Minnesota

As it was still daylight outside, Ramsey couldn't travel well. So, Jenna went to the room that Wulf set aside for visiting Dark Hunters and learned the area well enough to return home and flash Ramsey into that room directly. "I am sorry you can't get out much this week." She said as they arrived.

"It's OK baby. I am happy to help in anyway I can."

Jenna paused as she looked at her father. "Daddy, you know that if you ever decided that you want it, I am more than happy to help your get your soul back."

He smiled at his daughter. "I don't think that Artemis is really interested in giving up my soul. But, I am grateful that you would even think of making that offer. And I know that you love me enough to face the challenge of that task. For now, I am content with who I am, as long as I can spend immortality being a father to you and grandfather to Alcander."

Ramsey kissed Jenna's cheek before she left to help with the rest of the preparations.

Acheron and Savitar arrived to let everyone know that their negotiations with Odin did not go very well. Not only were Savitar and Acheron there as Chthonians to help mitigate the inter-pantheon politics of this whole mess, but, Savitar also wears another hat, as the mediator for the Were-hunters. He helps to enforce their peace as well. So, he has a vested interest in helping to deal with the Norse wolves.

The two of them spent most of the last week trying to convince Odin and the rest of the Norse gods to help out. "The bastard is resigned to the prophecy. He refuses any assistance to help stop it. The only good thing that we have from it all is that there will be no retaliation for Hati's death as he attacked us, and Odin has sworn to not retaliate against us if we kill Skoll or any Ice Giants in our attempts to save Stef."

"Well, we are going to kill them anyway. So, nice to know we won't have another battle afterwards." Styxx grumbled.

Because this was an issue of inter-pantheon proportions with a Werewolf, the fighting force that was gathered relied mostly on three groups. The Chthonians, Savitar, Acheron, and Styxx. The Greeks, Phobos, Deimos, Zeth, Madoc, Jericho, and Zarek. And the Wolves, Vane, Fang, and Fury.

Wulf had all of his cars moved out of the excessively large garage for Jenna to use as her staging area with the women of the cult. Ash materialized a dozen cots into the space and a few comfortable chairs for Jenna to sit while she waited. And since the garage was windowless, Ramsey was able to help in there once everything was ready.

Of course Wulf opened up his home for them, so he was going to make sure that his family was safe. Urian not only fought with Ash and Styxx whenever they needed him anyway, but his late wife was sisters with Wulf's wife. So, he loved Cassie as family and was not going to let this come back to hurt her or her children. That put the former Dark Hunter, current Dark Hunter, and Urian, whatever he is, at the house, to ensure that Jenna, Wulf's family, and the rescued women all stayed safe in case the wolves or giants came around. As added measure, a group of local Were-panthers took guard around the house as well.

Wulf's wife, Cassandra, stayed with the children on the opposite side of the house from the garage. Wulf and Urian stayed by her side.

One more addition popped into the house.

"Kat, you shouldn't be here. This is a lot more inter-pantheon politics than you need to be in the middle of." Ash scolded.

The tall blond crossed her arms and stared the man down. "Cassie is my friend. I am not leaving."

Ash was adamant that his daughter not be involved in the attack. But, she agreed to stay at the house to help Jenna and protect Cassie if needed. Katra is a highly trained fighter who protected Cassandra from Urian and his father for years. But, ever since Ash found out that he was her father, he has been rather protective.

Jenna pulled Deimos in for a passionate kiss. "You make sure that the three of you come home safe. You hear me?"

"Yes ma'am." He kissed her again and then left.

Stef was groggy as she woke up. Her head was pounding and her thoughts were scattered. She tried to cover her eyes from the bright light that was splintering pain through her head, but she couldn't move. Why couldn't she move?

She hissed as she tried harder to move her arms, legs, anything. But, she only succeeded in in sending yet another spike of pain bouncing around her skull. The pain was too much, the light too bright for her to open her eyes. What was going on?

She was so confused.

Then she heard someone humming. The voice and song sounded so familiar, a memory, but it slipped past her. It stirred her anger, but she did not know why? And without a reason, she lost the anger as well.

Mmmm, she felt fingers running through her hair. Phobos likes to run his fingers through her hair.

"There, your hair has finally dried." A woman's voice spoke next to Stef. "It was a lot of work to dye it black again while you slept. But, Kol likes your black hair."

No. Kol is in Minnesota, he is not in New Orleans. She is a silly woman.

Then the humming picked up again. And Stef's thoughts and memories started to pull back together.

Oh God! It's the wedding march!

Her mother was in the room with her and humming the wedding march. How?

Stef vaguely remembered leaving Jenna's house to meet Kol somewhere. She, she needed to do something…

Essie! Shit, Kol had Essie. No. When Stef got there, he didn't have her.

Come on brain work! What happened next?

Anger was flooding her, pressing her thoughts together, slowly forming them back into cohesive patches. She needed to remember, but the pain was too much. Stef screamed as she fought the pain and tried to move. Her eyes cracked open to see her mother beside her.

"Now stop fighting it you ungrateful child!" Lucy stood next to the bed wearing a skimpy dress as though she thought that she was still 20 years old. Her long mousey brown hair was plaited into two braids that ran down each shoulder. Her face had aged since the last time Stef saw her. Yet, she wore the same repulsed sneer that Stef knew so well.

Her head was still spinning with pain, but she was slowly starting to sober up enough to understand what was happening. "What did you give me?"

She had been clean from drugs for 10 years, but she remembered the feeling of slowly sobering. Whatever they gave her, she had not experienced it before, but it still left her unable to move, completely at their mercy. Damn. She didn't want this. She wasn't the scared girl on the streets any more.

Please don't force me back into being a junky and a whore. Please.

Stef fought against the pain and the fear. She had to focus.

Lucy sat down next to Stef. "Don't worry Jessica, it's just something to help keep you compliant. Kol doesn't want you to get away again."

Then Stef saw Lucy pull out a white bridal veil and clip it into Stef's hair. What the? Stef tried to look down and saw the mounds of white fabric around her that indicated a wedding dress. They are all fucking crazy!

"How can you do this? I'm your daughter!" Stef's words were slurred as she tried to talk through the effects of the drug.

Her mother's eyes flashed in anger. "No! You are an abomination. The only value that you had was to keep me with Kol. You are to fulfill a prophesy. That is why he took me in and made the dreams stop. He saved me from those wicked demons that raped me and fathered you!"

Stef's mind raced. Did Zeth rape her? Nothing she knew of him said that he could or would do that. But, then again, he didn't have his emotions at the time. No. He grieved at losing Lucy. Or was it guilt over what he did? Stef took a breath. She kept jumping to angry conclusions with Phobos and Zeth. And, every time, she was wrong.

"Zeth didn't rape you." Stef defended her father.

Lucy gasped. "You have talked to him? You are demon spawn! I knew you would be like him, lie with kind words and tenderness. But, it was all deceit! He got what he wanted and then let the others have at me once again." Her lips trembled in the fear that the memory still held for her.

"I am sorry for you mom. But, this is wrong. You can't let Kol rape me because you felt betrayed when you were younger." Her words still slurred.

Lucy slapped her daughter. "Don't you dare disgrace Kol with such an accusation! This is not rape. He is marrying you! It is far more honor than your demon life deserves." Stef wanted to laugh at the irony. It is Kol that is really the demon. Zeth is a god who tried to protect Lucy. His only crime toward her was to care enough that he was locked up and punished for it, and that left her alone and vulnerable afterwards.

Tears welled up in Stef's eyes.

Please Phobos. Please Zeth. Save me!