WARNING- SOME MATURE CONTENT AHEAD

CASPIAN

"Son, this is really getting old."

"Where is she?" Caspian shouted, the tang of blood sharp on his tongue as his fang lengthened and pierced his lip.

Nerida didn't respond, turning her attention back to her lover, a large male from the Elephant Clan. She straddled his hips and began to rock against him. Leaning forward, she put her palms flat on the man's chest, and quickened her pace, her cheeks flushing as she neared the pinnacle she sought. For his part, the selkie beneath her didn't appear fazed by the appearance of another man. His hands tightened around her hips as he bucked upward, filling the room with the lewd smacking of flesh against flesh.

What Caspian was about to do was considered the height of rudeness in the selkie culture. If you stumbled upon a mating couple-something that happened quite often- you either joined in or departed without speaking. But until he got what he wanted, his mother was going to have to do without.

Reaching forward, he snatched her by the hair and pulled her off the bed. She screeched, her fingers clawing at his hands as he dragged her to the carpet in front of her fireplace. He released her, and she hopped to her feet, her own fangs bared and her fists balled. The flush spreading across her nude form had nothing to do with lust.

"How dare you?" she screamed and panic stirred within Caspian as the reality of his actions sank in. She could have him publicly whipped for something like this. Or worse, she could punish him privately, using the methods she favored during his childhood.

Behind him, he heard a satisfied grunt, and he looked over his shoulder to see the man had finished what his mother could not. With a sick smile, he bent over and snagged a towel from the floor. Tossing it to the man, he turned back to his mother and smirked.

"Looks like he was going to finish without you anyways."

Nerida's reaction was not what Caspian anticipated. She turned her anger on the man cleaning himself up. "You couldn't wait just a few more minutes?"

"He didn't look like he was joining us, and this fight didn't look like it was going to be quick," was the man's reply. He stood, stretching, completely unashamed of his nudity or his now limp appendage. "You can find me later. I'm sure you can rouse the party again. You always manage to. Besides, my mate will be home, and she's always happiest when another woman is involved."

Nerida dismissed him with a wave of her hand and a snarl. "I'll not be rousing anything you selfish ass. Be gone from my sight."

The man bowed and strutted towards the door. When his hand went to the doorknob, Caspian's mother called out once more.

"But do tell your wife I'd like to see her later."

When the door slammed shut, Caspian braced for the attack he was sure to come. There was no way Nerida would allow him to escape without facing the consequences of his actions, but instead, the woman covered herself and poured a glass of wine.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"I want an answer to my question. I've been told Meribella was last seen two days ago coming out of your rooms. She's not been seen since. Do you know how difficult it's been convincing Valencia we haven't harmed her grandchild?"

Downing her glass, Nerida poured another. "I don't know why you think I had anything to do with her disappearance. As you said, she was seen leaving my rooms."

Caspian grabbed his mother around the throat and slammed her against the wall. His skin tingled, eager to unleash the deadly venom all males of his kind possessed. "Do not play with me mother. I am not one of your whores."

"Are you going to kill me then son?" She looked up at him, not with fear but with something akin to pride.

"Did you have something to do with her going missing?"

"Yes."

He let her go and stumbled back. Part of him raged against the idea Meribella might be hurt, but the other part of him reminded him she was nothing but a pawn in a much larger game. No matter how he'd come to care for the half-breed, he couldn't let those emotions get in the way.

"What did you do?"

"What had to be done," his mother whispered, taking his hand in hers and running the tip of her finger along his palm. "Your daily dose of poison was doing its job. She was beginning to lust after you. I could smell it on her when your name was mentioned."

He knew what she said was true. He could smell it on her as well. Every excuse he had to touch her, he used, and each time, he injected her with a bit of the venom in his veins. Only, the purpose of this toxin was to generate desire. Many a male used it during trysts, but it had to be used sparingly. It could create addictions. Turn a partner insatiable. He rarely indulged in it himself for that very reason.

"Then why did you interfere?"

"You were moving too slow. We've had word from the mainlands that our little selkie's wolf king is causing trouble. It won't be long before he traces it all back to us, and then what do you think will happen? He will want her back at his side, and no amount of toxin can distract her from her soul mate. She must marry you before the next full moon."

"How do you hope to accomplish this? Outside of injecting her with a near lethal dose of my toxin?"

Nerida swallowed another mouthful of wine, the dark red liquid staining her white teeth. "That's exactly what we're doing. We've been feeding her a steady stream for the last two days, and a week from now, when she wakes up, you'll be the first thing she sees. She's going to be so horny, she probably won't be willing to wait until the claiming ceremony."

Caspian recoiled. He'd desired Meribella's body from the first day he saw her swimming in the ocean, the thick wet-suit she wore doing nothing to disguise her generous curves. But never like this. He wanted her willing and begging on her own accord. But he'd stood on his principles years before, and it resulted in the death of Kai. The same mistake wouldn't be made again.

"I thought we went over this," he said, rubbing his temples and dropping into a chair. "The consummation has to be willing."

"Oh she will be very willing. It's no different than what any other selkie male does to his lovers."

"But those partners ask for it. It's for heightening the experience, not rape. How do we know that won't interfere with the process?"

"By the time you take her to bed, the poison will be out of her system, but she's going to be convinced of her affections for you. Your job is to make her forget Raff ever existed, and if you can't do that, then she has to believe being with you is what's best for her people and for herself. I know what kind of girl Meribella is. She's like all the others in the Harpy Clan. Weak, pitiful creatures who think being self-sacrificial makes them better than others."

"And what of the rumors? If the goddesses are awakening, they could interfere. The power is made to choose its host, not be stolen."

Nerida patted her son on the cheek. Then, she dropped her robe and crawled onto her bed.

"You let me worry about that. You have one job, and it shouldn't be hard." She laughed at her little joke. "Now, leave me. Go find some willing woman to practice on. Word is you've not taken a lover in some time, and I need you to please Meribella when the time comes."

"Yes, mother," he spit out, turning on his heel. He hated this. Hated being controlled by her, but the clan hierarchy was ingrained with every fiber of his being- almost stronger than the bonds between shifters.

"And Caspian, do send the first person you see into my room. You owe me a replacement."

He let the door slam on her laughter. 

                                            ***************************************

RAFF

"Raff, wake up."

Cold water splashed on his face, and he sat up with a jolt. Thorne stood before him, a bucket in her hand and a frown on her lips. His Beta stood in the back of the room, his face mirroring the little witch's.

"How did you two get in here?" he croaked. He licked at the water on his face, using the moisture to ease the swelling in his tongue so he could speak clearly. "Are you both okay?"

"We're fine," Thorne promised, scurrying behind him. Her deft fingers went to work on the bonds around his hands. "But you look like hell."

"Seems Vivian was less inclined to murder me than she let on. I refused to align with her and Morgan so she's been attempting to persuade me."

"With her fists?" Lincoln snarled.

"Among other things. How long have I been missing?"

"I guess," Thorne looked at Lincoln as she counted, "four days? Lincoln and I woke up in the boathouse with no memory of how we got there. At least not at first. It's only through a few tracking spells and Nichols that we managed to figure out where you were being held."

"Let's go," he said, rubbing the sores on his wrists as he stood up. It took all his concentration to remain standing, but he appreciated neither of his friends moved to help him. He couldn't afford that kind of weakness. But he would need to eat, soon- and shift. Shifting was the fastest way to heal his wounds.

Lincoln and Thorne nodded, moving to the door and peering into the hallway. He followed behind, his ears alert for the sound of anyone approaching, but somehow they reached an outer door without being stopped.

"How the hell was that so easy?" he demanded, his eyes watering as he stepped into the sunlight for the first time in four days.

"Inside help," Lincoln explained, "but our window is closing. We've gotta get outta here."

"Where is here?" Raff asked, limping and looking at his surroundings.

The sea smelled stagnant, soured and decayed. The building they'd emerged from was crumbling, but it was large. A boardwalk extended well beyond that place, and led to multiple warehouses identical to Raff's prison.

"It's the old warehouse district," Lincoln explained, hooking his arm around Raff's waist, his eyes daring the Alpha to complain. "They shut it down when the new wharf went up, but it's apparently popular with the local drug dealers."

"But this isn't the same place we saw them bringing in shipments a few weeks ago."

"No, this is where the trucks go after picking up the shipments. From here, it goes to the little guys. They push it out the people."

Raff grinded his teeth together. This entire operation was much bigger than he thought, and now that he knew the truth about Vivian, he wondered if they could do anything to stop her without more help. Maybe it was time to ask Thorne about their High Priestess, Lux.

"Guys-"

The rest of his sentence turned to dust in his mouth as pain rolled through his head, buckling his knees and driving him to the ground.

"Raff!"

Panting, he held up a hand to keep Lincoln back. Through the haze of agony, he could feel her. Meribella. The bond he'd felt in the warehouse was back, but it was fragile. Was the hurt coming down the bond or was it an attack from nearby? Another emotion roiled through him- desire. Desire so strong, he almost moaned out loud. Stars flashed before his eyes. He was going to come in front of Thorne and Lincoln. He was going to-

"Raff?"

Raff let out a low growl, his forehead pressed against the rough wooden walkway. The lust had faded. It was still there, simmering beneath the surface. Just enough to agitate him. But pain was overwhelming it again. What the hell was happening to Meribella?

"I'm fine. Do we have a vehicle?"

The witch and Beta helped him to his feet. Within a few minutes, they'd left the warehouse district behind. The cool scent of damp earth filled his nose, and he almost sagged in relief. His wolf begged to get out, to roll in the dirt and leaves.

"You took long enough." Dorea leaned out of the driver's window of a rusty pickup truck. Aurora barked a greeting, her fluffy tail wagging behind her as she watched Raff approach.

"You didn't tell us he was in such bad shape," Thorne snapped. Raff raised his eyebrow, confused by the ire in the witch's voice.

"I figured he would've had a chance to heal. Come on. When Vivian gets to our meeting spot, and I'm not there, she's going to know something is up."

"Wait, why are you meeting Vivian?" He allowed Aurora to lick his face as he settled into the passenger's seat. Thorne and Lincoln climbed into the back. "Don't tell me you're in on this too. Fuck."

"Sorry kiddo. Guilty as charged, but I got in before I knew you were in the picture."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Dorea punched the gas, flinging gravel from the tires as they surged forward. "Morgan le Fay wants to build an army, and to do that she needed two things: the werewolves and my daughter's power."

Fur burst from his skin, and his nails lengthened. Only Lincoln's hand on his shoulder stopped Raff from shifting in the truck and killing them all. Another wave of pain and longing washed over him. "What have they done with Meribella?"

"Nothing good," Dorea admitted. "We need to get my girl and bring her back."

"How the hell are we supposed to find them? They're on a fucking island cloaked by magic," Lincoln shouted, his own nails lengthening and biting into Raff's skin.

"I don't know, but we have to get there or it's going to be too late."

"Too late for what?"

Dorea didn't answer Raff, but tears rolled down her face. Aurora let loose a mournful howl, and from a distance, he heard an answering call. This couldn't be happening. He'd sent her away to protect her, and now he couldn't get to her when she needed him.

"I think," Thorne said, leaning between the seats, her brown eyes snapping with excitement, "I know how to find them."

"How? A spell?" Dorea asked.

"No, silly. A map."