The Lycan Queens Dance with the Moon By Lenore Rose

Time is Commodity

Miriam marched down the hall with her black silk gown following her like a loyal dog. Her aubrun hair looked sparse and not as shiny as it once was.

She hit the dining hall taking everyone by surprise as they were setting up for the next meal and cleaning. Everyone stopped as she entered the room. Her heavy footsteps echoing against the rock walls.

She looked at some of them as she walked by, her eyes were pools of black not the usualy light golden brown. She didn't stop as she walked through.

She was headed to the kitchen and out the back door. If SHE was coming 'he' was going to have to defeat her once and for all and then he can have his body back, he could have his life back. He was sick and tired of dealing with this stupid female body. The thought of killing this body made him almost giddy.

She walked out into the courtyard and noticed how quiet everything was. The stillness almost caressed her face with deceiving calm that made a shutter vibrate through her body.

The footsteps of the barn manager disrupted her thoughts. He hurried to service her and bowed upon arrival.

"Saddle up my horse." She demanded.

He almost fell backwards as she looked at him with her black eyes. He could see thick blue veins under the skin. He had never her looking like this. He scurried away to do her bidding.

As she stood waiting for her horse she felt uneasy and anxious. He was totally unaware of what was happening inside her body that he had taken over.

Miriam inside Miriam

After he tossed Miriam into the darkness of her own mind she sat for a moment and then she could feel something near her. With her anxiety level off the charts she reached out her hand into the total darkness reaching for something but not knowing what. She felt her Lycan.

She was in a deep sleep. Miriam rocked her and her body made no indication of responding. She slowly ran her fingers over her smooth short coat. It was like touching velvet. She thought of all the times they worked together as a team. Tears gathered in her eyes and a pure saddness constricted her heart. She had betrayed her, her family and herself.

Miriam knew what she had to do and it made her sick to know what she needed to do but it was the only way.

Miriam and her Lycan had been separated chemically since the onset of her infection. Her Lycan was still working hard to keep the repairs up to her body but really had no idea what else to do. Separated they had no powers.

Her Lycan is the only reason they were still alive. She had heard him think it. Her fingers felt her velvety skin making her way up to her face. Her heart was racing, could she really do it? Did she had a choice, she had to try and make this right. Her fingers gliding down her cheeks making their way to her neck.

She placed both hands around her neck and kissed her cheek and then started to squeze. Her Lycan woke up but didn't finght back. Miriam was glad she could not see her eyes. Her beautiufl dark eyes. She hardend her grip on her neck and squeezed harder, her hands were almost cramping and she could feel the life pulsating under fingers as her heart worked harder. Her Lycan raised her hands to Miriams hands and then followed her arms until she reached her face. Miriam had hot tears streaming down her face as she felt her pulse getting weaker. Her Lycan caressed her cheek gently and then it fell away as her pulse stopped and her soul was returned to the moon goddess.

In the darkness she pulled her lifeless body close to hers knowing that it was just a matter of time now. Without her Lycan to repair the body, his rot would take it over and her body would descend into death. Miriam cried holding her Lycan and then it just faded away and for the first time in her life she was totally alone. She curled up into a ball and wrapped her arms aorund her knees and just waited.

Miriam on the outside

Miriam took her horse and mounted him. He was a beautiful dapple grey with a big thick chest and neck. He was bred to carry men with armor so seeing this lady on his with a black flowing dress seemed out of sorts.

As she got on she noticed that her hands were looking a bit green and she could see her veins through her skin.

She prodded the horse into a canter and took off down the driveway. The stable hand watched her go and was relieved that he had lived.

Nakita

She felt something shift in the universe as they set up camp and started helping the people who lived from being part of the monster. There was about 100 people in all that were well enough to live. The rest of them were in some stage of decay and some of them only moved because the others moved around them and they were just connected them.

The smell had been overwhelming but they were used it it by now. The village came out to help bury the bodies and clean up.

She found herself standing alone watching the sun set and the clouds rolled out. They had one more day left to stop whatever it was that was trying to get through the portal. After seeing what the demons do to people in the man on the edge of the river she wondered what lay ahead for them. She hoped she did not lose anymore people.

She felt his presence before he was there. Josh, her beautiful mate, always was close to her. It was hard for him to watch her fight alone, he had wanted to be there with her and would have died in the fight with the beast. She carried their child now, but she wasn't telling him that. Not yet anyway. That was the last thing he needed to worry about.

She felt his hand touch her waist and it instantly relaxed her as she leaned into him her back to his chest as the last rays of daylight faded away and the almost full moon danced in the sky low in the horizon.

She let out a breath and took in his scent as she carressed his arm with it curled around her. They stood silent together for a few moments just getting what they needed from each other. She loved him, truely and deeply loved him. She let those feelings course through her veins and thoughts, warming her from the inside.

Josh held her in his arms and he felt small compared to her Lycan body. He was still bigger than her but not by her whole head. The last few days have been challenging for him. Having to watch her do this stuff alone. He wondered what his purpose was if it was not to protect her. He could smell that she was with child but she hadn't told him yet. She was probably trying to protect him from worrying even more. He soaked her up, helping him feel whole again. Even having her do other things close was difficult sometimes.

As the very last ray of light disappeared her pulled her close "I know." He felt her body stiffen up and he just let the words hang in the air. Trenton was feeling a bit put off that she didn't tell them.

"I was just trying to protect you by not telling you. I don't want you to worry." She didn't turn to look at him and he felt the guilt through the bond.

"I know and its okay. Honestly there is nothing that could make me worry more, you are my whole world. I cannot live without you, I know that. " He paused for a moment "I cannot wait to celebrate it though." He smiled and caressed her belly wondering how many were in there.

She relaxed and smiled feeling much better that she wasn't keeping something from him. Even if it was for his own piece of mind. "I feel better now that you know. I don't want to tell anyone else."

"I agree with that" He kissed her neck happy to be where he is at.

Edward and MaryBeth

MaryBeth had just come out of a make shift tent as Edward waited outside for her.

"Hi" She said looking at him, wondering what to do. With her Lycan detached from her she would have to feel everything on her human side.

"Can we walk?" He had gotten the feeling that she was scared of something. It was hard for him to get a good feel of her without her Lycan communication.

She wiped her hands on her skirt that a villager had given her and nodded letting him lead the way. It was getting dark but having her all to himself meant they were going to have to walk into the woods a little bit.

He gentely reached for her hand and she let him take it, they walked in silence for a bit until he was sure they were alone.

"My Love, I know you are struggling. I can see it in your eyes and in your body." He paused. " I love you. It was that love and bond that has kept me alive for so long is some kind of suspended state."

"Susupended state?" She asked.

"For a while they had me on life support and after nine years they made the decision to pull the plug. Well I never died."

"Really?" Anger flared inside her. His own father tried to kill him.

"It was not a decision made lightly and it drove my Mother crazy. The point is that I am here because of our bond. I know you don't feel it but it is there and you need to trust that."

She stopped knowing that he was right. She turned toward him with big tears in her eyes "I don't know how...." Her voice faded away into sobs. "I don't know why...." Sobs interrupting her sentence again. She leaned into him and just started letting it all out. All the fear, all the anger, all of her self doubt.

He embraced her and didn't say a word. He just let her cry and hold him close. He closed his eyes and just let her essence invade every part of his body. His wolf was strong now with her around and he knew it would be just a matter of time before she would reconnect with her Lycan, he hoped.

Nakita and Josh

A snapping in the woods got their attention. Nakita was on high alert fading out all the other noise around her and focused just on that one noise from that one direction. She heard the grass crinkle under heavy feet. More than one set.