The Taming

A Twisted Ruse

The answer to his own question came to Sebastian immediately. To torment her. Why does the demon ever come for her?

It was the same process every time.

"He doesn't much care anymore." Deragan stared ahead. Unreadable as ever, but Sebastian knew the pain of it was crippling. "He just wants to have her under his sway. He believes that controlling her as a weapon against me, would be my undoing."

Sebastian knew the immense power and strength, boy physical and mental, of his alpha. But he knew that if Radix did ever manage to pull her under his wing, it would do exactly as intended.

I don't know if he could take it.

Deragan had been through much over the years.

Endless pain.

And he'd endured it all. For his pack. And for her.

Always, she comes back to him.

It was the most painful love story in history. At least, in Sebastian's opinion. And it all unfolded beyond human eyes.

Where they cannot see.

She'd returned time and time again. Her soul searching for him from the moment it entered a new human body. But what she was couldn't be concealed by human skin. It would seep out in the moonlit shade of her hair. The vivid blue of her eyes. And a luminescing glow which she could emanate.

Sebastian let that subject drop. "He's trying to confuse her? He thinks that will work with her?"

"It's worked with everyone else." Deragan said blandly. "He has no reason to think he can't wear her down. Life after life...If he exhausts her enough."

Except he tries even harder with her. Sebastian knew the old prophecy that foretold that I white-haired fallen would be the one to bear Radix's destruction. So, he can't allow her to live. Not if she's not on his side.

All that made Radix excessively cruel in his manipulations.

Forcing Deragan to do the same, in order to integrate himself in her life and to show her what they'd been.

It was a process.

It's always a process...

Which brought forth another question Sebastian had often wondered about. "How does he even get to her, with you right there?"

It's impossible to get past the alpha.

"He starts by invading her dreams." Deragan's blue eyes clouded with a mix of anger and pain. "He changes his face to look like me. Knowing that her soul will feel the connection. He tries to resemble me, to talk like me, to be as close as he can to me..."

"Which is why you have to disguise your face to get close to her."

"She gets confused." Deragan supplied. Confirming that assertion.

Deragan gave him a brief look. His face hardening. "This is the first time he's tried sending another in his stead, in the hope she'd find him more appealing."

"The Worthington boy? Is that what the demon is doing with him?"

"Yes." Deragan continued. "He's having the boy make her miserable, toy with her and torture her enough she'll run, in her confusion, straight to Radix disguised as me."

"It's sick."

"That's Radix." Deragan agreed.

"But." Bast chuckled knowingly. "That's why you spent all that time Spirit Running to her."

Spirit Running was the act of letting one's body rest to send their spirit winding out to visit or check on others or things.

It was a fine art. One that Deragan had done well learning.

He and Chavias had been practicing together before Chavias was dragged away by the cimmerii in the Great Battle.

"So, she would have someone to turn to when she's confused." Deragan admitted it. "I don't want her to ever feel alone."

"If you've done all that, then what concerns you now?"

"I'm trying to leave her be."

"Why?" Bast was appalled. "It seems it was working so well!"

"Because now that she's seen me in the flesh, she's piecing it together quicker than I'd anticipated."

"Ah, that's our girl."

Deragan turned his head to give Sebastian a scathing look. "You know what I mean. She's your mate, but our sister."

Deragan nodded.

"She's angry with me." Deragan sighed. "Not at all how I intended to reveal it."

Bast opened his mouth to ask but was unsure what to say.

"Will she stay that way long?"

"She thought I was a ghost. Now she knows I'm not." Deragan emphasized.

"What does she think you are?" Bast asked tentatively.

"A very alive liar."

Sebastian grimaced in sympathy. But composed himself and eyed his friend and alpha. "You sure about that?"

At his friend's softening tone, Deragan shot him a look. "What are you driving at, Bast?"

"She's likely hurt, but undoubtedly hopeful that the person she's been talking to is real. She has to feel your connection. She always has before."

Deragan stared at the Worthington Manse consideringly.

Deragan crossed his arms over his chest.

Content to stand in silence with his comrade, Bast spun his head in surprise when Deragan spoke.

"You know if that little valkyrie of yours wizens up and keeps you around she'll be a lucky..." Deragan struggled for a term. "Female."

"Wise or not, I'm not giving up until she does." Bast flashed his crooked grin.

Deragan snorted. "Of that, I'm certain."

Sebastian wandered away to patrol the other side of the estate.

Deragan watched him go. Laughing and shaking his head. But his attention was captured when a shadow was cast over the Worthington Manse. Catching Deragan's eye.

He glanced up.

So did Sebastian. They both caught the underside of the shimmering beast.

Reddish brown, nearly the same shade as the mist-soaked wood trunks of the trees bordering the drive of the Manse.

"Acharius?" Sebastian breathed. Watching the dragon coast overhead.

He looked back toward the tree that Deragan had been standing behind. They shared a look.

It was unlike Acharius to be so far from the den where he guarded their artifacts. And more unusual was the form he'd chosen to take.

They all knew that they weren't to travel as dragons unless something dire had happened.

So far from Dread Hideout? Sebastian was alarmed. What's wrong?