Chapter Thirteen

A deep unease settled in Raidh's gut as hazy, fragmented memories kept drifting toward the edges of his mind. But every time he tried to focus on them, they spiraled down into the dark depths.

For some reason, a heavy ache weighed on his heart, as if it had been shattered into a million pieces, yet no tears would come to ease the pain.

Where am I? Why is it so dark?

As panic began to set in, a blinding glare grew in his mind, piercing through the fog that had suddenly formed around him. When it cleared, Raidh found himself in a serene meadow bursting with vibrant colors.

But strangely, he couldn't see his own body. It was as if he were observing through someone else's eyes.

The sun shined down from a cloudless blue sky, bathing everything in a warm glow. The gentle breeze whispered through the blades of grass, while majestic trees rustled their leaves and branches creaked with each gust of wind.

Nature was alive and breathing, tickling Raidh's nose with the sweet fragrance of little purple flowers and a hint of pine. As he laughed, a magnificent wolf came into view, as if emerging from the depths of a dream. Its regal form moved slowly, radiating so much sorrow it stirred a deep ache inside Raidh.

Then the large wolf stopped and lifted its head, letting out a mournful howl, its anguish and grief palpable as the heartbreaking sound echoed through the meadow. Raidh longed to comfort it, to ease its suffering, but when he tried to reach out for it, his arms were unresponsive.

Again and again he tried, but each time he failed.

Frustration and torment seized him as he struggled to make contact with the wolf. Somehow Raidh knew the wolf's heart, soul, and very existence belonged solely to him, and it hungered for him with an intense longing.

I'm here, baby! Come to me, Jaytee!

He knew its name, felt the unbreakable connection to it, but no matter how hard he fought or struggled against the invisible barrier, the wolf remained just beyond his reach.

Please, come to me! I'm right here! Raidh begged and pleaded, but the wolf wouldn't acknowledge his presence, its haunting blue eyes locked on something in the distance.

No! Raidh screamed as the image faded away.

* * * *

Clutching Raidh's body to his chest, Jaytee followed Panahasi and Casimir as they navigated their way through the veil. It had been a strange sensation when Jaytee had crossed the invisible barrier. One moment he'd been walking toward the forest, and then, with a wave of Panahasi's hand, Jaytee had strode into an entirely different world.

The magic felt heavy in the air, a living and breathing entity, causing his wolf to growl in unease. The meadow popped into Jaytee's mind, and now he wished he and Raidh were back there, basking in the sun as they made love. The thought made his wolf howl mournfully for what they'd lost.

Jaytee stumbled when he could have sworn he heard Raidh crying out for him. He glanced around, wondering if he would be able to see his mate's soul somewhere, like a ghost lingering close by.

I'm here, baby! Come to me, Jaytee!

He stopped walking, his fingers tightening around his mate's body. His breath came out fast and shallow as he blinked several times. Had he really just heard Raidh, or was this place messing with his mind? Maybe he missed his little fairy so much he was manifesting his desperation.

"What is it?" Casimir asked as he and Panahasi turned to look at him.

Please, come to me! I'm right here!

"Where?" Jaytee shouted, spinning in circles as his heart clenched. Now he was sure he'd heard Raidh's voice. "Tell me where you are, Moonbeam!"

"You hear him." Panahasi's whiskey-colored eyes studied Jaytee, a wealth of knowledge in their depths. "He's calling out to you."

Casimir furrowed his brows. "That's impossible. Raidh's soul is suspended in unconsciousness. He isn't aware of anything, let alone speaking to you."

"Yet, he is awake and crying out for his wolf," Panahasi said, his gaze never leaving Jaytee. "I can feel the strength of their connection, as well as the vast power Raidh keeps locked away inside himself." He tilted his head slowly. "His magic reaches out to me, and I wonder if his abilities are too powerful to unleash on this world."

"Are you saying you want to leave his soul trapped for all eternity?" Jaytee bellowed. "I made a vow to my mate that not even death could separate me from him, and I'm going to keep it, with or without your help."

If there was even a sliver of a chance Jaytee could get Raidh back, he would fight Satan himself to reclaim his mate. He didn't care about Raidh's powers. All Jaytee cared about was his little fairy. His mate had sounded terrified calling out to him, and no way in goddamn hell was he going to leave Raidh suspended in…wherever his soul was trapped.

Curiosity spread across the demon leader's face. "Did Raidh make the same vow?"

Unsure why Panahasi asked him, Jaytee nodded. "He gave the same promise to me."

"Tell me exactly what you said."

"Why, what difference does it make?" Jaytee argued.

"We do not have time to stand here and quarrel over this, stubborn wolf. I can feel guards all around us. As soon as they sense our presence, we will have a fight on our hands. Do you want to remain undetected, or do you wish to engage in another battle?"

Jaytee let out a slow breath and recited his pledge. "Not even death can separate me from you. My loyalty to you is unwavering, Moonbeam. My heart, my soul, and my very existence belong solely to you. To which my mate replied, ‘I give you the same promise in return.'"

"Because of Raidh's powerful magic, when you two made your vow, it became unbreakable," Panahasi explained.

"But Raidh died." Jaytee held his mate's body tighter against him. "Death separated us."

"Did it?" Panahasi's brow rose. "Even now you are still connected to Raidh. You just heard him calling out to you." Panahasi looked around. "Let's get moving. I really don't want to embarrass the guards by kicking all their asses. I'm also ready to get back to my mates."

Jaytee shook his head when they neared a large, regal home. With Galamir's arrogance, he shouldn't have expected anything less.

The demon leader just strolled right in without knocking. Jaytee grinned, loving the demon leader's "fuck you" attitude.

Before they reached a large hall, Panahasi stopped and said, "I don't want to make my presence known just yet. Go in with Casimir."

Jaytee wanted to ask why the demon leader had brought them all this way only to step into the shadows at the last second. But he was too anxious to get Raidh back, so he just nodded and followed behind Casimir.

Across the room, he spotted someone sitting on a couch, their back to him. Jaytee saw the moment the person became aware of them. The person stood and whirled around. This had to be Galamir. He was the spitting image of Raidh, only older, and he had black hair instead of his son's blond.

"How dare you enter my home uninvited?" Galamir sneered at Casimir. "I banished you from here long ago, and yet you have the audacity to show your face to me again?"

"Lay his body down," Casimir gritted out, speaking to Jaytee.

That was when Galamir turned his attention toward Jaytee. His eyes widened as he saw Raidh's lifeless body in his arms.

A surge of rage coiled through Jaytee as he looked at Galamir for the first time. This was the son of a bitch who had treated his own flesh and blood like shit for over a millennium. This was the man whose fragile ego couldn't handle the embarrassment of Raidh leaving, so he had done everything in his power to kill his own son.

It took every ounce of self-control for Jaytee not to tear Galamir apart right then and there.

Casimir struck fast, moving across the room and curling his fist into Galamir's shirt. Then he dragged his brother over to Raidh while Jaytee lay his mate on the floor.

"You blew him the kiss," Casimir growled. "Which makes you the only one who can call Raidh's soul back to his body."

Jaytee's head snapped back in surprise. The warrior had conveniently left out that important little nugget of information. If Galamir had gone through so much trouble to get rid of Raidh, what were the chances he would actually help bring his son back?

A cruel smile curled Galamir's lips. "I have no idea what you are talking about. It was this filthy wolf who just carried my son's lifeless body into my home. It is the wolf who will pay for his death."

Jaytee lunged at him, taking Galamir to the floor as a deep growl radiated in his chest. He wrapped his hands around the man's throat, determined to squeeze the very life out of him. "All you had to do was love and accept your son. Instead, you cursed him and sent an ancient, psychotic vampire to destroy him."

"Jaytee!" Casimir snapped. "We need him to bring Raidh's soul back." His voice turned calm. "After that, have all the fun you want."

Backhanding Galamir, Jaytee rose to his feet. "Bring. Him. Back."

Blood dripped from Galamir's nose. He touched it with his fingers and stared at his stained hand. "I will do no such thing. Raidh can rot in limbo for all eternity."

Casimir grabbed Jaytee around the waist and hauled him back when he went for the bastard again. "If you don't, I'll tear out your evil heart." Jaytee was panicked. Galamir was the only person who could give him back his mate. But it was clear in his eyes he really would let Raidh rot in limbo. He couldn't kill his mate's father. Not yet. Beating him to within an inch of his life wasn't going to work. Jaytee was even willing to beg but knew his words would fall on deaf ears.

He had no idea what to do.

"The Unseelie has pushed my patience to the limit," Panahasi said as he entered the room. His features darkened as his gaze burned into Galamir. "Did you learn nothing when Novus cast his death spell against Palmino? Do you not remember what happened to him, Galamir?"

Raidh's father visibly shook as he stared at Panahasi's nearly seven-foot stature. "They tell lies. I've done nothing to harm my son."

The room darkened as it trembled, causing things to shake and shift around on shelves and tables. A few things smashed against the floor.

"I can feel your lie like an unreachable itch in my bones." Panahasi scowled. "Call Raidh's soul back to his body or I will not only take away what little power you have but also strip your family of its wealth and cast you into the underworld for all eternity."

That was one hell of a threat. Galamir's worst moments would play on a loop in his head, eventually driving him insane.

Jaytee inwardly rolled his eyes. Panahasi hadn't initially come into the room because he'd wanted to make a grand entrance.

He was liking Panahasi's style more and more.

Galamir knelt next to Raidh's body.

"Hold on." Jaytee raised his hand. "How do we know he'll call the soul back instead of casting some other spell?"

"Because his very freedom depends on it," Panahasi replied.

Hovering his hands over Raidh's chest, Galamir closed his eyes and started chanting words Jaytee couldn't understand. A chill filled the room, swirling around Jaytee, and he could have sworn he felt something brush his arm. He wanted to call out Raidh's name but feared his voice would interfere with the spell or whatever it was.

Suddenly, a blue, luminescent light swirled around like a fine mist—like it had when Panahasi healed Jaytee—and then plunged into Raidh's chest. His mate jerked and arched upward and sucked in a deep breath before he fell back down, growing still once again.

Jaytee was paralyzed as he waited. Time seemed to tick slowly by as his anxiety grew by the second. Had it worked? He'd seen his mate take a deep breath, but Jaytee was still worried Galamir had done something to mess this up.

The blue light surfaced and flowed upward like a spouting fountain before slowly sinking back inside.

Raidh's eyelids fluttered open. Jaytee locked eyes with him, gazing into stunning lavender-gray irises.

"Moonbeam?" Jaytee said his name on a choked whisper. "Are you really back with me?" He dropped to one knee and held a shaky hand close to Raidh's cheek, swallowing past the burning lump in his throat.

"Not even death can keep you from me," Raidh said in a low voice.

Tears welled up in Jaytee's eyes as he smiled. "Not a chance."

"Don't you just love a happy ending?" Panahasi chuckled.

Jaytee scooped his little dark fairy into his arms and crushed his mate to him, noticing how cold the guy felt. Raidh trembled in his arms.

"Take me home," he pleaded.

Keeping a tight hold on his fairy, because he was never leaving Jaytee's arms again, he stood. "What about their dumbass law that forbids mating?" he asked. "I'm not going through his bullshit again."

"He's your mate?" Galamir sounded downright offended. The guy was asking to be backhanded again.

"The love of my life," Jaytee snarled. "I will give him everything he was denied by you. My family has already accepted him as their own, treating him like a family should treat each other, you shrivel-hearted bastard."

"The king won't stand for this," Galamir sneered as he got to his feet, his cheek bright red from where Jaytee had smacked him. "He broke the law mating you ."

"Do you know how stupid you sound?" Jaytee snapped. "Your king doesn't have the authority to decide who someone's mate is. Fate alone decrees it."

"You just couldn't play nice until we left." Panahasi shook his head as he sighed, looking as if he was dealing with an irate child. It sure felt that way. "I was willing to walk away without punishing you for what you did." Enclosing his hand over Galamir's forehead and scalp, Panahasi leaned in close. "If you don't forget your son exists, I'll return to deliver on the rest of my promise."

Then Panahasi glanced at Casimir and gave a slight nod. "He won't even remember you were here."

Jaytee had no idea what that meant.

Galamir fell limp to the floor.

"Is he dead?" Jaytee asked, his mate clinging to him.

"Nope. I just did the one thing he fears most." He winked. "I neutered his magic."

No guy wanted to think about neutering. The word alone made any guy wince and cover his groin.

Jaytee didn't even feel sorry for Raidh's father. He might not have sent Galamir to hell, but he was pretty sure the fae would be living in it now that he was without magic. His FOPO was his greatest weakness, and Jaytee relished the thought of Galamir's downfall.

The demon leader waved his hand, and a swirling portal appeared. "Take your mate home," he said to Jaytee.

"Do you mind if I come with you?" Casimir asked. "I want to make sure my nephew makes a full recovery."

Somehow Jaytee knew there was more to it. "I wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of eyes and an extra guy to pitch in around the house."

Jaytee had his mate back, tucked safely against him. It was amazing how such a tiny package could be the biggest thing in Jaytee's world.