~Fade’s POV~

After leaving Thorin’s room, I made quick time to Taylor’s place. The black rod iron gates, held a certain darkness. Gulping down my fear, I pushed them open. If this wasn’t the epiphany then I didn’t know what was. This place looked like something out of a horror film. Movies such as Riddick and Underworld came to mind first. Every inch of the place was dark, gloomy and just down right sad. Dead trees scattered around. Once you passed the large black gates, you needed to pass through a another gate. Its height towering over the smaller me. Looking up, it had to be at least four more feet then I. Grabbing the lion head handle, pulling with all my might. The fence around his place, was equally as tall; matching the great gate.

    Making enough room for my slim body to squeeze through, I awed at the stunning house. Just as big as Thorin’s, only it seemed to run away with the medieval theme. Guessing he’s into the old world style of things. This should be rich. Four men dressed in what could only be described as armor come out. Standing side by side, two on each; they made a tunnel in which I was to walk through. How interesting, looking around before taking more dangerous steps to the house.
    Something whistled and I knew it wasn’t the wind, my eyes shot around looking for the sounds owner. Locating a man in a tree holding a bow and arrow, pointed at my head. Cleaver. It soon became apparent, that in this game going backwards gets you killed. Taking another step forward, the archer followed me. I’m not so gullible that I didn’t think this would be dangerous, wolves are always dangerous…even when you are one. Stepping past the last two men, the giant house door opens.

    A very good looking man steps out, he’s in a black and white stripped shirt. Black pressed slacks, and what could be black Italian shoes.
    “Aw Miss Fade” Folding one of his arms over his chest and bowing to me. Smirking, I can see where this is going.

    “Mr. Taylor.” Coping him. His bright smile as I play along with his game.
    “Its an honor to have you at my humble abode.”  His hands waving around at the manor he has.
    “The honor is all mine” Smiling sweetly. This is going to be a long day.
    “Its all thanks to your beauty, it seems to brighten the whole area.” Taking a few steps off the porch, making it to me. Taking my hand, kissing the back. Keeping the color from entering my cheeks, I keep a smile on. He’s more then dangerous, he’s down right creepy.
    “Your to kind”  He takes a step back, chuckling.
    “I am aren’t I?” Ego much….okay lets see how kind you really are.
    “You’d be even kinder, if you’d call off your dogs” Chuckling a little girl laugh. His eyes widen just a bit, before he laughs.
    “Do my dogs frighten the young maiden?” Showing me his fangs, and the bright of his white eyes.

    “Not at all, I fear for their safety.” Shrugging it off. You don’t scare me, I’ve had my mate screaming in my face. This is a damn walk in the park.
    “Fearing for them will get you nothing, but killed” Grinding out the words. Is that so….okay then.
    “Well then, I’ll save them some trouble.” Without warning my hand grabs four arrows, quickly shooting them. One at the man in the tree, two above the building and one hiding against the wall. My arrows don’t aim to kill, just knock or frighten the men. The man in the tree falls out, breaking a few branches on his way down. While the two on the house, fall backwards as my arrows hit their bows. The man in the wall, is pinned with my arrow holding his shooting arm.

    “You forgot one” He snaps. But my knife pushes against his throat, as he comes at me.
    “No I haven’t, Mr. Taylor” In one hand I have his wrist, which contains a very long blade. While in the other my knife is pressed tightly to his jugular.
    “Its been a long time since, I’ve smelled deadly.” He whispers taking in my scent. Taking his knife away from him, flinging it into the tree. Pushing his body away from mine.
    “May we proceed to doing business now?” I’m beyond annoyed. Smirking at me, he quickly regains himself.

    “I am finding you to be more and more appealing to my good nature.” I don’t hold my tongue.
    “What good nature?” Instead of getting mad, he laughs.
    “Defiantly appealing” Holding out his hand for me to walk with him. Stepping to his side, we walk inside the house. And as the door closes, I feel the overwhelming urge to run. Wolf doesn’t like it in here, its to spooky for her taste. For a wolf wide open spaces, are more their style. Where this wolf seems to like his darkness, and cage like surroundings.

    “Care for a drink?” Pouring himself something that smells like Whiskey.
    “No thank you” Rule number one, never eat or drink anything while in the company of someone you know nothing about. Last thing I need to is wake up in a damn clown suit in a dudgeon. A shiver crawls over me….hate clowns. The furniture is a combination of black and reds. The blood red of the throw rug, only makes me think of blood. Sitting down in a one person chair, his eyes trail all over me. Feeling like he can see right through my clothes, I take a seat across from him. The coffee table is black, with a glass top.

    Behind him sit’s a large grandfather clock, again black thought out. Just a few feet from the clock looks to be a kitchen, a few pictures are placed in a weird fashion. He should of fired his decorator, when he painted the first thing black. To my left is a staircase, going to the unknown, and for once my curiously shuts up. The door back out, which I every so often look at longingly, is just in front of the stairs. To the right a burned fireplace, the red brick needing a good cleaning. The mantel holds treasures that could be called treasures, depending on who you are.
    “So, you are here for the job. Is that correct?” Asking between sips.
    “Yes, one of your men has informed me you are indeed for my skills.” Keeping my eyes wandering around. I’m not the one in need, so this doesn’t really interest me. He chuckling placing the glass in the coffee table.

    “That I am, and just what might your services include?” Flashing the golden death, my way. Smiling, he has to think I’m only human. Destiny had warned me about him, and because of that I had masked my wolfs scent.
    “That depends, some cost more” Crossing my legs, while resting my arms over the top. The wildness of his smile, making me even more uncomfortable.
    “Cost is of no issue.” Just great his got a bigger ego then the Alpha.

“That’s good Mr. Taylor. Now what is it you are seeking?” When he stands up, my body instantly wants to do the same. Being at the same level as him, is safer. Still I stay put, his weight pushing on the spot next to me. Twisting his fingers around my hair, he takes in a long smell of me.
    “It is rare for a female not to be mated”  How did I not see this coming.
    “I am not the least bit interested in a mate. Now what is the job?” Pushing him to move it along. He does, but not the way I want. Grabbing my arm closet to the fireplace, he pulls me so my body is now laying flat on the couch. Pinning me with his body and hands.
    “The job you so graciously, excepted is to be my mate”

And now we panic! AWWWWWWW NO, HELL NO

    “I never graciously excepted anything, and your proposal is denied.” If he doesn’t get off me soon, I will tare him to pieces. Laughing moving his face closer to mine.
    “You are lively, been along time….a very long time. Those eyes flash danger, a warning I should of looked for. Now deep in his freaking layer of doom, I’m going to be eaten alive.
    “You do best to get off of me” Keeping the growl contained. The element of surprise is the best surprise.
    “How I love a fighter, they bring out the animal in me.” Growling.

Freaking hell this guys a bag of nuts and berries. I swear he’s related to the Alpha. As if magical hearing me talk about him, the door rocks off its hinges and in its place is Thorin.

Seriously I swear the man is stalking me.

He looks at us, me mostly. Being pinned under Taylor, as my legs are half up half down, between his. Thorin’s body is shaking and you can tell he’s been running. Damn it Destiny. He doesn’t make a sound when he steps into the house. Taylor has fear and interest written all over his face.

    “Hello Cousin” He says.


I KNEW IT! Fuck There All Crazy….at least the males are.


    At the word Cousin, Thorin roars. Grabbing my arm and pulling me out of his hold. Wrapping his arms around my body, protecting me. Now I diffidently can’t kick Taylor’s ass. I can hear the rumbling of his wolf, both at the closeness of me and the hate he’s feeling towards Taylor. His words are more dangerous then ever before.

    “You do best to think twice before you touch my girl” Tightening his hold on me. I can only see a little bit of Taylor’s face. It hold a bit of shook and amusement. Sick bastard.
    “So she belongs to you, does she?” Standing up.
    “She does” Keeping his voice low. I swear he sounds sexier, every damn time.
    “But you don’t keep human company….cousin.” Hissing out the last part. Surprising me greatly Thorin growls at his comment, as if he’s defending me.
    “She’s mine Taylor. Don’t forget that” Practically see him glaring at Taylor.
    “Well then we have a problem.” The rumbling started again.
    “What problem?”
    “See I’ve hired the lovely Fade.” The sly grin plaster on his face, was not helping in the least.
    “Hired to do what?” Growling.
    “To be my mate”

Ohh and the fireworks have been let loose. Stupid Taylor.

Shaking like a man with no more hold on his wolf, Thorin roars. Lunging at Taylor. He had pushed me to the side, before going for throat. Both punching and trying to rip each other to pieces. Taylor grabs Thorin by the neck and puts him through the grandfather clock. Sad really, I don’t think there are many left of those. Pushing his body out, Taylor has already pulled me close to his side.
    “LET GO OF HER!” Screaming at us, Thorin moves faster to me. Grabbing my hair, Taylor licks my neck.
    “DON’T” Reaching a hand out, I watch as Thorin begs.
    “Are you seriously begging me right now? You who hates humans, more then anyone?” Growling at him.

    “Taylor, don’t mark her” His face has softened, and its partially breaking in my hands. Instead of feeling sorry for him, Taylor just laughs like some evil hunch man.
    “You dare to tell me what to do, in my OWN HOME” Pulling my hair more. As if my neck wasn’t already open enough. The muffled scream from Thorin, as he charges Taylor and I. The cracking sound of Taylor’s cheek bone, when Thorin collides his fist. Releasing me they shift into large wolves, wrestling on the blood red carpet. Jaws snap, claws tare the air with the greatest of ease. Growls and snarls, as they go for any opening available. Thorin is clearly bigger, being Alpha and all. But Taylor and his stalk grey wolf are holding up pretty good.

Getting a bite into Thorin’s hind leg, he yelps which only angers me. Wolf is fighting to get out, but I keep reminding her we can’t. These are two full grown male wolves, getting into their scuffle will only prove to hurt us. Jumping all over the house, someone knocks over an oil lamp. The house lights up like a match, the toxic smell as black paint drips down the wall. Men start entering the house. Taking them out with my bow, I have to make the playing field even.

    Its not so much I want to protect the Alpha, its just he sort of did save me. I don’t like owning anyone anything, consider this a trade off. Leaping through the growling flames, the two never stop. Either they don’t care that the house is burning around them, or they just haven’t noticed yet. Pushing past a blazing part, I run outside. More men, growls and snapping of their jaws. Running they give chase, to them I started the fire. Morons. Shooting off more arrows, picking up some that I used early to knock the men down. Even finding a few that they had.

Hiding behind a tree for mostly cover, I hear one. His armor giving him away, with the soft clinking.

Breathing in and out, calming my shaking nerves. My bow at the ready, pulling on the tight string. Snapping my wrist around the tree, taking fire. The screech as it pushes past the useless armor. His body drops hard, without thinking my hand has already grabbed for another arrow. Another shot, streaking threw the flames; which have started to leak out of the house. Licking at the trees, around the area. Fire drops around me.

    The heat burring my flesh. Running across the yard, three aiming to catch me. One fire after another, whistling sounds before the thud of dropping bodies. Taking a breath since, I didn’t notice I had held it. Loud cracking as part of the roof starts to cave in on its self. Stopping as I take in the sight, flames reaching out the windows. Crumbling sides, as they crash to the ground. It reminds me of the war, watching as something as small as a home it consumed by the fiery devil himself.

    As if the fire’s master is emerging, the dark silhouette of Thorin emerges. His body covered in black soot and blood. Naked as the day be was born, has me thinking I shouldn’t be looking at him. His left hand holding onto his right arm, making it seem if he were to let go it would fall off. Those stunning eyes lock with mine, taking a slow step to me. Another crack of the house, as if crumbles in the back. Flames grab at his ankles, threaten to pull him back into the hell.