He had done it. Three months and eleven days and Emmett had finally done it. Bad news: Anala had missed it. Good news: Iliana had finally approved him in her own quiet way. Whatever rite of passage he needed to complete had been conquered. Emmett had thought she would throw him out on his ass. It hadn't been pretty. Emmett had lost his temper. The frustration on receiving nothing than neutral or indifferent reactions from the hot, scary woman had boiled over. He had been pissed, enraged that this woman was judging him, judging his relationship to his mate. Emmett could admit Anala was too good for him. He had known that since fucking day one. But Iliana didn't know him, she didn't know what Anala was to him and it didn't give her the right to assume to know him based on the weight of his mistakes. Emmett hadn't even known if the woman knew of his mistakes. He didn't know what she thought. But he yelled it at her anyway. Her ever-changing eyes stared at him as his rage died out and he was left with a sick, sinking 'oh fuck' feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Then Iliana had smiled at him. Full on smiled. She didn't say much, just that she understood, and that Anala was heading to a nearby village with her sisters before leaving the room. She had stopped in the door and looked at him, reallylooked at him.

"I can see the damage there, you know. Don't tell her I know this, but I see it, the pain she thinks no one notices. Whatever it is Carus had put those two children through it changed them and Anala's always been afraid to be a burden. I've known her since she was a girl. I am no fool. But you . . . she's different with you. Her soul resonates at the mere mention of your name, Emmett. I don't know what happened between the two of you and I do not wish to know. I know you both suffered. But know this, Vampire: she was returned to you because the Great Mother allowed it. That is a gift and I will not see you misuse it."

Emmett made his way out of the temple, stepping around the women gathering offerings that had been placed on the steps by visitors from the nearby residence. He began running along the stone path leading away from the structure. The temple had relocated itself nearly three days prior. Emmett wasn't sure how it happened exactly. He had been lying in bed with Anala, and by default Kaessra, Iris and Celeste whose open affections he had gotten used to, despite the fact he still wanted to fuck all three of them. Who knew, maybe they'd let him if he wasn't banned from doing so. He'd certainly seen for himself just how close Anala and the three women really were. If his brothers could see him now. Though Emmett noticed everyone was that way. physical intimacy and touch were the norm, and Emmett was quick to notice the behaviors he was seeing were familiar things he had seen with Anala and Nolan, long before they recalled who and what they were. It was ingrained in their culture and had become habits they had subconsciously carried with them.

Her heartbeat had been steady in his ears and Emmett sat up as he felt something in the air shift before the air suddenly changed and the sound of waves reached his ears. The temple had gone from a grassy plain bordered in crimson trees and distant mountains to a rocky cliff that overlooked an ocean. The gray stone gave way to grass and scattered trees and the stone became a dirt path. He followed the diluted traces of his mate's scent until he came upon a large village along the shore of the ocean. People, Layame, milled about. He could see a series of boats on the water, men raising nets filled with fish. It was going to rain, the air was cool and the sky clouded. Emmett stared upwards as two figures seemed to float to the earth, wings fluttering as they landed. A woman passed him, blue eyes looking him over. She was pretty; dark hair and a nice body but not exactly doing it for him. He walked towards the heart of the village, led by the scent of his Mate. Celeste was located at a stand further ahead, talking with a man as she admired a series of baskets. Her dark green eyes lifted and she smiled, waving at him.

"Emmett!"

He grinned and made his way over to her. He couldn't be sure if it sold food items or not. some baskets looked to hold spices and grains or some sort of ingredients (or not, he couldn't be sure) but there were also baskets with strange crystals and another filled with young snakes and also a long box displayed with rolls of fabrics. Celeste held out the fabric to him. He looked at her.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well?"

"Well what Les?"

She groaned. "The shade, the texture, elasticity. I need a second opinion." she grinned. "Due to our Ahrahn, Trade has improved, it won't be long until these fabrics will be sought after by everyone. I have to get it while I can."

"You'd have better luck with my sister. I couldn't possibly begin to understand what you even mean. He kissed the top of her red head. "I like the color though," he added with a smirk. Celeste shooed him away and he went, laughing softly.

Emmett finally found Anala, surrounded by a group of people. They were touching her softly and smiling. He noticed a small girl, no older than five, tugging her hand and holding up a flower. Anala took it, smiling at the child as she ran back to enfold herself in her mother's skirt, peering at his mate. Emmett watched for a long moment. He didn't have to observe for long to see what Iliana had meant when she said Anala was treasured among her people. He could see it in the way they spoke to her, touched her; and Anala was honestly interested in what they were saying to her, nodding and smiling as she responded and interacted. She took the hands of an older woman who had a worried expression on her lovely face. She was inquiring on her wellbeing and Anala smiled and reassured her, asking if there was anything she could do to help them. What really struck him was that these were perfect strangers. It didn't seem she knew these people personally, and vice versa, but they opened and connected with each other without hesitation. Anala's eyes lifted and she smiled as her eyes landed on him. Anala excused herself from the throng and jogged over to him, the hood of her blue cloak falling off her head. Her hair was half up, with intricate braids woven in and the rest fell over her shoulders in long soft tresses. She stopped in front of him and Emmett kissed her softly before taking the flower she held and tucked it into her hair. It was a little white flower tinted blue towards the center. Anala's lips pouted slightly and Emmett wrapped an arm around her, squeezing lightly. She wanted to kiss him again, and he was nearly inclined to indulge her.

Emmett was enjoying the knowing glances, the heavy make-out sessions in the halls and shadowed alcoves, and the soft teasing touches as they bathed in the hot springs. In the three months they had been there together, they'd managed to sneak off for a few hours once a month or so which was absolute torture. It was worth it however, the sex was hot and intense and the act of releasing those building emotions had a very alluring effect on his mate. His sweet little mate always did have a sexy naughty side. It was actually a real turn on sneaking around and flirting like horny teenagers. he'd come close to taking her on various surfaces multiple times but Iliana missed nothing, was actually already somewhat suspicious of him, and now that he'd been given the stamp of approval he wasn't going to chance the woman finding out and destroying his very, very, few opportunities to make love to his mate. Hot, steamy, wet—

"Em?"

"Yeah?"

"Stop looking at me like you want to rip my clothes off."

Emmett paused. "But I do want to rip your clothes off. I think you want me to rip your clothes off. Say the word and I'll do it."

"Don't be a tease."

"That's him," someone murmured. "Mate to the Oracle."

"Really?"

"She's beautiful." Emmett agreed.

"They're beautiful."

He held her hips and looked her in the eye, taking an unneeded breath for the sake of anticipatory build up. "I finally did it."

At first Anala looked confused before realization filled her eyes. "No!"

"Yes."

"Tell me! What happened? What did she say?" she lay a hand over her heart. "Was it a nice moment?"

"Well, I sort of . . . snapped."

"What?!" the distressed tone of her voice drew confused and wary looks aimed at him. He held her shoulders. "What did you do—?"

"Easy bab—"

She groaned distressfully. "What did you say? Em, I swear, you and your temp—"

"I know, I know! I'm sorry Angel but that's how it happened. I lost it for a hot second then she smiled, full on, no bullshit smiled at me and said she understood and told me where to find you." That was a lie. The hot second was nearly a whole eight minutes. But Anala knowing that would not go over smoothly.

Anala stared at him. "Holy crap."

Excitement made him grin. "I know!"

"I don't know whether to be angry at you or proud."

"Proud would be nice. I've been a good boy for months trying to get on the woman's good graces only to find out me losing my shit was the key to it all. I'm sort of pissed."

Anala pulled his lips to hers in a slow kiss. She smiled against his mouth. "I'm very proud of you my love." she suddenly pulled back, giving him a suspicious look. Bright eyes shimmered. "Em . . . did you apologize to her?"

Emmett stilled. "Crap."

A red moon dripped blood onto the earth. Pale figures twisted around a light like phantoms. A seed, large and alive, pulsed like a beating heart. It split and took root in a ground littered in corpses. Whispers feathered over her ears. They layered over one another creating a low hum. White was splattered with crimson. Something was coming. It was cold on her spine. 'Miss me?' 'Did you miss me?' The words were slow, distant and fragmented. A sharp grin and a dead gaze slammed into her mind's eye and a warm force pushed her back into a corporeal state.

Emmett reclined on the pillows and looked between Iris and Celeste as they debated on something or other with the fabrics that had been purchased that day. He supposed that it didn't matter where they were from. Women were a strange, alien species he just happened to greatly admire. Iris laughed from her place next to him. It was quiet and the soothing sound of waves provided as background noise. He looked to the brunette at his side.

"Where is Anala?" She had been leaving when he arrived, saying she'd be gone only a few minutes but it had been over half an hour.

"she went to get some fruit from the kitchens . . ." Kaessra trailed off before she turned her head, hazel eyes meeting his blankly and fingers lightly reached up to touch his chin. Her soft bow-shaped lips smiled softly and he found himself returning it, feeling her gentle energy like a soft breeze. Emmett had the thought Anala should've been back already before dismissing it. She was fine, there was no reason for him to start to get worried in a place like this. A fourth heartbeat reached him and Emmett's eyes strayed to the entryway to see Anala standing there. Her green eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed, tears on her cheeks. Distress poured off her in waves and her hands were wringing together.

"Anala?" he stood and made his way over to her. He wrapped his hands around hers. They were shaking. Tears clung to her long lashes and the mages were making their way across the room towards them. Anala raised her hands to wipe her cheeks but the tears were replaced by a fresh wave of moisture. Emmett looked her over for any initial physical harm and found none. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Anala looked up at him before looking to her sisters. "I had a vision." she whispered. "We need to leave Em."

There was a sinking feeling in his gut. "Why?"

Nolan ran his fingers slowly through Elias's thick auburn hair and listened to the droning sound of commercials on the TV. Two AM television was not proving to be very interesting and might truly be rotting his brain. Elias was still, but not asleep, that much Nolan could tell. Carlisle and Esme sat on the other couch, the woman sitting between her husband's legs with a drawing pad open on her lap. The gentle scrape of lead on paper was barely heard above the sound of televised voices. he had slept for about six hours before his body roused him naturally, not requiring a lot of sleep, before deciding to join his Vayar on the couch and lounged together languidly. The others had been up as he expected, milling about the large house. Nolan suddenly felt a familiar presence he hadn't encountered in a couple weeks. His sister. He lightly squeezed Elias's shoulder and he sat up. The other lifted long enough to let him sit up before sprawling on the couch. Carlisle and Esme were out of the room in an instant and Nolan heard Esme's happy voice at the door. Elias drifted out of the room, curious.

Nolan looked to the entrance just in time to see pale blurs flash down the stairs and sounds of welcome. After a few moments it quieted and Anala appeared in his line of sight, entering the room. Despite the troubled expression in her eyes she looked good. Her skin had a healthy glow, the shadows that had been in her eyes before she left had gone, leaving them clear and bright. She looked like herself again. The time away had been good for her. Nolan frowned.

"You're early," he stated, observing her. The others appeared behind her with Emmett but Nolan kept his eyes on his sister. "What's wrong?"

"I had a vision."

Nolan had only been present to witness his sister have a vision three times in his entire life. She didn't control them and they sometimes lasted hours. He had even heard whispers she'd once spent four days immersed in that state, seeing whatever she was needed to witness. Anala was the Oracle. Her visions were valued and her words taken seriously for a reason. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Are you okay?"

Their stare broke as she stepped into the room and lowered to sit on the couch with him. He reached out and took her hand, the first physical contact he'd had with her since she and Emmett left. It wasn't very long ago but he had missed her fiercely. Anala smiled softly and squeezed his hand. The energy they shared stirred and connected as two halves of a whole. "Yeah I'm okay."

Anala's smile faded.

"You need to know Mike Newton is still alive."

Nolan frowned. Mike? Emmett growled lowly. He supposed he wasn't surprised. They never did find his body. "Is he what you saw? You didn't have to come back just to tell me this." Nolan stood. "He was nothing but Carus's puppet."

Anala stared up at him, shaking her head quickly. "No! Mike is not a mindless puppet Nolan. That vision was a warning. Carus made him a vessel and—and did something to him, his eyes . . . you can't write it off and underestimate him!" Her eyes glistened and her brow puckered as the stress in her voice rose. Anala looked . . . shaken. Nolan suddenly recalled to himself Anala had spent months locked away in hell with Carus and Mike. He knew the pain of that, the scars that kind of treatment left behind. Enclosed spaces still made him nervous and nightmares always managed to sneak up on him. She had been tortured and died in that place, and judging by what Anala had explained to him when she finally awakened after he found her, Mike had not been an idle party. Pain knifed his heart painfully. What did he do to you Anala? His sister sighed and stood. She wrapped her arms around herself, the brown material of her dress swaying as she shifted. Her eyes stared off, seeming to be trying to figure out how to continue.

"Given the right knowledge, and if he possibly has enough power for it, Mike can bring Carus back, given him hasn't already . . ."

The silence hung thick in the air.

"Welcome home," he murmured. Nolan took a breath and looked his sister in the eye steadily. "I want you to listen to me Anala. I have a lot on my plate. I have an entire kingdom to rebuild from the ground up, thousands of lives to return home, whole networks created by the Guard to keep tabs on, an army to expand, demons to track, a border to scout, a sister to worry about and a mate to fuck, which doesn't even begin to shorten the list. I've set a deadline for the Blood Moon and I will complete it by Harvest. I don't have the time or patience to let a fucking puppet ruin my plans and I can't and won't let him stop everything I've been working to improve. Everything is already in motion and I won't delay it any longer. As long as the twitchy little shit breathes air we'll find him."

Anala stared at him before her hands raised to her face, and she giggled softly. She hugged him tightly, resting her head against his shoulder. "I missed you."