Just One Drop (35 page)

Marianna kept glancing at Jen from the corner of her eye, sure that she'd be able to pick up on her guilt. They made it out the door and headed straight for the shed, which had light glowing on the front of it, illuminating the entrance. They both hurried in and began rummaging through shelves.

"Gotchya." Jen grinned, holding up a large industrial flashlight. She flicked it on and shined it around the room.

"Perfect," Marianna agreed. "Okay, let's go before Decebel realizes you're gone."

They left the shed and headed to the front of the estate, hurrying to make it out of the gates and onto the dark mountainside. Both girls shivered as the cold hit them – neither had thought to grab a coat in their haste. Marianna knew that Thad made sure to have all the Wolfsbane close to the mansion destroyed, so they would have to walk a good ways out to find it.

"HEY! Wait up."

Jen's and Marianna's heads turned to find Sally running after them, her own flashlight in hand. Of course Sally would think to get a flash light – she was always prepared.

"The small leaves have to be separated and soaked in warm salt water to draw the healing properties out. If you just crush the plant and mix it in water it won't be worth anything."

"We're probably going to have to walk quite a ways. I'm thinking if we split up then we'll probably find it more quickly."

"Divide and conquer, sounds like a plan."

"Sally, you go far left," Marianna told her and pointed in the direction she meant. "Jen, you go far right, and I will go straight. You're looking for a plant with dusky green leaves and a purple bloom."

"Dusky and purple. Okay, let's do this." Jen headed in the direction Marianna had instructed.

She shined her flashlight across the ground, side to side, sweeping across the shrubbery. All the while muttering, "purple, purple, dusky, dusky," under her breath.

Jen had been walking for a half hour when she felt a shiver go down her spine. She stopped mid-stride and slowly turned in a circle. Looking into the trees, she shined the light into the foliage. Someone was following her. No, someone was stalking her.

"Who's there?" Jen continued to shine the light and she strained her eyes, trying to pierce the darkness.

Suddenly a dark form lunged at her. She dropped the flashlight to put her hands up and protect her face. She was hit roughly, knocking the breath from her lungs. Her head snapped back and she heard a crack as her skull struck something hard. The last thing she saw before blackness consumed her was sharp teeth and glowing eyes.

The wolf that was Marianna grabbed Jen's pant leg and began pulling her deeper into the mountains. She dragged her steadily for several miles to the deep cavern she had found. The wolf set Jen's supine form right at the edge of the cavern. Marianna then phased back to her human form.

Marianna shivered at the loss of her fur, but quickly shook it off and grabbed the buckets of wolf urine that Thad insisted she take, the ones she'd hidden the day before. She made it back to Jen's side just as Jen was beginning to moan and come to.

"Bloody hell," Jen groaned.

"I'm sorry, Jen. I'm sorry, but I have to do this." Marianna pushed Jen's legs over the edge of the cavern.

Jen gasped and her arms came flailing out as she reached to grab something, anything. Marianna gave another shove and Jen slid over the edge. Her stomach scraped against the stone as her shirt slid up; her nails tore as she scrambled to grab anything to keep her from falling.

Jen slid further and further, her feet pushing into any rock that might give her a foothold. Eventually she felt a protruding root and grabbed it, holding desperately onto the lifeline. She looked up and could just barely see Marianna in the darkness, leaning over the edge, a bucket of something in hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Jen asked, her voice tight with fear and the strain of holding on.

"You wouldn't understand." Marianna had tears streaming down her cheeks. "You have your mate. How could you possibly understand?"

"What about him," Marianna spat. "I don't see him. Do you, Jen? Who knows how long until I find him. It could take centuries, yet Vasile expects me to live alone, empty."

"He knows that only your mate will make the emptiness go away, Marianna," Jen said gently, trying to reason with the enraged she-wolf.

"I was happy with Drey. He made me laugh." Marianna's eyes clouded over as memories filled her mind. Then her face darkened. "Vasile found out and had Drey shipped off to the U.S. I was forbidden to see him, or any other human. The only way I can be with Drey is to no longer be under Vasile."

"Did you poison him?" Jen's eyes widened as her breath quickened.

"No. Thad did. Thad agreed to let me join his pack, and if I didn't find my mate among them, he agreed to let me go to the U.S. to find Drey. He told me I had to get rid of you. He figures getting rid of you will take care of the Beta as well. Decebel will either be killed by fighting Thad's pack or he will die searching for your body. He has plans for Fane, as well – they will be implemented in time."

Jen couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her arms were getting tired and beginning to shake. She had to try to get Marianna to change her mind somehow.

"Marianna, you don't have to do this. You could let me go and just leave. I won't tell anyone."

Marianna laughed. "Thad would kill me if I didn't finish the task he has given me. I'm sorry, Jen. I really liked you, but I love Drey and I won't spend my life hoping for a mate that I may never find."

She began to tip the bucket of liquid and Jen gagged as the stench hit her nose a second before the cold fluid drenched her. Jen sputtered and coughed, trying to keep it from her mouth.

"I am sorry about the urine, but Thad insisted," Marianna told her as she picked up another bucket and poured it. "He said it would cover your scent and it would take longer for them to find you."

Jen's hands began to slide as the root she was holding onto became slick from the urine. She tried to muffle the cry that came out when she slipped, only gaining her grasp at the last second.

"You would do anything to be with Decebel, Jen. That's what I have to do to be with Drey."

"Decebel is my mate, Marianna. It's not the same. You won't be satisfied with the human," Jen tried again, but knew it was hopeless as Marianna stood.

"I have to go, I don’t want them to come looking for me. I pray your death will be quick so you won't suffer." And then she was gone.

Jen stared up into the darkness, realizing just before her hands slipped free that she was going to die. A tear slipped down her cheek as her grip loosened against her will. She cried out hoarsely as she fell. It wasn't as deep as she thought, the fall didn't last long, but it didn't soften the landing. She hit the ground hard and once again, darkness took over.

Chapter 30

Sally finally spotted the purple flower herb. She ran, her flashlight bobbing over the ground. She fell down next to the plant and began digging to pull the plant up by the root. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew it had to have the root attached in order for the antidote to be potent.

She dug and dug, her nails caked with dirt, and finally pulled up several plants. She tucked them into her shirt and began to run again. Faster and faster she pushed herself, the urgency for her to return riding her like a pack of angry wolves.

Sally didn't give thought to Marianna or Jen, she figured they were big girls and could make it back on their own. She finally spotted the estate's massive gated entrance. As she hurried through the gate and rushed up the steps to the front door, she nearly ran into Cynthia.

"Umph," Sally grunted as she forced herself to stop. She looked up at the doctor. "Is he still alive?"

"Yes, but only just," Cynthia told her darkly. "I want us to do this in my office. I don't want to tell anyone what we're doing, and when we go up to give him the antidote we will tell no one that we have it."

"Do you know who poisoned him?" Sally asked as her eyes grew wider.

"No, but it had to be somebody in that little dinner party. I will try to get Fane and Decebel to clear the room, but both of them are very volatile right now." Cynthia cocked her head to the side. "Decebel especially so since he just realized his mate was missing."

Sally looked sheepishly at the ground. "She's out with Marianna looking for Wolfsbane."

Cynthia nodded once and echoed Sally's thoughts, "Well, they're big girls. They'll make it back. Now, let's you and I get this antidote made."

Cynthia pulled Sally into the mansion and they hurried to her office.

Sally worked quickly, removing the leaves and soaking them in the warm water. She filled the container until all that could be seen were floating, dusky leaves. As soon as the water was room temperature, she knew it was ready. She took the two vials and filled them.

Something clicked as she held the vials in her hands. Sally closed her eyes and felt the magic – that's all she could possibly call it – flow through her as she called upon the healing properties of the plant. Her mouth began to move as she spoke the words that appeared in her mind.

Decebel paced, his wolf was worried and hurt. Their Alpha was close to death. His Alpha's mate was close to death. And Decebel's mate had taken off without so much as a “bye, fur ball.”

Cynthia had just texted him that she and Sally were coming up with the antidote. Now they just had to pray that it worked, that Sally really was a healer – though it seemed that she was. He asked for everyone to leave except for pack members, and the others stepped into the room where only hours ago the Alphas had laughed and toasted their packs.

Decebel continued to stare down the wolves through the open door, his wolf seeking out the one who would dare to hurt Vasile, but his mind was a mess, clouded with too many feelings. He would be calmer once Jennifer returned. Once she was by his side, he would sniff out the traitor.

Fane pulled Jacquelyn into his lap and wrapped his arms around her, trying to control her shaking. She was in shock – as was he.

"Who would do this, Fane?"

"I don't know, love. My father is very powerful, and with power comes enemies. I just didn't think there were any among us."

Jacque left Fane and walked to the bed, climbing up next to Alina. She took her hand and held it to her heart. Tears down her cheeks as she watched the woman she had come to think of as a mother struggle for every breath.

"She's the sweetest woman I've ever met, Fane. So selfless and loving.”
Jacque couldn't stop the sob that forced its way from her chest. She leaned down over Alina and prayed for her to be spared, for them both to be spared.

Fane slid his arms around her. A single tear escaped down his cheek, for his parents and for his mate. So many deaths in the past months, so many lives wasted. And now more would be taken. Either his parents' or the one guilty of attempted murder.

Sally and Cynthia entered the room and Decebel closed the door behind them, shutting out the others. Sally walked quietly to the bed and climbed up next to her Alpha, for as his pack healer, he truly was her Alpha. Tears threatened to spill over as she thought about how she'd felt the poison in his system when pressing her hand to him earlier. It was slow, seeping into his cells, killing, destroying.

She pulled the vials from her pocket and tuned the room out as she unscrewed the lids. Placing a hand behind Vasile's head, she leaned forward and pressed the vial to his lips. Just as before, the words she needed to say flowed through her mind and out her mouth. She whispered close to his ear as she held the vial to his mouth, waiting to pour until his lips parted.

"Alpha mine, hear my voice. I am Sally, gypsy healer to the Romanian pack. I call on your wolf. Come forward and take care of the man who houses your spirit and protects your pack. Come forth, Alpha wolf, and trust that what I give you is to heal and not to harm."