chapter25

Will and I walked side by side as Grandfather led the way with Zanq. The cavern we were in was low but high enough that none of us had to squat; we just felt like the roof would collapse at any second. Did I mention I didn't like really tight spaces?

'Ok, calm,' I thought and looked at Will who was looking around like a puppy who had just been brought home. At least he was taking his eyes off the naked woman in front of him. Blinking I shook my head. 'I'm not getting jealous am I? God, what next?'

"Hey, Tasha," Will whispered and I cast a glance at him. "Yeah?"

"What do you think they will all look like?"

I shrugged. "Damned if I know. We just have to follow our naked beau and figure out where she's going.

"It is not far," Zanq said turning around with a small smile. "The hall is right up ahead. I know you grow tired but secrecy is important to my masters."

Arching an eyebrow, I tossed some of my hair behind my head. I hated wearing it loose. "Who are you hiding from?"

A sad smile this time. "You."

Before I could question her further, the hallway opened into a huge cavern. Torches hung at intervals and tapestries hung from the stone walls depicting the hunt, stars, dragons, and other animals, all done in rich colors. Pillows were strewn about the floor and large animals reclined on them. I don't mean just large, I mean cheetahs the size of the Budweiser horses, hawks with wing spans well over twelve feet, and bears that had to weigh over two tons. Three stone colored thrones sat at the end on the hall, each with a different person.

On the first throne, the farthest to the right, sat an older, muscular man. His skin was dark, not as dark as Grandfather's but as if he had an awesome tan. Piercing gray eyes stared out from a square, handsome face with gray hair flowing down his shoulders. As I looked closer, I could see what appeared to be wings folded behind him, seemingly dainty and fragile. His pants were a gray fur that matched the gray boots and the gray hawk that sat on the back of his throne. 'Geez, somebody could use some color,' I thought before turning my attention elsewhere.

Next to him sat nearly his complete opposite; a younger man with thick, wavy black hair, skin as pale as porcelain with indigo eyes. His body was lean, lightly muscled, poured into blue pants the color of his eyes, black boots encasing slender legs. A black lacy shirt, open from the neck down to the belly button drew your attention to the pale skin there and a red cross seemingly burned into his skin. Instead of an animal, a woman sat at the foot of his throne, wearing nothing save for black and white body paint.

The third person just didn't seem to fit. She was small, lightly boned like a dancer but with forest green eyes and red hair that extended well below her knees. 'And I complain about my hair,' I thought smiling. Even though she appeared to be no more than seven or eight years old, I knew this girl could kick my butt if she really felt like it and not even have to lift a finger. A wolf sat at her feet, a wolf about the size of me in my animal morph, and nuzzled the hem of her Victoria style white dress.

A triumvirate. Gabrile the Fairy, Francis the Vampire, and Amber the Wolf. Would it make me a punk to say that I was scared half to death?

"Gabrile, I am honored that you would allow me in your chambers," Grandfather said and bowed low. The fey stood and smiled ever so slightly. "You bring me honorable guests," Gabrile replied, his voice old and wise like my grandfather's. He descended the steps and tilted his head at me. "Tell me, your business here, young one."

I blinked. 'Why was he talking to me?' I squared my shoulders and cleared my throat. "We have come to ask for your help against the battle of Sayt and his demon army," I said as fearlessly as I could. Francis laughed, his voice like velvet along my spine, like something tangible. "And you've come to ask for our help?" he inquired and walked in front of Will, oozing pure sex appeal to every woman in the room. "After centuries of hunting us, you come and ask for our help. How cute."

Will narrowed his eyes, unnerved by Francis. I suddenly realized why he kept a woman as his 'familiar' rather than an animal. He was an incubus. 'Which probably why every woman in this room can't take their eyes off of him, including me.'

"We ask for your help humbly, with no strings attached," Will said evenly and Francis tilted his head again to regard me. "I can feel him, his life burns bright and so does Sleeping Panther's. But you...your passion is high but there is a void there," he smiled, showing a bit of fang. "It's almost if you are a vampire, if you do not take offense to that." I smiled in turn. "None taken."

Amber stood, laughing like a child but the laugh had the weight of age. "She is the WolfAngel of Death, Francis," she said, stopping in front of me. It was then I realized that I was a good foot taller than she was and I was short to begin with. "But there is a darkness in her heart, one that has been deeply buried."

"There is one in all of them," Gabrile said and my grandfather kept his look neutral but I could tell that when his jaw flexed, he wasn't too happy with Gabrile's statement. Will and I were just confused but rightly scared.

"You will have to learn how to open your minds and hearts, young ones," Amber replied and looked at me in the eyes. *Tell me, what troubles you so?*

I jumped. She hadn't talked, her mouth hadn't moved and yet I heard her. *I am inside of your mind, as Sleeping Panther does in his morph. Tell me, what troubles you so?*