded.

While I heard him showering behind me, I took the sponge and the body wash and scrubbed the scent of forest and blood away. I made quite some foam and used it to wash my hair too. Then, I dove into the warm water and rose again taking off my underwear too. As I felt my toes and fingers moving again, I heard the shower closing behind me. When I lifted my head, Jericho had crouched to my left, a towel around his waist. He looked at me for a moment from my head to toe, even with all the soap around the water's surface, then he took the sponge from my hands and massaged my back.

His touch was tender and he hummed slowly as the sponged moved between my shoulder blades. I turned around and looked at him in the eyes. Such tortured soul he was. That made him two of us; yet, he looked at me with the warmth and the unspoken feeling neither of us was ready to admit. "Can...can I have a towel please?" I spoke slowly.

Jericho got up, went to the shelves on my right and came back with a big blue towel, which he opened it in front of him, hiding his face, as I climbed off the pool. I covered myself and he scooped me up again, taking me to the bedroom.

He opened the wardrobe and pulled out short pants and a huge t-shirt. He laid the clothes in front of me and turned around, letting me dress. When I was done, I crawled up to the bed, towards the pillows and pushed down the comforter getting under the blankets. Jericho, with long pants on, came to the other side and lay down beside me.

I turned and pulled his arm around my waist, while I climbed a little up and kissed the spot between his eyes. He inhaled deeply and rubbed gently my back. "Goodnight Jericho." I murmured as I curled my arm around his waist, burying my face on his chest.

"Goodnight Claire." He replied softly and mercifully we fell asleep.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE #2

This is by far the biggest chapter I've written! Since there will be some time, because of exams, until the next one, please feel free to vote/comment. What do you think of Jericho's POV? Would you like more of it?

Thank you for reading and please support the rest of my stories too! Also, "Three ghosts for Anastasia" is on the sire "The IF List". You can support the project there by simply clicking the button on your right. If there are many supporters there's a nice chance for it to become a movie or TV series!

http://www.iflist.com/stories/threeghostsforanastasia