Their Beloved Mate

Introducing Maqual...

Sweat dripped down his back as he tried to control his thirst for blood. He groaned as he pulled himself out of bed, his legs leaden. Agonizingly slowly, he made his way to the refrigerator. Yanking it open, he reached out for one of the blood bags that were there. Usually, he would heat it up, but he knew he had no such luxury. His fangs were already down, sharp white incisors that could cause a whole lot of damage. Not bothering with opening the bag, his fangs pierced the bag, the cold blood hitting the tastebuds on his tongue.

With a shudder and a sigh, Xander drained the bag before he disposed of it. Reaching in, he got another one, this time being able to heat it up.

"Xan, everything ok, bro?" Dustin's deep voice echoed in his head. "I felt your thirst."

"No," Xander replied truthfully. "Something is wrong, Dustin. She was held in a nightmare, but it wasn't just a nightmare."

"What do you mean?"

"Our mate, beloved." Xander sighed, running a hand over his overly long hair. "It seemed like a web designed to keep her there, attacking her in her dreams. I had to pull her out by calling her name."

Dustin was quiet for a few seconds. "You know her name? How? I thought you said you haven't even pinpointed where she is."

"I don't know, bro." Xander walked back to the bed and sat down. "Tazanna. That's her name."

Dustin was quiet for a few more seconds. The link was blocked before he came back on. "Ariella says that she sent you that information. She has had someone watching over her for years. I am with her now."

"How?" Xander muttered, although he already knew the answer.

Ariella was a High Priestess from their homeland. She has always been with the royal family, protecting and guiding them throughout the years. She knew things. But she could only share the information when the time was right.

Her knowing about Tazanna should not have been a surprise.

"She says the guardian will make himself known to you tomorrow afternoon. I will be joining you soon, bro."

Xander nodded before he remembered that his brother could not see him. "See you soon, bro." He broke the link before resting on the cabinet. Tentatively, he let his mind open once again, seeking the one woman who had his and his brother's lives in her hands. She was wide awake, her mind at war with her eyes. She desperately needed the sleep but her mind would not let her sleep. The remnants of the nightmare still echo in her head.

Calling his element, he flooded her mind with calmness and peace, holding her mind very lightly so that he didn't spook her even more. He let his calmness be the balm for her tormented mind and worked on making her eyes heavier until she fell into a dreamless sleep.

He, however, stayed alert, just in case there was another attack on her.

Tazanna P.O.V

Tazanna opened one eye, her arm stretching to the bedside table as she tried to silence the continuous buzzing of her alarm. Sighing with success, she rolled onto her back, her hands going up as she pushed her hair away from her face. She couldn't remember falling asleep last night. She had trouble closing her eyes after the nightmare. A shudder went through her body just thinking about it. But for some unknown reason, she had fallen asleep, no dreams bombarded her, not even the persistent one of the two men.

Scrubbing her face with her hands, she sat up and glanced at the clock. She really should be getting up and ready for work, but her body felt heavy. It was as if it was telling her not to get up, not to leave the safety of her blankets.