Blood Rite: MATE

Chapter Fifteen ~ Finding Answers

"It's almost surreal." Diana said as she stared at the sleeping Tala. They had left the compound as soon as they heard about Tala's return.

"And she just turned back? Nothing special happened?"

"I don't know. One second Lycus was running with Rudy and shortly after I shifted back, I heard Tala's laugh and she was back." Luke whispered. He still couldn't believe it himself. Was she really back?

"Where's Tia?" Diana asked.

"Mom and dad are out now trying to find her." Reika told her bringing her a cup of coffee.

"For people who were so insistant on me getting sleep, you guys are being awfully loud." Tala joked before steching and sitting up.

"I had to see you." Diana explained. Her heart dropped when she heard Tala speak. This all still felt like a dream. "I had to make sure it was true . . . that you were actually back." Diana did her best to keep her composure.

"I'll go see if Blaidd needs any help and let you guys catch up." Before Tala could object Luke was already half way down the stairs.

"Is it just me or is he avoiding me?" She asked with a sad note to her tone.

"He's trying to figure out what the rougues want while keeping you safe. He's got alot going on. I wouldn't worry."

"Diana's right. He never left your side when you were Rudy, He's not going to leave your side now." Reika assured her. "I'm sure as soon as they get the rogue to start talking, he will come see you."

"What rogue?" Tala asked in confusion.

"The one that was captured during the last attack on the farm." Diana explained.

"Where is he?" Tala asked with her brows furrowed. Sounding almost panicked.

"Don't worry." Diana said while placing her hand on Talas. "He can't hurt you, we won't ever let them hurt you again." She reassured her.

Tala closed her eyes. Ignoring everything and everyone for a moment. 'Where could he be?' She asked the depths of her mind and found the answers.

"I'm going to get dressed and I'll meet you guys downstairs." Tala said when she opened her eyes again.

Reika and Diana looked at each other in confusion.

"Okay" they both answered. Getting up to leave Tala to her privacy.

Tala got dressed as quickly as she could. As soon as she was finished she snuck passed everyone and rushed into the cellar. She had about ten to fifteen minutes before someone went to check on her.

Tala made it down to the cellar which looked like a normal cellar. There was a room with wine racks and one which was used as an underground greenhouse. They didn't want to be mixing poisonous plants like wolfsbane and nightshade with their zucchini's and carrots.

The only other things in there were book shelves and a few arm chairs. Tala closed her eyes and was drawn to one of the furthest wine racks. On one of the shelfs she noticed a wine bottle out of place and not as dusty as the others. Pulling on it opened a secret passage. Behind it revealed a long dark corridor. She couldn't see anything but she entered in anyway.

Since the moment her sisters brought up the rogue, Rudy began relentlessly nudging her to go talk with the him. Soon her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Tala didn't know much about being a werewolf but figured the night vision must be because of it.

"Oh, Hey Tala." Blaidd greeted as soon as she made it half way down. "What are you doing here? Did you come to see the rogue."

Tala remained quiet but nodded her head.

"He's right this way." She followed Blaidd down the long brick corridor."

He unlocked the first door and reavealed a room with a giant one way window. She could see beyond that to an open area.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Come here" He motioned her closer to window. "The room you see is the interogation room. Beyond that are the cells which is where he is. Its beyond that door."

"So lets go to the cells."

"We can't do that. Luke told me not to let anyone but him in. I have to keep this key guarded at all times." He said showing her the key that was around his neck. "We have to wait until Luke gets back."

"Where is he?"

"He just went into town real fast so he may not be back for a little while."

"Alright." She said giving in. "Can you lead me back?"

"Of course come on."

Blaidd led her to the end of the hallway. Before going up the stairs, Tala turned to look at Blaidd. "Thank you and I truly am so sorry for this hassel."

"It's not a prob . . " Before he could finish his sentence Tala had flipped over behind him. Gracfully grabbing the key, chain and all, from off his neck. Before he could process what had just happend Tala was already unlocking the first door.

"WAIT!" He yelled after her. But it was too late. She had already locked herself inside and was working on unlocking the door to to the interrogation room.

Not knowing what to do, Blaidd rushed to call Luke.

"LUKE! LUKE!" He called running out of the cellar to get a better connection.

"Whats going on." Rick asked as he walked up with Tami. They still couldn't find Tia.

"It's Tala!" He told them out of breath.

"What about Tala?!" Luke asked paniced as he walked up. His tone loud and demanding. His wolf had sensed something was wrong and Luke turned back to check on everyone.

"She's locked herself inside the integration room with the rougue!" He told them. Panic swept over everyone. Even Diana and Reika who were close by listening. They all rushed downstairs to find her.

"How did this happen?" Luke demanded. His voice booming. They were able to get into the first room but there was no way they could get in to the intergation room. She had propped a metal table up to the door to ensure of it. Everyone was visibly upset. Reika and Diana banged on the glass to get her attention but she couldn't hear them.

"She wanted to see the rogue. When I walked her back up, she stole the key and locked her self in. . . it all happened so fast. . . She was so fast."

They all watched as Tala brought the rogue to interogation room. She was so much stronger than she was before.

They all held their breath as they watched her untie all of his bindings. Allowing him to sit comfortably in the chair. She sat in the chair in front of him so that they could be face to face. Their sides to the window.

"What is she thinking?!" Reika asked worried for her sister. They watched as Tala moved hair from the mans face gently and caressed his face. He seemed to move into it. The action sent a tinge of jealousy through Luke.

For thirty long minutes the family could do nothing but watch helplessly as she talked to him.

Oddly enough he was just sitting still, listening as if in a daze.

"I wish we could hear them." Rick said. Without both sides of the speaker on, the couldn't hear anything.

"Wait I think she's coming." Luke said with relief as Tala walked to the door. But before he could say anything she held up her hand to him to silence him.

"I need to speak with Tia." Tala told them impatiently.

"What were you thinking?!" Demanded Luke but Tala ignored his outburst.

"Where is Tia, I need to speak to her and only her." She told them.

"She's still missing." Tammi told her. Something weird was going on.

"Where are you going?" Reika asked when Tala began to walk towards the hallway.

"To talk to Tia." She answered blankly.

"But she's still missing, we can't find her." Tami told her again.

"You can't, Rudy can." Tala told them as she made her way down the hall towards the stairs.

"You would need to shift to do that, I thought we agreed we wouldn't try that until Tia came back." Reika asked following after her. They were all begining to worry. Tala wasn't acting like herself.

"I don't need to shift." Tala answeswred blankly.

*Flashback*

"They wont tell you, you have to sense him. You have to find him. Now!" Rudy told Tala. She closes her eyes to concentrate on her voice.

"Reach into the darkness, Sense the life around." Rudy continued. Tala could sense Diana and Reikas presence. In the darkness was white glowing balls where they were sitting. "Good job." Now sense farther. Let your mind go through the house. There are no walls that we can't see through." Soon Tala could see the rogue. He was under the house. In a place she didn't even know existed. She could see his soul. White with reddish black almost engulfing it. Evil was taking over him.

Tala could see that only one person was there to keep watch. It was now or never. She needed answers but how would she get passed her sisters?

"I'm going to get dressed and I'll meet you guys downstairs." She said quickly and absent mindly. Her sisters look at each other in confusion before leaving.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Tala jumed up and quickly got dressed. Grabbing a sweatshirt and throwing on some jeans. She grabbed her boots. Holding them as she moved as quietly as she possibly could. She snuck passed Diana and Reika who were both sitting at the kitchen island. Taking the opportunity that had presented itself when Reika refilled their coffee cups and their backs were turned away from the staircase.

She didn't know how it would go with Blaidd but she hoped to wing it.

After getting the key and a few moments of being with the rogue, something in her changed. Almost like something was activated.

"We need to see Tia now!" Rudy told her urgently. Neither of them knew what was going on.

*Present*

Tala was out the door and into the forest before anyone could stop her. She had to find Tia. She was the only one who understood what was going on.

Rudy helped her smell for Tia. Tala was almost overwhelmed by her new senses already but with Rudy helping it was even more intense.

Soon they came to Tia who was soaking in a muddy pond. She was accompanied by a couple of wood nymphs.

"Hello dear, I was wondering when you would come find me." She greeted Tala. "Come join us, you seem tense and this mud has many healing minerals that can help."

"How did you know I turned back?" She asked cautiously.

"The goddess that protects this land told me. She knows about everything that happens on her land. I knew it would be just a matter of time before you came to find me, so I figured I would get as much relaxation time as I could before we have to deal with what happens next." She stretched and began to get up out of the mud. Tala follows as Tia walks to a nearby pond to clean up. She had never been this deep into the forest before. It was beautiful. She could feel the magic every where.

"Before the darkness comes?" Tala asked quietly.

"What darkness?" Tia asked with her eyes fixed on Tala.

"You answer first, why were you expecting me?"

"Your new powers are growing, your more powerful than you have ever been. . . . and Soteria may have also told me that you would need me and that I needed to be prepared." She shrugged. "So your turn since it seems you know more about my friends cryptic message. What darkness?"

Tala didn't even know where to begin. "I don't know. . . This is going to sound crazy but before I transformed back I was trapped. Inside this darkness. Until three lights in the form of the triple goddesses came to me." Tala paused for a moment, almost waiting for a remark but Tia remained attentive and quiet. Tala continued. "They told me to find what was missing in the darkness, that if I searched it, I would find the truth. That I need to work with Rudy and accept the gifts that were granted to me."

"What gifts?"

"I don't know . . . but it may have something to do with why I needed to find you. . ."

"What's going on?" Tia could sense her panic.

"I did something to the rogue but I don't know exactly what I did." She confessed honestly.