Chapter Forty-four

Wolf sprinted back to Elvira's side. He hoped Celina did not get lost on the way, and he hoped that once he returned to Elvira, her eyes would be open. He was worried about that nasty bump on her head. When he reached her side, he knelt down beside her and gazed tenderly down into her face only to see that her eyes were still closed. He looked up for Celina and saw her approaching.

Celina hesitated for only a second as the big, black dog looked up at her. She didn't know who he was at first, but a sniff told her that it was Gonk. She looked at him oddly. "So you're a shapeshifter, too?" she asked the canine before turning her attention fully onto Elvira. She knelt beside Wolf, gently touched Elvira, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate. As the healing power flowed out of her and into Elvira, the blood began to disappear from her hair and the wound to heal itself.

Wolf held Elvira's hand and watched as the blood disappeared. He hoped there was not internal damage but knew that Celina could take care of it if there was.

It was a moment after Celina finally pulled away and looked back at Elvira through concerned, blue eyes before the Vampiress began to stir. Her black eyes fluttered open slowly, and she found herself gazing up into Wolf's handsome face. "W-Wolf?"

"Thanks, Celina," Wolf told her even as he pulled Elvira up into a hug. "Glad to see you're awake, baby. I missed ya!" He hardly noticed when Celina left or when Gonk trotted away. He pressed his lips gently to hers.

Elvira had enjoyed Wolf holding her close but relished his kiss even more. Her hands slid up over his chest as she returned the kiss, her lips parting underneath his. She vaguely remembered trying to catch him on the Giant, being hit, and falling, but none of that mattered now. All that mattered was that they were still together and, even after seeing what a failure she was in a fight, he still wanted her.

He broke the kiss off for a minute. "Do you need blood or anything, sweetheart, or are you able to travel?"

She frowned, trying to think back to when she had last drank. "It . . . might be a good idea," she admitted at last.

"I'll take you to one of the dead Giants and get a vein started for you. No use wasting it." He picked her up and headed for the nearest one he could see. His neck was cut pretty bad, but still no one had managed to cut the jugular. He took a dagger out of his boot and sawed at the jugular for a minute. It was exposed enough that he was able to make it bleed. He moved back to allow her access and discovered that he had it all over his hand. He didn't want to wipe it on his shirt, so he licked it and was surprised to see that it tasted good.

Elvira had been surprised that he was so ready to get her nourishment but did not let that show. Instead, she smiled at him and, with a "Thank you", moved forward to the Giant. She looked at the hole, took a deep breath, and then pressed her mouth to it. As the blood began to trickle down her throat, a little missed her mouth to run down her own neck.

Deciding that he liked the blood very much, Wolf moved in closer. Seeing the blood trickling down Elvira's neck, he licked it, not wanting to miss a single drop.

Elvira sighed in pleasure as Wolf licked the blood from her neck and moved her head so that more ran down her pale skin. One of her hands rested on the Giant, but the other reached behind her to find his sword.

"Hungry, are we?" he whispered next to her neck. "I'm ravenous!" He allowed the blood to trickle down her breasts and began to nibble between them, licking the blood and giving a swipe at each of the perky buds that grew hard at the mere flick of his tongue.

"For you," Elvira moaned between suckles, "I'm always . . . starving!" Her hand had found the rising bulge in his pants, and she squeezed it gently even while her fingers caressed his sword through the tight cloth.

"It's too soon after your injury, sweetheart. We might should wait until we go home?" He hoped she'd say no, because he didn't want to wait but had to be a gentleman. He couldn't just jump her bones then and there, even though that's what his body wanted to do!

It did not even take a thought for Elvira to know that she would rather feast on Wolf than some dead Giant. At his words, her mouth lifted, and she turned to look at him. Her tongue licked the blood from her lips even as her hands moved to her own body. With a quick, fluid motion, she stripped.

Wolf needed no other invitation! He dropped his pants and stepped out of them. His sword sprang to life, stiff and firm, and he lifted her into his arms and brought her down upon it. It shot home immediately, and they began to feast with their bodies being each other's banquets and the Giant's corpse their table.


Upon arrival, Katrina took in the scene. Jareth seemed to be unconscious, laying on the ground. He was covered in bruises, and his clothes were almost torn completely off. What remained was mere strips of black cloth. She knelt on his other side as Delvira stayed on her knees beside her husband. She reached out and touched him, willing strength and healing into him and blanking out the world around her.

Delvira had barely been able to stop herself from warning Katrina to get away from Jareth. She knew the woman was trust-worthy and that she had her own man, but she did not realize that she was a healer until she heard her murmuring words in a language that not even she recognized.

Jareth's skin began to heal, and the color returned to his body. Seconds later, his eyes opened. "Delvira?" his voice croaked out, but it too was reviving. "Where are we?" His hand reached up to touch his wife's cheek.

Katrina opened her eyes, then moved away from the couple. She began to walk around to each of the ones who were in bad shape, healing those that she could.

Delvira cupped one hand around Jareth's where it gently touched her face while her other reached down to his handsome face. Her eyelashes batted away the relieved tears in her black eyes. "Giant Land, but it's okay now, sweetheart. We're all here, and they didn't eat any of the others either."

"I dreamed you. I could see you, but I couldn't touch you. The crystal balls showed me. They didn't work when I was at home. I don't know why, but I couldn't see you. I kept trying to see you, but it was as though we were blocked from each other. I thought they had taken you away from me, and I wanted to die."

"Then we were tossed back on this accursed island straight into the path of a Giant, and Ludo would not shut up! I'm going to kill him when I get better! He called for the rocks they used to pelt us with! He never shuts up! He just keeps calling them and calling them and calling them! In fact, he sank our ship!" He didn't know if she knew that little fact or not.

"I thought he did that that night, because he was scared and stupid. It's getting to be too much of a habit, but we'll teach him not to open his mouth unless we say so. It'll just take another hard hand." She shrugged and tried to make light of the situation. "We can pretend he's Hogwart."

Jareth laughed. "No, he's just a big, scared kid. We have to take better care of them, Delvira. They are our family. Most of them are ugly, but they're all children, our children. I don't want to go back there, and I don't want to have to do that job again. There has to be another way."

She gazed down at him with sad eyes. He was always like this when he came back from another dealing with yet another bit, but she knew just as well as he did that things could not be changed and that their anger and frustration would again lead them to treating the others the same way as always. She felt eyes on her, and her dark eyes lifted to see Teak watching them fearfully. "I don't want things to go back the way they've been either, Jareth, but we don't have a lot of choice. Maybe we can manage to treat them better this time, though, when they behave. I . . . hum, I had to take a few more out."

Jareth sat up. "Teak, what are you doing here?"

"Teak come rescue Master. Tried to help Mistress."

"Good boy, Teak. Where's Trely?"

"Asleep."

"He wanted to eat her, she and Hogwart both. I told him they were not good to eat. For some reason, he wanted both of them. If he had wanted to eat Ludo, I could have understood that a lot better. Is Hogwart okay too?"

"Teak see Hoggle sitting by Trely. Master want Hoggle?"

"No, not now. Just wanted to be sure they're okay. Every one accounted for?"

Delvira was about to assure Jareth when she noticed that what remained of his pocket was wriggling. She reached a finger in and pulled Worm out. "How are you doing, little fella?"

"The Missus got ate," he informed Jareth.

"Sorry," Jareth told him. "I tried to save every one. Are you sure she got ate?"

"Oh, yes! Now I won't have to be inviting people in to see the Missus all the time! You set me free, Master!"

"You don't miss her?" Jareth asked incredulously.

"No. Now I'm a free worm!"

Delvira could not help herself. Shaking her head, she laughed.


Angel sat on the ground beside Crys and held her hand. He didn't know how long she was going to be out, but he knew she wasn't going to be happy when she woke up. He was pondering the question of whether or not he should tell her that she blew the Giant apart when she opened her eyes or wait until she said something about it. He had seen it and had marveled at the strength that one beautiful, frail woman had in her fingers.

He wished Lorne had been able to see it, but Lorne wasn't a fighter and would have only gotten himself killed if he had come so Angel had not bothered to tell him in time. Lorne was like a brother to Angel, and there was no way that Angel was going to tell him what Crys had done. Crys would have to tell him. She was his new sister. He hated keeping secrets from him, but he just didn't feel right with this one. He didn't want to see Lorne running in fright from a woman who could whip his ass with both hands tied behind her back.

Blue nudged him. "Yes, Blue?" Angel asked, and Blue told him that Crys knew what she was doing but that she wasn't going to be happy. He should be ready for a bumpy ride.

Cindy gazed down into Crystal's face, her tail cutting through the air behind her like a nervous whip. She was tired of just waiting for Crystal to wake up for she grew more worried with each passing second. She knew how to wake her but had held off. Now she gave Angel a warning look before turning her attention back to Crys and beginning to gently lick her face.

Angel watched as Cindy licked Crys, hoping it would wake her up. Every time he thought Cindy didn't give a crap to anybody, she took an extra second to help somebody. He didn't say anything; he didn't want Cindy to stick him in the butt with a claw. Just because he was a Vampire didn't mean he couldn't feel pain, and he'd had more than enough to last a lifetime. He now knew how to avoid it and did so at every opportunity, but it did not mean he ran from a fight. In fact, he enjoyed fights. He just didn't actively seek out pain in foolish places.

As Crys slowly began to come to, the first thing she became aware of were Cindy's gentle sandpaper kisses. "Cin . . . " Her hand reached out to swat at her but fell softly against the lioness' face. "Cindy . . . What?" She tried to focus her dazed mind.

Angel moved closer to Crys. "Hello, sunshine. Welcome back to the world." He smiled down at her. Blue began to coo and lifted off of Angel's shoulder and settled down on Crys. Now that she was awake, he was long overdue for some attention, and Cindy wasn't going to get it all!

Crystal reached out to Blue in addition to Cindy and began to gently scratch both even as her eyes opened and she gazed up into Angel's smiling face. "Hey . . . What . . . happened? The others . . . " Then the realization that she had not heard nor seen Lorne struck her, and panic touched her ice blue eyes. "Where's Lorne! And Elvira!"

"Lorne and Elvira are back at home," Angel was quick to reassure her. "I know you haven't figured it out yet. You haven't had time. Lorne's got a good heart, but he's not a fighter. He's a . . . musician," Angel opted to use the word loosely. "I try to keep him out of every fight that it is possible to keep him out of. He wouldn't have been any help here and quite possibly would have gotten himself killed. I'm not sure how Elvira got left behind. It might have something to do with Donkey. It seems that those two are interested in each other."

Crystal smiled albeit with a touch of sadness. "I noticed that this morning when they got caught in the tub together." Seeing the look in Angel's eyes, she hurried to amend, "Not like that! He got stuck in there, and she was trying to help him out when she fell in too."

"I bet you had a hard time getting them out. Those tubs are kind of steep. Why didn't you call me? I'd've been a lot more help than Lorne, and I am a lot stronger than him. How'd you get them out?"

"Kitty helped us by phasing Donkey. And go easy on Lorne," she told him. "You're right. I didn't know he's not a fighter, but it takes a strong man not to fight."

"Lorne is a very strong man. He's very loving and giving, but he's extremely gentle. Most people see him and think immediately he's a monster, but there's never been a furtherer thing from the truth. He couldn't be a monster if he had to be although his life has never been good. I'm glad you two are together. You'll be good for each other, but you'll definitely have your hands full taking care of him."

"That's all right," Crys assured him. "I can protect him. I . . . " Her eyes misted over as she thought back to the Giant she'd been left with no other choice than to take out. "I'm not going to stand by and let anything bad happen to any of you, Angel, not as long as I can help it."

"I know that, Crys. You're wonderful, and you're very strong. I like that in a woman, but some guys don't and it might cause a problem in the future not between you and Lorne but between some jerk wanting you and Lorne not being able to handle him. Not that he wouldn't try, because he would but because he couldn't stop the guy. You're a beautiful woman, and all of your great attributes are blessings. Lorne doesn't know what he has, but he appreciates what he does know. If you ever get in a scrap and need me for either one of you, promise me you'll let me know."

"Of course I will, Angel," Crystal reassured him with a smile despite the sadness that still hung in her heart and would for some time yet, "but I'm not helpless, you know. You don't need to worry about some idiot trying to lay a hand on what isn't his. I've dealt with that in the past, and," her grin turned a little toward the impish side, "believe me, it wasn't pretty."

Angel chuckled. "I imagine it wasn't, Crys. Just remember, okay?" He lifted his hand toward her to help her to rise. "Shall we go where the others are? We should be making our way home. Lorne's probably going crazy worrying over you."

She waited until Blue had lifted off of her chest before taking Angel's hand and letting him help her to her feet. "I will remember, Angel, and you know I'm here for you too. I still . . . " She shook her head. "I still can't believe that I've finally been blessed with such wonderful people in my life, but I'd fight anything for any one of you but especially for you and Lorne."

"That's what family's all about, Crys. We take care of each other." He hugged her. "Let's go find Jack and go home."

She nodded as she returned his hug, but a new thought came to her mind. "Angel, have you . . . Have you seen the Halliwells?"

"Yeah, earlier I did. They're safe. I saw Piper unconscious, though, probably from exerting herself. You want to go there?"

"No," she replied with a shake of her head. "I just . . . I just wanted to make sure that they were still okay, that . . . that it was worth it."

He gripped her arm and squeezed it gently. "It was worth it, Crys. You saved them. You slowed him down long enough for Cole to have a chance to get all of them out. Prue was the last one running, and she, too, got saved. In fact, I don't think we've lost a single member of our family! Isn't that wonderful?"

She nodded even as she smiled truthfully. "Thank Gods!"

"And Goddesses!" Angel was quick to amend, remembering Aphrodite might be somewhere around and not wanting to leave Her out. He had a feeling he had not seen the last of Her and did not want Her to think that he was ignoring Her.

"Of course," Crys agreed.


Xena worked her way down Gabrielle's body with kisses in any clean spots she could find. It was hard but well worth the trouble. They were both covered to the point she didn't think there were any clean places left when she reached the area she was seeking. Her hand slipped under, and her finger headed for the special spot. She had barely touched Gabrielle when she heard a moan and looked up to see her face in pain. "What's wrong, baby?" she asked.

Though Gabrielle had been moaning in relish as Xena had worked her way down her body, when she reached her target, her touch set a different type of feeling shooting through the bard. She had tried to recover it quickly but was not fast enough. "I . . . " She sighed disappointedly. "Xena, I'm not sure if we're going to be able to do that."

"What happened?" Xena asked in concern even as her hand lifted the skirt, and her eyes grew big at the ugly, purplish bruise that was growing on Gabrielle. "Did that Giant do that to you! I'll go back and kill the bastard again!"

"No," Gabby said softly. She leaned up so that she could reach out and touch Xena's face. Lifting her chin, she led her to look at her as she assured her, "I'll be okay, but it's going to take some time. I . . . I kind of . . . Well, I sort of . . . I tried one of your stunts, but it didn't work out all that great."

"What did you do?" Her hand reached out and touched Gabrielle's face. She stroked her gently.

"I would have used my staff to get out of the quicksand, but I lost my staff in the wreck, Xena. Instead I used a sai kind of like you've been known to use your chakram . . . except . . . well, except that when I flew through the air, I didn't land on my feet. I landed on a branch."

"Ouch!" Xena moaned herself. "Why didn't you just tell me? I never would have put you through . . . this. You need to get home and get a good soak; it's the best thing to help. I didn't realize you'd lost your staff; we'll have to do something about getting you another one." Xena could feel the pain all the way down in her part. She got to her feet, reached down, and pulled Gabrielle to her feet. "Don't do anything else. Just ease . . . your . . . way . . . home . . . slowly," she said, emphasizing her words with her verbal rate.

"Xena," Gabby spoke, brushing a bit of her silky, raven hair out of her blue eyes, "you know I love you. I didn't tell you, because I wanted it as badly as you did. It's just . . . It's going to have to wait for now, but I'm sure we can make up for it when I'm better." She grinned.

"We always make up for it, Gabrielle, any time we miss it! Just next time, don't keep secrets from me unless you want me peeking under your skirt all the time." She grinned back at her.

"Well, as tempting as that prospect is," Gabrielle teased in return, "I wasn't planning on keeping it from you. I was going to tell you just . . . after we did it so you wouldn't try to pull back."

"If I'd've seen it, we wouldn't have gone anywhere," Xena was quick to assure her. "There's always time for it later when you're well." She leaned over and kissed Gabby gently, then took her by the hand, leading her back to where the others were. Poor baby! was all she could think. I've got to get her a staff!


Hoggle had heard Jareth talking about him. He got up and came to sit down by Jareth. "Why'd you tell them that Trely and me were leathery and offer yourself? I thought you didn't like us, but you would have died for us?"

Jareth looked away and then back again. "You're my people, Hogwart. A King has to take care of his people or soon there won't be any, and a King without people isn't a King."

"You don't wanna be King, Jareth," Hoggle told him, daring to look him in the eye and see right past the disguise.

"Sh! Don't tell any one," Jareth whispered to him, "or you know where you'll go!"

Hoggle grinned. "I don't think you can."

"Don't tempt me," Jareth warned him. "Now go sit back with Trely before you get into trouble."

Hoggle started to protest, but seeing Delvira's fingertips light up, he decided better of it and scurried away. "Teak, leave us alone for a while," she commanded. "Don't let any of the others come over here either. We . . . need a minute alone."

"Yes, Mistress." Teak scurried away, making sure that all the others stayed away too. He hoped Mistress was not fixing to get angry with Master. He squatted down to watch them from a safe distance.

"Jareth," Delvira called to him even as the fire sank back into her fingers, "look me in the eye and tell me why you offered yourself to that Giant."

"They're my family, Delvira, and . . . I didn't realize it till it came to it how much they meant to me. For some reason, he was saving me for last, but it wouldn't have mattered if he'd have taken me first. I love my family, and you are my heart. I didn't know where I was, nor if I would ever see you again. Life without you wasn't worth the living." He looked at her with a sad smile. "I . . . know you can't understand that, but it's true."

A tear ran down Delvira's pale face. "Better than you think. I would give anything up for Elvira, Jareth; you know that from our past together. But don't you ever offer your life again for any of theirs or for mine. You say your life isn't worth living without me, but my life is not worth living without you." She reached out, cupped his face, and gently pulled him closer to her. Her forehead rested against his as she gazed into his eyes. "And I am never going to leave you again, not permanently. I promise you that. They can throw whatever the Hell they want to at us, but I will find a way back to you every time for you, my love, are everything to me."

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately. Their subjects gathered closer, ready to protect them if need be, and then they heard barking. Jareth broke off the kiss to see what was bothering Didymus and had to laugh when he saw Didymus chasing two males he did not recognize at first. "Didymus, leave off! They are friends, not Giants!"

Didymus shook his cane at both of them. "I can climb both of you, and don't forget it!" he warned them.

"Feisty wee beastie," Sean commented as he turned to face Jareth. "Welcome back, Jareth!" He offered his hand to his old friend.

Delvira's black lips turned up into a grin, and her eyes darted back to see how her husband would react to his old friend.

"Sean, you old devil! Where have you been, and how has life been treating you!"

"I've been all o'er the world, Jareth, an' here I am findin' meself at yer side once more! Ye know Salem's here, but I bet ye did nae knae James an' Smee're also here."

"They are? Quite the homecoming for Salem's men! It'll be good to see them again!" He grasped Sean's hand and shook it. "Who's your friend?"

"Chong. He's a friend and a great cook. Chong, come over and meet Jareth."

Chong offered his hand to Jareth. "It's good to meet you, Your Majesty."

"Don't call me that," Jareth said. "Just call me Jareth. Any friend of Sean's is a friend of mine." Jareth turned to look at Sean again. "You know none of us knew what happened to the other at the time of our sentencing, but did you ever find out what happened to Emma?"

"I think she's dead. I've searched fer her everywhere an' never found her. I'm . . . reconciled tae bein' alone wit' her memory fer the rest o' me days, but Gods know she was a beautiful woman an' a feisty one at that! She'd've liked yer missus."

Delvira smiled sadly. "We got off on the wrong foot this morning, Sean. Thank you for being here for Jareth. I hope we can be great friends."

"It's all right about this mornin'. If I'd've known who ye were, I would've stayed out o' yer way completely. Yer a very powerful Sorceresses, an' it's a pleasure tae knae ye. We'd best be headin' back fer the others if they're able tae travel."

"Teak?" Jareth called.

"Yes, Master?"

"Are they able to travel?"

"Those that can will carry those who can't. We take them home."

Delvira looked around for Katrina. "Katrina?"

Katrina was sitting still and resting. There had been quite a few who needed healing, and she was tired. Between everything that had happened to her that day, she was totally exhausted. She heard her name being called and looked up to see that Delvira was calling her. "Yes?"

"Thank you," Delvira replied, "for healing them. Are you able to walk, or do you need to be carried?"

"I just need to rest a few more minutes, and I'll be ready. You're welcome."


Prue had been holding Brendan's head in her lap. She stroked his hair back out of his face. By this point, she was no longer even slightly afraid of his wolf. She had seen him in action. He had saved her life a couple of times already. Now he had taken down a Giant, and yet she knew he was as much a stranger to Brendan as she was to Brendan. She had been talking unceasingly ever since she had managed to get her hands on him. He still had not woken, and Jack had not yet arrived. Carl had returned, told her that Jack was on his way, and had since been hovering nearby with Paige, neither saying a word for a change.

Brendan felt a gentle hand on his skin even as his eyes fluttered open. It took him a moment to focus, and when his eyes had again regained sharpness, he found himself gazing up into the most beautiful face he had ever seen. "P-Prue?"

"Wonderful! You're finally awake! I was getting worried and thinking that my talking was making you stay away."

"Prue," he started to raise his hand for her face but quickly stopped himself, "your voice is beautiful . . . nearly . . . nearly as much as you yourself are." At that, he heard Paige whispering to Carl that he'd best run for Jack and figured it was probably a good thing.

"Thank you for those sweet words, Brendan. I hope you're feeling better?"

"'Tis merely the truth, fair . . . " He wished he could call her his lady. " . . . fair lady. How are the others? Did they . . . ?"

"Battered and very sore," she told him, "but all are very much alive. Thank the Goddess!"

He nodded in agreement. "And my wolf? Did he . . . Was he trouble, or did the Giant take him out?"

"The Giant was taken out by your wolf. You saved a lot of lives, Brendan."

He smiled sheepishly. "I hoped it could finally be good for something."

"Your wolf's good for a lot of things. I hope one day you'll become better acquainted with him." She had dared to hope for one minute that he was going to call her "my lady", words she longed to hear but knew that he would never utter. "Jack should be along any minute now. Carl just went after him again." She smiled down at him.

"I know," he replied with a sad smile. His eyes moved to look behind her where Paige hovered nervously. "And I'm glad your sister has your safety at heart." Somebody needed to watch over her.

Prue didn't say a word but squirmed out from under Brendan, turning her back to him. There was no way she was going to touch that topic again! She knew his wolf was good, but he refused to think anything good of him. Oh, Brendan! she sighed, if you'd only wake up and realize just how good your wolf really is! She knew that it would probably be a cold day in Hell when that happened.

Brendan looked at Prue in confusion that grew when he called her name and she did not answer him. He did not know what he had done or said wrong to make her pull away from him; after all, he only wanted to keep her safe and, even more importantly, alive. He started to get to his feet with the intention of reaching out to her, but the very second he stood, Paige screeched and Brendan let out a yelp as he realized what had remained of his clothes had just fallen off!

Prue turned slowly around. She did not know what to expect, but she would never have dreamed that seeing Brendan naked would be an option. She tried to tear her eyes away from the magnificent sword now presented to her, though he was desperately trying to cover it with his hands. She moved her hands in an upward position, and some of the tattered remains flew instantly toward Brendan. He reached out, immediately snatching at the shreds and trying valiantly to use them to cover his exposed body. Though he was still blushing the deepest crimson Prue had ever seen, he could not help looking at her in surprise.

As Brendan and Prue stared at each other, Paige covered her eyes with her hand and prayed that Carl would get Jack there soon -- before Brendan's wolf came out all over her sister!

To Be Continued . . .