Chapter 20-Marking

Adrian and Roe waited silently for Shane to tell them what his decision was.

Finally, Shane spoke. "I'm in."

"In?" Roe asked, wanting clarification.

"I'll do it. I'll mark you, along with Adrian."

"Not that I'm not glad, but why? You seemed really reluctant before, and I want to know what made you decide to do it."

"Do you not want me to? Have you changed your mind?" Shane asked sounding aggravated.

"No. No, it's nothing like that." Roe said reassuringly. "I just want to be sure you're okay with this, that we're not rushing you into something you don't really want to do."

Shane took a deep breath and relaxed a little bit. "I'm good with it, as long as you're okay with me trying to find a mate."

"I promise you that I'm fine with it. I know that I couldn't be the kind of mate you'll need for your pack." I don't think I could take care of a pack the way a Luna needs to. I want to be helping others, not just one pack, and I'm afraid I'd be gone too much to do them justice. My goals wouldn't allow me to be the Luna they would deserve.

Shane and Adrian looked at her funny.

"What?"  She asked.  "I'm not being ugly.  I just know that my priorities won't be where a pack would need them.  I want to help people.  I want to foster relations between all of the species of supernatural creatures.  I just don't think I can do that and be a good Luna at the same time."

Shane and Adrian were staring at her, stunned this time.  Shane was the first to speak. "I have never met a woman like you before.  He shook his head.  Every woman I have ever met wanted to be Luna.  None of them wanted me, just the position I could give them."

"You've been hanging around the wrong type of woman, then.  I know a bunch of women who aren't like that."

"Yes, but how many are wolves?"  Adrian broke in.  "Shane doesn't usually meet anyone who's not his kind."

"I hadn't thought about that.  You may need to look elsewhere for your mate."

"But if she can't shift, how good of a Luna could she be?"  He asked, incredulously.

"I didn't say she wouldn't be able to shift, not that that should really be a requirement.  I just said she might not be a wolf."

"Huh?"

"There are other shifters out there besides werewolves, you know."

"I've heard of a couple, but that's not going to help much."

"Dear Lord!" Adrian exclaimed.  "You really don't get much of an education do you?"

"I have a degree.  I went to college." Shane said defensively.

"So do I, but that's not what he's talking about."  Roe said.

"I'm talking about the fact that your knowledge of other supernatural creatures is sorely lacking."

Shane looked like he was getting mad, so Roe took over the conversation. "It's not only you.  It's werewolves in general."  She shook her head.  "They seem to want to seclude themselves and pretend that no one else exists."

"Except vampires."  Shane interjected.

"Yes, and do you know why werewolves and vampires fight all the time?"  Adrian asked solemnly.

"Because you're evil."  Shane replied hotly.

"Shane, think about what you just said for a minute.  Why are they evil?"

"They keep attacking our packs."

"Okay I understand that."  Roe said, trying to reason with him.  "But do you have any idea what started the fighting?"  He opened his mouth, and she held up her hand stopping him.  "I mean the actual history of it.  What originally happened to make y'all  enemies?  At one point in time, vampires and werewolves actually got along and helped each other.   What changed?"

"I... I don't know. I didn't know we ever got along."  Shane looked chagrined.

"Most werewolves don't."  Roe shrugged.  "That's part of what I'm trying to change.  We all need to concentrate on staying hidden from the humans, and get over our petty differences."

"Oh.  Why did we start fighting?"  He asked Adrian.

"I think that's a story for another time.  After we get out of here, I'll tell you about it."  Adrian replied.

Shane didn't look happy, but nodded his agreement.

"From what I remember, it's a rather lengthy story.  I'd personally rather not spend any longer in here than I have to."  Roe said.

Shane looked slightly mollified at her words.  "Okay, how's this going to work?"

"From what I understand that my aunt did, you both mark me, one on each shoulder at the same time."

"And that's it?"  Shane asked.

"Well, that's it for what we're trying to accomplish.  To further the bond, I'd drink some of your blood.  Then, if you wanted an even deeper bond, it would be done while mating. I thought the lightest bond would work the best for now."

"Sometimes you astonish me."  Adrian told Roe, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close to him.

"Why?"  She asked, looking up at him.

"The amount of concern you show for others.  You care what's best for Shane's pack, even though you don't know them.  And even now, when we're trapped here together, you're still trying to do what you think is best for us."

Roe shrugged and blushed, slightly embarrassed at what he had said.

"What would happen if we were to mark you during mating?  What's deeper, as you said, about doing it that way?"  Adrian asked.

"Well, you'd both be fully mated to me.  That would totally eliminate your ability to find a mate, unless you rejected me first, then you might be able to."  She shook her head.  "I'm not really sure, everyone I know of that's done it that way is still together."

"If we do the lightest bond now, could we deepen it if we wanted to later?"   Adrian asked curiously.

"Yes, as long as it's with the one who originally marked you.  As I told you before, there's no going back from the bond, so it wouldn't work with someone else."

"If I wanted a deeper bond with you, would Shane have to agree to it too?"

Roe looked at Shane from in Adrian's arms.  He looks terrified of having a deeper bond.  It's probably the issue of never finding a mate that's got him scared.  Still, I'm going to tell them the truth.  "I don't think so, but it would only strengthen our connection.  As in the one between you and me.  I'd have to ask my aunt and see if she knows." She shrugged.

"Please do." Adrian said.

Roe blinked at him in surprise.  "You'd consider doing that, even knowing you'd probably never have a mate."

He frowned.  "I'd basically be taking you as a mate, wouldn't I?"

"Well, yes." What the heck?  Is he really saying that he'd want me as a mate?  He'll already have the power, so why would he want me?  Nobody wants me for me, just for power.

"Okay, then. Please find out."  He smiled down at her. "After we get out of here, of course."

Roe was still stunned.  Apparently she had an odd look on her face because Adrian asked her,  "Is there something wrong?  Did I say the wrong thing?"

"Oh, no.  You didn't say anything wrong. I'm justconfused, I guess."

"Why are you confused?"

"You really want me for your mate?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I?"

"I get it."  Shane said solemnly.

Adrian looked at him in surprise.  "Get what?"

"She has the same issue I do.  Everyone's been chasing her for what she could give them.  She's giving it to you and me, and you want more.  You want her, not just the power."  He paused.  "Wait, that sounded bad.  I don't just want the power either, but I have to put my pack first.  Sorry Roe."

"It's okay."  Roe said quietly.

"Is he right?  Is that what the problem is?"

Roe nodded, halfway hiding her face in his chest.

"Roe, I think you're a wonderful person.  You're good, you're kind, and you have a huge heart.  What more could I want in a mate?"  When she didn't immediately answer, he continued.  "You don't have to worry about it right now.  We can talk about it after we get out of here.  I'm not going to pressure you into anything you don't want to do."

"It's not that I don't want to.  I'm just shocked.  I wanted to do the double mark, like my aunt in the hopes of not getting too tightly bound to one person, so I might be able to find someone that would want me for me."

"Oh, Roe."  Adrian said, hugging her closer to him.  "I'm sorry I didn't understand that.  I guess I'm rushing you aren't I?"

She smiled up at him.  "Just a bit."

"More like a lot."  Shane laughed.

"I'm sorry, Roe.  It just seems so logical to me.  I've waited a long time to meet someone like you."

"It's okay, Adrian.  I can see it from your point of view."

"Are we okay?"

"We're fine.  Just give me a little time, after we're out of here, and we'll see how it works out."

"Okay.  We can take it slow."

"Good.  Thank you."

"Back to getting out of here..." Shane interrupted.

"Yes, I'm ready whenever you two are."  Roe said, taking a step away from Adrian.  "Do either of y'all have any more questions?"

They both shook their heads no.

"Okay, for this to work, one of you is going to have to be in front of me, and the other one behind me.  I was thinking Adrian in front, and Shane behind, if that's alright with y'all?"

Adrian nodded his head, as Shane said "Yeah."

"There's one other thing before we do this.  You both have to let your beasts out, or it won't work."

"What?"  Adrian asked.

"When you actually mark your mate, it's your beast that does it, correct?"

"Well, yes."

"It's the same thing.  You actually have to mark me as your mate."

"Okay, but how do we keep from hurting you? My beast is not the most coherent creature." Adrian asked, his voice full of concern.

Good question. "I don't know."

"We will know." Shane's voice said haltingly.

"What?"  Adrian asked.

"Shadow?" Roe asked.

Shane shook his head.  "It was him, yes.  Its too hard for him to communicate with you, using my body."  Shane turned to look at Adrian.  "He said that if we do it right, we won't hurt her.  That he and your beast will know what they're doing. Just like they know what they're doing when they mark their mate."

"You can't communicate with your beast like Shane can with his wolf, can you?" Roe asked.

"No, I can't talk to him.  There's less division between us, he's the more savage side of me."

"Okay.  I know a vampire has marked a witch before, so your beast should know what it's doing."

"And, if you seem to be going too far, Alpha will stop you."  Shane tried to reassure him.

"Okay."  Adrian said reluctantly.  "Is there anything else we should know?"

"Not that I know of."

Adrian took a deep breath and said, "Let's do this."

"Are you both sure?" At their annoyed looks, Roe said, "I just want to make sure."

"Yes, I'm sure." Adrian said.

"I'm sure, too." Shane added.

"Okay."

"I'm assuming that we're going to do this standing?" Shane asked.

"Um, I actually think it might be better to do this kneeling on the bed. I'm not sure exactly what'll happen once we do this."

"What do you think might happen?" Shane asked.

"We might pass out." Roe replied sheepishly. "That's why I'm thinking the bed might be a better choice."

"That makes sense." Adrian replied.

"Why? The floor won't hurt us." Shane asked, confused.

"The floor may not hurt you or me, but Roe doesn't heal like we do."

"I keep forgetting that." Shane replied. "You just seem like you know so much more than I do, so I guess I think you're like us."

Roe smiled at him. "It's okay. You also haven't been around a lot of supernaturals that aren't like you."

"You're right about that." He said, smiling back at her.

"Okay, if we put Roe in the middle of the bed, and you on the side toward the middle of the room, and me on the back side, we should have her well protected no matter what happens." Adrian said.

"Okay." Shane said. "Let's do this before anything else happens."

Roe and Adrian nodded and started climbing onto the bed. Roe and Adrian knelt in the middle of the bed, facing each other. Adrian placed his hands on Roe's waist, and she put her hands on his upper arms. They smiled at each other as Shane climbed on behind her, putting his knees on either side of hers.

"Are you ready for this?" Adrian asked her.

She blinked at him, slightly shocked. Neither of them had asked her that. "Yes. I believe I am." He is so sweet sometimes. Not at all like the other old vampires I've met.

"Okay." He said, taking her at her word. He looked at Shane. "We both go right?" He gestured with his head to his right.

"Sure." Shane said.

"How do we time this?" Adrian asked.

"Countdown? Three, two, one, bite on zero?" Shane asked.

"That's the clearest suggestion of a countdown that I've ever heard." Roe giggled, nervously.

"You have to be exact when executing group moves during a fight. That's the standard my pack uses." He shrugged. "It's hard to get timing right if you're not extremely clear on what you mean."

"That makes sense."

"We ready?" Adrian asked them. They both nodded.

"On zero." Shane said. "I'll count. Ready?"

Adrian nodded at him. "Yes."

"Three...two...one." Alpha was clearly the one talking. A heartbeat after Shane said one, they both struck, each biting her in the crease between neck and shoulder. Adrian bit her on her left side, and Shane bit her right one. As they bit her, Roe screamed. When she did, her ward around the room dropped, allowing her ear-piercing scream to be heard out into the hallway.