A Slippery Slope

Rose decided she was dreaming for several reasons: first, Mercy rarely said more then ten words at a time and it was always interspersed with some sort of callous insult toward her; second, none of Mercy's friends ever had the gall to try and fight Rose; third, there was no way in Hel two impossibly beautiful, impossibly powerful, and impossibly fantastical men would be at her school trying to claim her as their mate. She nodded to herself, taking a few small steps toward her bike. The men were still bickering at one another, though neither of them tried to attack. They were acting like very polite enemies, except one used curse words liberally and the other used words she didn't even know just as liberally.

By the time she'd gotten to her motorcycle she figured they were too busy with each other to bother with her. Dream or not, she intended to get out of there as quickly as possible. She slid onto the seat, revved her up, kicked the stand back and peeled out of reach as Kazriel whirled and made a lunge for her. Elias didn't move but she caught a look of mild annoyance as she tore by them both and out of the school parking lot.

She sped all the way home, only slowing down when the scent of the two men had completely disappeared from everywhere except her memory. As she pulled into the drive, she slowed down considerably. Both parents were home and no one else appeared to be visiting. She parked her bike next to her mother's sleek, black Maserati GranTurismo and kicked the stand down. Running a hand through her hair with a haphazard ruffle, she hurried up the stairs to their home - well, mansion really - and slipped inside.

"Luna Rose Silverthorne!" The sound of her mother's voice cut through the air like a whip and she flinched.

Rose turned slowly with a small, crooked grin on her face. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jeans and said, "Hey mum."

"School isn't out yet." The woman coming down the dark carpeted stairs was beautiful. She had pale skin, long, wavy black hair, piercing blue eyes, and a full, curved, red lip. She wore comfortable clothes - jeans and a tank - but somehow made them look as though she were going out on the town. It might've been the pearls. It might've been her air of command and slender grace. Either way, Athena Silverthorne was the sort of woman everyone stopped and admired.

"There was a situation," Rose began, but her mother clucked her tongue at her.

"Your principal called."

She cringed, wondering what the principal had said. "Oh?"

"She said you'd been caught cheating."

Rose's shoulders slackened a little in relief. "Oh, is that all?"

"I told her she had better check her records again," Athena reached the bottom stair and studied her daughter critically. "Your father took the phone and personally attested to the fact he'd been helping you study, as well as the Wesley brothers…" she trailed off, her nose twitching as she sniffed. "Who is that?"

Rose grimaced. "Okay, so. Here's the thing. I want to officially graduate early."

Her mother's eyebrows raised. "How early?"

"Like, yesterday." Rose rubbed her arms a little, biting her lip as she considered explaining. Her mother's expectant stare convinced her to do so. "I… uh. Maybe da should hear about this, too?"

Her mother's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline. "Alright." She beckoned Rose after her and they made their way to the study.

"Hello, my darlings." Her father was seated at his desk, a stack of papers in front of him and a pen twirling in his hand. He was an attractive man, Rose thought proudly as she studied him. Brown, curly hair tumbled around his temples and over his ears. His eyes were grey and warm. His skin a healthy golden brown and his smile was boyish and infectious. Ross Silverthorne was Rose's most favorite person in the world.

She smiled back at him as she sank into a cushy chair in front of his desk. "Hey da."

"Isn't it a bit early for you to be home?" He leaned forward on his elbows, crossing his arms as he quirked an eyebrow at her mother.

"That's what I said." Athena perched on the edge of his desk and fixed her stare on their daughter again.

"Right," Rose sat up. "So, you know the Chaos Mountain pack?"

Her parents exchanged a look before her father acknowledged, "Yes."

"And The Crimson Fang?"

"Of course," her mother frowned.

"Well they both came to my school today."

That made her parents look at one another again in alarm.

"Were they alone?" Her father asked, already rising as though he expected a fight.

"Yeah." Rose pushed her hair back from her face, tucking the wild strands behind her ears as she added, "They were both alone, but they both… uh." She bit her lip again. "What was it like when you two first saw one another?"

Her eyes shifted to a honey brown, a sure sign she was worried. Athena rested her foot on the edge of Ross' desk and hugged her knee. "It was like I found the other half to myself," she said with a small, wistful smile. "Like looking at him I suddenly realized I was complete." She glanced over at her husband with a shy smile, an expression she reserved for him and him alone.

"I didn't know I was missing a piece of my heart that big until I saw your mother." Ross still looked worried, although he'd settled back into his chair. "And when we touched - well," suddenly he cleared his throat. "Suffice it to say, there was absolutely zero doubt." His stare was dubious. "Have you…?"

"I don't think so?" Rose slumped back in her chair. While they both were intoxicating on some level, she hadn't felt as though her whole world had been made.

"If you have to say that, then you definitely didn't." Athena tilted her head. "Why?"

"Because I think Kazriel Gregor and Elias Darcy both think I'm their other half." Both her parents were on their feet in an instant, apprehension written all over their faces. "Calm down, I didn't let them do anything." Rose pushed her hair back again, running her fingers through the inky black strands with frustration. To solidify a match, a bond had to be made between the two in question. It required an oath of some kind, a bite of another kind, and blood from them both. Rose rubbed her wrists nervously. "But uh, they might come here."

Athena's eyes narrowed. "They best not."

"Athena," Ross laid a hand on her shoulder, recognizing the tense lines in her body. "It's alright. They'll both observe the treaties between our peoples."

"Will they?" She asked, her blue eyes snapping fury. "They just showed up at her school. They didn't even come here first. That's the most basic etiquette!"

"I know, darling." Rose's father came around his desk and put an arm around his wife, kissing her temple. His expression was serious even though his tone was sweet.

"That's why you want to graduate early?" Athena had turned back to Rose. "Do you think they'll try to go back to your school?"

Rose gave a mute nod.

"I'm calling your principal right now," her mother shrugged Ross' arm off and turned to the telephone on his desk.

"I'll call," Ross cut in. "I'll get it set up. You're already acing your classes, I'm sure a final test won't be difficult to procure." His eyes slipped toward the direction of her school as he frowned. "It might take a few days."

"I'll stay here," Rose said. "In the common room. I'll do my college classes and figure out what I'm doing next."

"You're not traveling the world by yourself," Athena spoke sharply, her eyes narrowed. "Not with those two after you."

"Maybe I can go see Grampa." Rose suggested, hopefully.

Athena turned to her husband. "Would your father be able to take her?"

Ross rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Ruth and Matthew are there this week. We could get Henry to go as well…"

"Can you spare Henry?"

He nodded, "Of course. I can spare everyone, if that's what it takes."

"Alright, so Rose will go to Terry's place with Henry. We can set up a guard around their home until we can figure this out." Athena chewed on her thumb, her brow furrowed. "We'll have to call a counsel if The Crimson Fang is wandering through our territories. I didn't smell anything when I did a patrol earlier. How did he slip past us?"

"He's a vampire, darling." Ross reassured her. "Let me call Henry." He leaned over and picked up the phone.

***

So much for dreaming. Rose found herself waiting outside on the steps of her home with a small duffle bag settled on the ground next to her. She had enough clothes and necessities to stay with her grandfather for over a week which was plenty of time to finish her schooling and figure out her next step. A battered old truck came up the drive blaring old rock. Standing, Rose waved enthusiastically to the driver. A burly arm came out the driver's side window and waved back. Henry McLellan was a tall, brick-wall of a man. He stood at nearly six foot six and his shoulders could've supported four or five third graders at once. When he stepped from the truck, the entire thing bounced back up from losing his weight and the truck squeaked.

Rose laughed. "Don't you want a different car?" She stood and slung her duffle over her shoulder.

Henry looked at his truck in surprise. "Why would I want that?" He patted the hood fondly. "This thing's been with me since I was seventeen."

"Yeah, which was over twenty decades ago," she teased him.

He shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's the quality that counts." Two strides brought him to her side where he ruffled her hair with a large hand; the callouses on it were rough from doing hands-on work for most of his life. "I hear you and I are going for a little run!"

She nodded. "Yeah, to my Grampa's."

"Sweet," he grinned, showing a row of bright, shiny teeth. "I love a good run. You 'bout ready?"

"Yep!"

"Henry." Ross stepped onto the porch and gestured the other man over. While Henry towered over her father, the respect he had for the Alpha showed clearly in his deference. A few minutes of low talking later, Ross was giving his daughter a hug. "Don't rest until you get there."

Rose brightened. "No stops?"

"No stops! You sure you can keep up this time?" Henry was shrugging out of his shirt, reaching for her duffle at the same time.

"Ha!" Rose felt an excitement ripple over her. No stops meant practiced pacing for hours. She loved it. "You're going to tire out before me, old man." She gave her father another hug and then bounced off the stairs. Her eyes were lit and rose-gold with delight. "See ya, da! Give mum another hug for me!" And she shifted with a shimmer of silver lights into her wolf.

Henry stepped behind his truck to transform, respecting the fact he couldn't do so without damaging his clothing, and soon a big, brown wolf was loping out toward her with a wide grin.

"Hey Taka," Rose crouched on the ground, her tail wagging as she greeted Henry's wolf. He crouched back. Her duffle was slung over his back and secure, looking like a child's bag on an elephant.

"Hey Luna," he greeted her back, using her first name. The others knew Rose and Luna were the same person, but it eased some tension to call her by a different name when she was in wolf-form.

Rose darted to the side, bounding circles around her father, before she darted off through the woods, Taka in quick pursuit.

***

Rose had settled into an easy lope the second it was comfortable. It was faster than a regular wolf could go, but not so fast she'd lose her energy too quickly. Her mother had taught her from a young age how to conserve her energy and protect herself and she was grateful for it. Taka trotted near her, his bulky form dwarfing the surroundings. She'd always liked Taka. He was ten years her father's senior but still acted like a puppy. He was warm, friendly, and eager to please - which made him a perfect guardian for the Alpha's and Luna's daughter. By now they'd been running for a good two hours. The sun was heading down toward the horizon, marking the hour at nearly four in the afternoon.

Rose wasn't tired yet, but she was beginning to get hungry. She turned her head toward Taka and asked, "Stop for berries?"

Taka's ears sprang up in immediate interest. "Yes!"

She grinned and slowed a little, lowering her nose to the ground as she followed a faintly sweet trail. She'd only made it a few more yards before a familiar scent swamped her. Rose yelped and leaped backwards as a dark shadow materialized in front of her. In an instant, Taka was in front of her, his teeth bared and a low growl of warning in his throat. The shadow turned out to be a massive, black wolf. Everything about him was dark as a starless sky, including his eyes. The smell of pine trees and wood smoke flooded the area around her and Rose crept backwards, trying to escape it.

"Hello again," a familiar growling voice filled her head and sent tingles up her spine. Kazriel started to circle them, his eyes on Rose alone. "Once again, I thought you'd be smarter than this."

His low voice made her heart skip and she firmly tamped down on it. "You're following me?" She countered, her lip curling back over her teeth in warning.

Taka stayed between them, ears back, hair bristled, growling.

Kazriel barely spared him a glance. "I told you, I came for what's mine." He lifted his nose into the air and breathed deeply. "And that's you."

Taka lunged forward, taking the initiative. Rose wished he hadn't. Kazriel wasn't bigger than the large brown wolf, but he was clearly more powerful. He was faster. Before Rose could blink, he'd snapped his jaws down on Taka's neck and flipped the other, his fangs sinking deep as her guardian let out a yelp.

"Stop!" Rose shot forward, instinct taking over as she snapped her teeth down on the large black wolf's ear. She felt it rip, heard him snarl, and felt the force of his body slam into her and send her flying into a nearby tree.

Her attack freed up Taka. He lunged again, using the bulk of his body to bowl over Kazriel and send them both tumbling head over tail. Kazriel ended up on top, his eyes blacker with fury as he stepped hard on Taka's jugular. "Stupid creature." He stepped harder, making Taka wheeze. The brown wolf pawed at Kazriel's body to no avail. He couldn't budge him. "I should kill you." He said it so calmly, so thoughtfully it made Rose tremble.

"Don't!" She got to her feet carefully. Her ribs were certainly bruised and she was panting. "Leave him be!"

Kazriel tilted his wolf head. She could feel his eyes fall on her. "He attacked me."

"He's protecting me!" Rose shook herself off, her silver coat gleaming, shimmering. If she could access her magic then perhaps they had a chance. She just had to distract him a little.

"Then I'll spare him."

The wolf's response made her stop and stare. "You will?"

"If you come with me." He added, a curl of amusement in his low growl.

"What?"

"If you don't," he pressed harder on Taka's neck, lowering his head to sniff where the other was bleeding, "I'll make sure he never rises again."

Rose stared at him in shock. He was threatening her. He was actually threatening her and Taka. "That's - that's unfair!" She barked. "How could you even think--"

"Either you care for him or you don't." Kazriel was grinning. "It doesn't matter to me if he lives or dies; you're coming with me regardless. It's up to you whether or not he lives to see another day or if you abandon his bloody body to the buzzards."

She gaped at him.

"Don't," wheezed Taka. He couldn't get anything else out, the black wolf stepped harder with disdain.

"I…" Could she still use her magic in time to startle him? Or at least give them an edge? Maybe if she just reached for a fog like she'd done with the vampire...

"Too slow," Kazriel lunged for the other's neck, jagged teeth flashing in the sunlight.

"No!" Rose darted forward, pleading. "I'll go! Please! Don't kill Taka." Her voice shook nearly as much as her body. "Please."

Kazriel stopped immediately, his jaws open, before pulling back. "I like it when you say 'please.'" He looked at her, satisfied and smug. "Say it again."

She felt a coil of fear and defiance, but she couldn't risk Taka's life on her stubbornness. "Please don't kill Taka." She lowered her head and her tail, crouching a little, affecting a submissive gesture. "Please. I'll go with you."

Kazriel's satisfaction grew. He released the other wolf's neck. Before either of them could blink, however, he snapped at the other male's back paws. Taka let out a growl of pain and fury and Rose let out a startled bark.

"What did you do?" She exclaimed, the scent of Taka's blood filling and mingling with Kazriel's own smell.

"Made it so he can't follow us." Kazriel shook his coat, the fur rippling as smooth as wind over a glassy lake. "Now, you're coming with me."

"Rose," Taka panted, dragging himself upright. His brown eyes were full of pain.

She went over and licked his cheek. "I'll be okay, Taka."

"Now." There was a sharp force behind the black wolf's words and she flinched.

Turning, she followed him into the forest, heading away from both her home and her destination.