The Cost of Betrayal

Chapter Thirty-seven

Birsha opened the door to his cottage and looked around. The silence unsettled him, he could feel something was a miss. "Maura. Love! Where are you?" He called as he walked into the living room. He lifted his nose in the air, attempting to smell the delicious scents of cooking that usually greeted him. He had been gone for a few days now, ever since their anniversary. However, instead of delectable scents filling his nostrils, he was greeted by the foul scent of spoiled food. He walked into the dining room and gave a look of disgust. The table was still set with the plates of their dinners from three days ago. "Where the hell is she?" He could feel himself getting angry at her lack of housekeeping skills.

He strode down the tiny hallway to their bedroom. He was half expecting to find her in their bed crying. He opened the door, shocked that their bed was made as if she hadn't even been in it. He slammed the door of their room, "Where did she go?!" His anger was building as quickly as a brush fire as he searched the rooms for her.

Suddenly, he could hear a whisper in his ear, "She's not here." He turned around, looking for the source of the sound. Shocked to hear someone that clearly didn't belong in the house.

"Who is that?" Birsha snapped. His mind immediately went to, she was cheating on him and this bastard was taunting him.

The disembodied voice chuckled, "Someone with a tip."

"What?" Birsha asked suspiciously. He was still trying to see if he could find a body to match the voice. He couldn't place it, but it sounded so familiar.

"You're not going to find me. I'm not here." The voice acknowledged. "Now, for the important part. Don't accept it."

"Accept what?" Birsha was confused. Who was this? Where was this voice coming from?

"Trust me," the voice soothed. "I know what's good for you." The voice seemed to wrap itself around Birsha, like a constrictor. Tightening its hold on and tickling his ear. "Don't forget the necklace," he reminded Birsha. He wasn't about to let his chances go.

At the mention of the necklace, Birsha perked up. "Oh, yeah." He hadn't had to use his "lucky charm" since he had returned it to her, but it seemed it would now come in handy. His dark smile spread across his lips, an action that should bring people happiness was now capable of causing others great fear.

He recited the words that he recalled from the little black book that had appeared in his hands just a few short years ago. Then he went about the kitchen tidying it up. His mood was slightly better, knowing she'd be back soon enough. The malodorous scent of rotting food was causing his stomach to churn. He scraped the spoiled food into the trash can and cleaned up the remnants of the dinner. He was calm now, holding onto what the mysterious voice had said. She never took that necklace off, not since he returned it to her.

*******

Maura gasped in pain as the necklace began to burn the delicate skin around her neck.

"What is it?" Bella asked, concerned.

Maura's hands were at the neck pulling the necklace away from her skin. The flesh beneath her hands was bright red. "It's burning me." She turned to her mother, confusion filling her eyes. "Why?"

Bella approached her daughter and looked at the necklace. She could feel something dark coming from it that was battling the spell that her own mother had placed on the necklace. "Take it off, Maura. I need to look it over." She turned from her daughter to lift her phone to her ear and call Lillith. She knew that they would surely have something to help her heal the tender skin, as all of her supplies were back at home. She was mentally cursing herself, why didn't she notice this before?

"I'll be right up," Lillith replied. She turned to Nervem, "Dear, we need to get hold of the wolves' moon goddess. This just got more serious."

"What has happened?" he asked, looking up from his paperwork. He had been working on plans to make the other part of their island a resort of sorts for mythical creatures. He had been receiving help from an unlikely source and wanted it to continue. He just wasn't sure about how to deal with this.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I feel that she would be beneficial to Maura's plight."

Nervem chuckled, "Be that as it may, will the Fates allow this?" He knew all about the fates and what they could do.

Lillith shrugged, "I don't know, but since this young lady needs to reject her fated mate she will need all the help she can get."

Nervem nodded, "I'll contact Alexei and Troy, one of them should be able to help."

"Good, I'll be back in a few minutes, Bella needs me now." Lillith left without another word.

Nervem knew at this point to just let his wife do what she needed to do. It was nice to see her not dwelling so hard on their daughter. He missed her too. But she was gone and not coming back. He carried her tiny body himself. He wished that she could move on from that like she had encouraged so many others to do. He lifted the office phone to his ear and dialed the number to the Dragonmoon Pack first. Alexei was a dangerous man when crossed. Nervem knew of Alexei's connections but kept them silent out of respect. He never hurt anyone or anything that didn't deserve it, and he could see that he was raising his son to do the same.

"Hello, Nervem, how are you?" the strong accent of Alexei's heritage coming through loud and clear on the phone.

"Hello, Alexei, I was wondering if you had any way of contacting your moon goddess?" Nervem knew that his words sounded strange, but it was the only way he could think to ask.

Alexei chuckled at the question, "My friend, she's not someone we can just summon when we want to have a conversation. Why do you need her?"

Nervem filled Alexei in with what he knew about Maura's situation.

Alexei could hear the confusion and concern in his dragon friend's voice. "What is so special about this young witch?"

Nervem sighed slightly, "That's the thing, all she knows is she's destined to save her coven. From what, no one knows."

"Hmm," Alexei said thoughtfully, "And just what does that have to do with the moon goddess?"

"She's fated to someone, and she's a witch," Nervem said. "Need I remind you that they rarely get fated mates and when they do, it's to one of our kind?"

Alexei was beginning to see what the problem was, "Oh, they're both witches. Hmm, that does pose a problem and probably why the moon goddess has not gotten involved in this."

"Exactly."

"I'll see what I can do," Alexei said calmly and hung up the phone. He shook his head in disbelief. Just when he thought things couldn't get much stranger, this happens. He wondered what would happen when his son finally met his own fated mate and who she would be. He hoped it would be a good pairing. He looked skyward, "Moon Goddess, there is a woman in need of your assistance. Please find it in your heart to help her."

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

Selene was tending to an injured nightjar. "You poor thing, the wing looks bad." She cooed at it as she examined the injured wing. She heard the prayer of the Alpha and was curious. She gave the nightjar a handful of ants and grasshoppers, "I'll be right back."

She appeared in Alexei's office, "You asked for my help?"

He smiled in welcome, "Yes, Nervem called me. There is a witch in need of assistance."

At the mention of a witch, Selene's heart sank. She knew of a special witch that she was already well entangled in. "What is her name?" She hoped it wasn't who she thought it was.

Alexei filled Selene in with what Nervem had told him. Selene relaxed a little, this wasn't the one she was already involved with. But how did this fated pairing come into play? She was curious as to how this happened.

"I'll help her where I can, but I will need to speak with Hecate, first."

Alexei nodded, "I understand. Thank you. I feel that this young woman will be helpful to us in the future."

Selene wasn't so sure, "We shall see." She disappeared as silently as she had appeared, going directly to see the Fates.

"Ladies, I have received a prayer from an Alpha, there is someone in need of my assistance?" she questioned. She knew to take this lightly and hoped that they would receive her well.

Atropos barely contained her eye roll as she looked up from her snipping, "What are you doing here? We didn't summon you."

Selene looked at the Fate responsible for death with a raised brow, "When one of my wards," she pointed to herself, "Summons me to help another creature. I can only assume that you are involved."

Clotho laughed, "Like Esmerelda and Bodhi, right? That one wasn't one of your wards." The weaver not so gently reminded the moon goddess.

Selene huffed, "That was not my intention!"

Lachesis stepped in, "Enough, who summoned you?" She asked, she wasn't in the mood for bickering.

"Alexei of the Dragonmoon Pack," Selene told her.

"And who did he say needed your guidance?"

Selene was puzzled, "A young witch named Maura."

"Why?" Clotho asked.

Selene shrugged, "I have no clue, other than she needs support."

Lachesis exchanged a knowing look with her sisters, "She will probably be more useful for this than Hecate."

At the mention of Hecate, Selene bristled slightly. Asmodeus, her own soul mate, was notorious for sleeping with all the women he could. And Hecate made sure that Selene knew about it.

Clotho waved her shuttle at Selene, "Don't let your feelings for her get in the way of this young lady."

Selene nodded, "I know. Who is this Maura?"

"Someone with a strong destiny, but a long path ahead of her."