Shifters of Grrr 2 (85 page)

"Her? I thought you wanted Douen?" Jeffe asked.

"A simple spell will tell all," he explained.

He cast the spell ending in
show me the way
. He set the herb he had in his pocket from his earlier spell on fire and the smoke trailed through the castle. They followed it up the stairs to the second floor. It continued up to the third floor where it headed down the hallway to where guards stood in front of a doorway.

"Move," he told them just hoping one would stand in his way. They scattered like leaves in the wind.

"And I thought I would have to give them a royal order," Jarnel said amusement coloring his words. He pushed the door open and there was a lone female working on her embroidery.

"Who are you and where are the other two females?" he asked.

"I'm Serreh. You just missed them. Are you Arabella's mate? She said you were very handsome. Who's your friend?"

"Where did they go?"

"Tell me who your friend is first."

"He's my brother, Jarnel."

"Hello Jarnel. I think I'm ready to leave here now. Can I go home with you?" Serreh asked.

She was under the influence of their magic even though they weren't openly using it. It looked like she'd had it heavily used on her. Douen needed to pay for that. "Tell me where they went!" he demanded.

"I'm talking to Jarnel right now. Arabella needs to teach you some manners," Serreh insisted.

"Tell him where they went," Jarnel said.

"Okay, they went to Zorth's castle or at least they're trying to. I thought it might be farther than they could go since we weren't sure how far it is. Neveha is a witch but Arabella has hardly any magic at all, poor thing. Can we go to your house now, Jarnel?"

The look on Jarnel's face would have been funny had the situation not been so serious. If Arabella wasn't able to boost Neveha's magic enough to get to his castle, they could be anywhere. It was a big realm and there were other shady characters like Douen that couldn't be trusted with two attractive females. There were also many incubi that would think nothing of luring them into bed.

"Don't worry, we'll find them," Jarnel said.
 

He realized he had missed his family while he'd been gone and this brother probably the most of all. He looked at Serreh, they would have to take her. He'd leave that to Jarnel. He just flashed and he was back in his castle. He went to the sunroom but she wasn't there. He went by their bedroom and then checked on Lilith who seemed to be taking a nap. Finally he went to the living room and they were all there. Jarnel with Serreh and Arabella with Neveha. He ran right to her and lifted her into his arms and swung her around. He stopped and let her slide to the ground but he kissed her until he heard a throat clear.

He looked up to see his brother grinning at him. "I see you two are busy so I guess I'll be going."

"What about these two ladies that Douen was keeping, I assume against their wishes?"

Jarnel looked at them thoughtfully. "Serreh, where did Douen take you from?"

"I was visiting my cousin, Sharla. She's half demon and half witch." Serreh said.

"That's not a common name. I believe I know your cousin. I can take you to her and we'll see what you want to do. How about you Neveha?"

Neveha tried to talk and it was better than it had been but it was still screechy and hard to understand. "What's wrong with her voice?" Jarnel asked.

"Douen had a silence spell put on her and she couldn't talk for many years. Her voice is affected by ill use," Arabella explained.

"That's no problem a healing spell can't fix," he said and he chanted. "Try to talk now."

"I'll try. Oh, goodness my voice is back," she said with tears in her eyes. "I was in the human world when I met Douen. He wanted to spend time with me but I wasn't interested. He turned on his charm and I couldn't help myself. He brought me to this world and I've been here many years. I don't know if anything is left for me. He explained time is different down here."

"That's true, but with the right spell, we might be able to send you back to the time you were taken from. I don't want to get your hopes up, but we could try," he said.

"I miss my family so much. I had an intended that I hoped to marry someday. He won't want me now," she said sadly.

"Maybe we can go and stop him from taking you," he was thinking out loud.

She smiled and said, "Could you? That would be wonderful. It was a nightmare I'd rather have no memories of."

"We'll have to research it and see what's possible and what's allowed," Jarnel cautioned.

There were some rules concerning the use of magic in corrective situations, but there were also exceptions to those rules. It would be best if they could help that poor woman that Douen had mistreated. There was also still the matter of dealing with Douen. He needed a serious enough punishment that he'd not do this or something similar again. It made him angry every time he thought of what his cousin had been up to and how long he'd gotten by with it.

He was thinking about what he wanted to do to Douen when the ground started to shake and even the walls seemed to quiver. Arabella moved into his arms shook up by what seemed to be a force of nature. He exchanged a look with his brother, they knew what was about to descend upon them. The other two females hung onto Jarnel, looking for comfort and assurance that he couldn't give. It was entirely possible that Hell was about to be unleashed upon them.

A calm settled upon the castle, the shaking stilled and it seemed whatever caused it had left, but he knew better. There was a bright flash, similar to lightening, right before them and once their eyes adjusted and they could see again, a figure stood before them. Everyone was silent for a moment and the females all looked at the male wide eyed and then looked at Zorth. The male before them was the spitting image of Zorth only he had a few extra lines of maturity on his face and power pulsed from him.

"Hello, Father," Zorth and Jarnel said in unison.

"Hello boys," he replied mildly. His voice much like Zorth's only deeper. He looked at Jarnel and the two females with amusement. "I see you're finally living up to the family name."

Jarnel flushed. "They're not mine. We're just helping them with a problem."

"That's all I ever do, Boy. I help the ladies with a problem. Pretty little things. If you don't want them, I'll take them for a spin," he offered with a leer.

"They've been through enough. Douen's kept them imprisoned for years," Jarnel said.

"I would have never thought the boy had the guts to do something so naughty." Father said. It earned him glares from all the females present. "Easy ladies. I'm not saying it was right. I just thought he was a good time boy with no guts at all. It's just a shame he decided to show some courage in the wrong arena. He will of course be punished appropriately."

Jarnel looked at him suspiciously. Father wasn't known for punishing demons over what he called sex related offenses. On the other hand, Father never kept his conquests around long and he did believe in convincing them to come along with him. He believed that was what the magic was for.

"Just what do you propose we do to him?" Jarnel asked.

"How long did he keep them and how did he treat them?" he asked.

Neveha was only too happy to tell him about not being able to speak for many years. Serreh didn't have much to say. She was probably still under the influence of his magic even though her interest in Jarnel was obvious. It looked like their father had noticed too. Even though he had a lot of children, he was keen on grandchildren. He felt it was probably Father's desire to keep his legacy expanding.

Father had a look of glee on his face. He half expected him to rub his hands together fiendishly. "I know just the punishment for him. We'll have to find a witch for the curse. Know anyone, Boy?" he looked at Zorth as he asked.

"Depends on what you want done," he answered dryly. He was always concerned when it came to his father. There was no way to know what he might come up with,

"It was his cock that led him into trouble and that will be the part of him punished. I'd have him cursed for the equal length of time that he had the poor young lady cursed with silence. He'll not be able to get an erection, that should teach him a lesson," he cackled, enjoying himself too much.

"He's an incubus, that would be a death sentence," Jarnel protested.

"Don't be silly. He'll just learn to use his tongue and give pleasure instead of taking it. I know a few succubi that would come around to see him regularly," Father said.

Even though Jarnel was acting king, Father was the king and his word was law. He couldn't deny it was a fitting punishment that would send a message to any others tempted to force a female. It was still hard for a man to condemn another man to such a horrible fate whether deserved or not.

"Well, can you do it?" Father asked.

"Yes, I can," he answered.

"Do you need him here?" he wondered.

"No I can do it without him present," he said.

"Well, what in the hells are you waiting for?" He began to chant and with one wave of his hand, the deed was done. "Was that it?" Father asked.

"Yes, it is done," he replied.

"I suppose you'll want something from me in return?" Father asked and he realized what he meant. He would save face if he approved Arabella as a favor returned. That way the stubborn old demon wouldn't have to give in or admit he was wrong.

"Yes and you know what it is," he said.

"I suppose she's acceptable. Now get on those grandchildren. I'm not getting any younger," he directed. They were all grinning but the females didn't understand. He had just gotten his father's approval to join his mate to him. She wouldn't have demon magic exactly, but she would live as long as he did and she would have demon toughness and resistance to most known illnesses. It would be harder for Chief to harm her and with a few wards and charms; they could spend part of their time in the human world without him worrying himself half to death over her welfare.

Father was summoned by one of his mates and he left looking harried. Jarnel took Serreh and said he would see to her, leaving only Neveha. He left the women in the living room and he headed to his study. A few hours of research and he would know how to best proceed with Neveha's dilemma.

It took more time than he expected but he discovered he could indeed prevent Douen's taking of Neveha. It was considered a despicable act and as such it could be negated. He went back to where the women were to tell her.

"It was seventeen thirty-three in the colonies. I was drawing water from the well. We lived in Maryland, on a small farm," she said.

He asked for more details until he was certain he had the time and the location worked out. Demons traveled a lot and one of their favorite places to visit was the human world. In his study he had maps that covered that world and the changes made over the centuries. He would scroll through time with a spell and then pop in at the perfect moment. Douen wouldn't know what hit him, he would save Neveha and send Douen back home with his tail between his legs. The thought was gratifying after what his selfish cousin had done to the two females he's kept and tried to do to his mate.

He left before he decided he was too tired. He wanted this done quickly so he could get back to his mate. He went through the years quickly, found the exact well Neveha drew water from, and settled down to wait. He didn't wait long and he saw her coming to the well. She was just a girl on the cusp of womanhood. It made him angrier that Douen hadn't at least chosen someone older. She was grown by legal standards, but she had an air of innocence and he could see she was a romantic.

She struggled with the heavy wooden buckets as she filled them, barely able to lift them both. She turned to walk back the way she'd come, the house visible in the distance. A shadow appeared out of nowhere. It was Douen and he intended to grab her. He chanted quickly and waved his arm at his cousin. It blasted him back home with a warning. He would be out cold several days on the floor of his castle. That should teach him to mess with unwilling women. He flashed back home and though he was tired, he searched out his lovely mate. It was no surprise Neveha was gone. He wished her the best although she was probably long gone by now.

He held on to Arabella and sank into her warmth and comfort. They would join soon and tomorrow he would finish the arrangements. Tonight he would just lie cuddled around her. He was too tired to plan for more and she had been through too much.

Epilogue

She was gorgeous dressed in the traditional white gown her family had insisted on. It was a beautiful day and the sun beat down on the field prepared for the ceremony. Several members of her family were present and the females had been warded against the magic of the incubi. The males didn't seem to want wards against the succubi. What a surprise.

Lilith was a flower girl spreading the petals of something that resembled a rose along the path Arabella would walk. Some of the things they included in the ceremony were not original to it, but a nod to the human marriage ceremony for the sake of Arabella and her family. The demon joining ceremony was much simpler than this consisting only of the couple standing before a demon elder who would prick one of their fingers so they could taste each other's blood. The elder would say the vows, which they would repeat, pledging themselves and the ceremony would be done. Guests were optional and usually only invited when the joining cemented an alliance between families or companies. He'd had no choice because of his royal blood.