Chapter Six

Danica remained seated on the ground as Mason frantically paced in front of her.  She had just finished telling him about her odd attraction to rogues.  Followed by that she revealed that it felt like another being had taken over her body once she was threatened.

"I think."  He said suddenly stopping in his tracks and turning to face Danica.  "We need to speak with the elders."

"Elders?"  What exactly were the elders Danica wondered.  She immediately started picturing wrinkly old men wearing white robes and acting all high and mighty.

Nodding Mason's face grew serious.  "The elders oversee all creatures.  Every century every form of supernatural being comes together to vote on who their elder shall be."  Mason explained.  "We have one to represent every different being."

"Every form?"  Danica repeated.  "What else is out there aside from wolves?"

Smiling Mason crouched down in front of Danica.  "My dear there are so many more out there it would make your pretty head spin."

Danica couldn't help but bristle, "Don't talk to me like I'm some naive kid."

Laughing Mason placed his hand on top of Danica's head.  "I'm not treating you like a child I promise."

The all too familiar rush of fire surged through Danica as Mason's hand remained on her head.  She couldn't stop the sigh of content that left her lips.

"Tell me what else there is."  She murmured trying her best to stay focused.

"You'll see soon enough."  Mason promised standing once more.

A small whimper escaped Danica at the loss of Mason's touch.  Immediately her face turned bright red as she realized what she had just done.

"Come."  Mason stuck his hand out to Danica to help her get up off the ground.  "Let me take you home."

"But..."  Danica began only to be stopped by Mason's finger being pressed to her lips.

"I promise you will find everything out in due time."  He promised with a smile.  "As for now I need to get back and inform my pack of what happened and you need to go home and relax."

Frowning Danica conceeded.  She would let Mason off the hook today, but if he didn't answer her questions within the next few days she wouldn't go easy on him.   Determination growing she climbed back into Mason's jeep and allowed him to take her home.

When she arrived home she found Martha in the kitchen cooking dinner.

"Welcome back."  She called from her place in front of the stove.  Her long grey hair was down and flowing down her back and shoulders.  "Did you have a fun date?"

Caught off guard Danica nearly fell over as she attempted to remove her shoes.  "What do you mean date?"

Had she spotted Mason earlier that day?  She could have sworn Martha had been too engrossed in painting when she left.

Martha let out a chuckle, "it's nothing to be embarrassed about sweetie."

"He's just a friend."  Danica flinched at how her voice rose an octave as she spoke.  "Anyway what's for dinner?"

She desperately wanted to change the subject and fast.  Explaining her relationship with Mason to Martha wouldn't be an easy task.

Still chuckling Martha sat down the spoon she was using to stir the contents of a large pot.  "Beef stew."

As soon as the words were out of Martha's mouth Danica's stomach growled.  Thinking on it hadn't eaten anything all day.

"Sounds delicious."  She said walking over to take a whiff.  The savory meat and vegetable smell set her mouth watering.

"Go wash up and change first."  Martha ordered shooing Danica away as she tried to steal a spoonful of the almost finished food.

Obeying she headed upstairs and into the bathroom.  After the past twenty four hours she had had a nice hot shower wasn't sounding too bad.  Quickly stripping she stepped in the tub and turned the shower head on allowing scorching hot water to hit her skin.  

Finished washing and changed into a tank top and sweats Danica headed back downstairs where Martha had already set the table for dinner.  Sitting she waited until she was given the OK to begin digging in.

"Slow down."  Martha urged as Danica began inhaling her food.  "You would think I've been starving you."

Stopping Danica flushed.  "Sorry, I haven't eaten today."

But was that really what was going on?  Danica felt absolutely famished, not just starving from a day of no food.  Could this have to do with her upcoming change?  She'd have to add this question to her slowly growing list.

Martha simply smiled and went back to eating her meal while Danica slowly finished hers being sure not to eat too fast or seem too robotic.

After dinner Danica washed dishes as Martha wandered off to her room, as she always did once they finished eating.  Once there she would stay put until the next morning.  If Martha was anything it was a creature of habit.

So lost in her thoughts she didn't notice two sets of glowing red eyes watching her from the darkness as she stood in front of the kitchen window.  It was only when she heard a howl that she became aware.

Dropping the spoon she had been working on Danica tried to calm her racing heart as she fumbled in her pocket for her cellphone.  Before dropping her off Mason had given her his phone number so she could contact him just incase.

Dialing his number she kept her eyes fixed on the rogues that were watching her.

Mason picked up on the third ring sounding out of breath. 

"Am I disturbing you?"  Danica asked as she began to become foggy headed from the glowing red eyes just outside the tree line of her yard.  The pull they gave her taking root.

"Danica?"  Mason asked just as she dropped her phone.

As she stared straight ahead she could hear Mason's voice coming from her phone that now lay on the kitchen floor. 

Turning she made her way to the backdoor and outside into the night, where the two rogues lay in wait for her.

Instead of being greeted by two wolves she was met by a man and a woman.  Both were extremely tan, blonde, and tall.  They're glowing red eyes regarded Danica curiously.

"Is she the one boss mentioned?"  The woman asked sounding bored.  Her eyes regarded Danica as if she was some disgusting creature.  "She's just a pup."

Beside her the man nodded.  "This is the woman the boss mentioned, I'm sure of it."

Mind too foggy Danica couldn't fully understand what they were going on about.  She was feeling like she was drifting once again as a small voice awakened in her head.

'I will take it from here,' it said soothingly as Danica felt herself nearing blackout.

I can't, she thought as she began to fight with the force that was trying to take over.  She couldn't blackout while two rogues stood before her.

"Let's hurry and grab her."  The man said now drawing Danica's attention.  "Before someone sees us."

Letting out a huff the woman agreed.  "Let's get this over with."  She said to him.  "Now be good pup" 

She and the man had begun to move forward towards Danica.

'Fight it.' The voice in her head growled.  'NOW!'

The force of the inner voice was like a bucket of cold water being splashed on Danica.  All the remaining haze in her mind completely disappeared and she was fully alert now. 

She hadn't realized that the man and woman had begun closing in on her on either side.  Instincts kicking in she ducked just as they moved their arms to grab her.

"Don't make this difficult."  The man growled as his arms snagged nothing but empty air.

"Quit talking and grab the bitch!"  The woman snarled.  

Panic rising Danica lifted herself and attempted to run towards the safety of her home.  A tugging pain on the back of her head stopped her in her tracks.  One of the rogues had managed to snag her hair.  With a yelp she was yanked backwards and thrown against the ground.

Gasping she tried to catch the breath that had been knocked out of her as the two rogues closed in on her.

"Stop fighting."  The woman laughed showing her protruding canines.  "I don't want to have to take a limb off."

"Boss said one piece."  The man reminded her as she lifted a clawed hand to attack Danica.

Mason, Danica thought weakly as the two grew closer.

"I'm here."

I must be going crazy, she thought.  The voice sounded much too real.

"You're not."  His voice said drawing her attention. 

Looking in the direction his voice came from Danica spotted him.

Mason was here and he was ready to rip the two rogues to shreds.