Chapter 60 (Crossover Event #1)

(**Rayne’s POV**)

The sound of the doorbell woke Rayne as she snuggled closer to Parker’s sleeping form. Her eyes flew open as the bell chimed again a minute later. Looking at the clock on the bedside table, she lets out a groan. It was already ten in the morning. That means that the person ringing the bell was Sebastion Drakos. Nudging Parker to wake up, she threw the covers off her body and stretched.

Parker’s arms shot out of the blanket and pulls her back against him. “Five more minutes.” His morning voice did things to her libido that they didn’t have time for.

“Parks, they are here.”

His eyes pop open as he grumbles. “You get dressed and I will go greet the new couple.”

Rayne protests until he points at her body. Looking down, she sees she is buck naked while he has on his sleep pants. He must have gotten up during the night or he would be just as naked as she is. He hopped out of bed, grabbed a shirt off the floor, and was out the door before she could say anything. A smile forming on her lips as she recalled the events of his surrender last night.

His resolve to not have sex until their wedding night crumbled fast when he entered their room after seeing all the boys off to their homes. The red lace nightie worked like a charm. He had it off her body and pinned her to the bed in record time. Much to her satisfaction. Shaking the memory off, she got out of bed to take a quick shower, knowing Parker would offer them coffee and breakfast.

When she finally dressed, Rayne heads out into the living room to greet her guests. Laughter from outside draws her attention to the deck. Looking out the window, she sees Sebastion with two women whose backs are to her. Walking to the kitchen, she grabs a cup of coffee then heads outside.

“So after you barged into her room, what happened?” one woman asked Parker.

“He went next door to his lover’s room and a lot of angry screaming ensued. That was when I decided breakfast would be a great idea and hightailed it to the diner across the street.” Rayne answers as she walks to stand next to Parker at the decks railing.

“I was just telling them about the night we met.”

“A lovely first impression story, I am sure.” She faces her three guests with a smile on her face.

The two women beside Sebastion could be twins. They are the same height, have the same hair coloring, but their eyes differ in shades. Varying shades of ice-blue. The woman pressed against his side must be Irina. They fit so well together that it made Rayne smile. She was happy that he found someone who is as perfect for him as Parker is for her.

“Rayne, this is Irina,” Sebastion gestures to the woman next to him. Her ice-blue eyes widen as she looks at her.

“Hello, it is nice to finally put a face to the woman who help set this all up.” Irina shook the hand that Rayne extends.

“I am Natalia, Irina’s sister.” The woman next to Irina introduces herself.

After they make the introductions, there was time to kill until the White Witches arrived. Parker suggests breakfast and they all head inside. He left Rayne to cook breakfast for them while he excused himself to take a shower. Conversation flows easily between the five of them. Rayne had originally thought it would be awkward to meet Sebastion’s second chance mate. It was turning out that isn’t the case.

Irina and Natalia help her make breakfast. Parker returns after his shower and they all sit down at the kitchen table to eat. Laughter came easily to them as Parker shared some stories of the early days of Shadow’s Retreat. The way the five of them got along, it was as if they had been lifelong friends. Rayne felt a connection with Irina that she wanted to explore, but now was not the time.

“So, tell me more about Treadstone.” She asks when they are back on the deck after breakfast.

Irina looks to Sebastion with a curious expression. “You didn’t tell them everything?”

“I told them enough, but wanted to wait until we were here in person to give all the details. Plus, it isn’t my story to tell. You have firsthand experience with the bastard and call tell them everything better than I can.” Sebastion told her while rubbing a hand up and down her back.

“He is ruthless and devious.” Irina starts her story at the beginning. Back to that day when her pack was destroyed. As she spoke, both Sebastion and Natalia flanked her. To soothe and support. How many times has she told this story? How many times has she been forced to relive it with each retelling? When Irina reached the point in her story where Treadstone broke her down, and how he did it, Rayne had enough.

“So, this compound in France that my friend Devon and his team are attempting to break into is one of Treadstone’s?”

Irina looks up at Rayne and nods her head. Relief flashing in her eyes at not having to go on.

“What about his collection in Oregon?” Parker asks as he pulls Rayne against him. His touch soothing her as he knew Irina’s story touched a nerve. Wilson’s damage to her rearing its ugly head.

“I don’t know where it is. He never shared that with me. He blindfolded me when I was released from where ever it was he had me in the beginning. I only know about the France compound because he was angry and let it slip while he was on the phone. When he mentioned a phoenix, it piqued my curiosity. Then when I mentioned it to Sebastion, he connected the dots.”

“Fill me in on all you know about his day-to-day activities. Schedule, where his office is, where he lives, anything and everything you can about the man himself.”

“What will knowing all of that do for you?”

“If my friends in France are successful, Treadstone will come back to Oregon. What do you think will happen then? With half of his collection liberated?”

Irina’s face pales as that thought finally occurs to her. “He will recoup his loses.”

“Who do you think he will go after first?”

“Me and my sister.” Sebastion says with fear in his voice.

“If you tell us everything you know about where Treadstone operates in Oregon, we can start gathering allies to help take him down before that happens. Do you think he keeps your daughter with the rest of his collection?”

“No, he has always kept her separate.” A sick look came over her face as she said that. “He dotes on her like he would his own child. He protects her because he sees her as special. Her ability to remember and repeat back everything she hears has given him advantages over his rivals for a year now.” Irina gives them everything she knows, which sadly isn’t a lot.

From what Beckett told Parker, they already have three locations to search. Treastone Industries’ headquarters, his penthouse, and a small house in the suburbs. That was better than nothing. “Beckett and his crew will help you find Zasha after the White Witches give find her location. Finding the rest of his collection will be the hard part. However, we all know that even if both halves of his collection are out of his reach, that will not be the end of him or The Collectors. This is a far bigger war than any of us are prepared for.” Parker tells them as he continues to hold Rayne close to him.

“How big is this organization?” Sebastion asks as he looks down at Irina.

“We know of one other name, Gerald Finkman, but we know there are far more out there that are still nameless.”

“I have seen him once in Vicktor’s office. I showed up too early to give my report. He gave me this,” she rolled up her shirt to show them a thick scar on her side. Rayne knew that only silver can cause a scar like that to werewolves.

“How can we end them all?” Sebastion’s voice is hard with anger.

“We can’t unless we are prepared to bring them and the entire supernatural world into the light of the human world. That is not an option since it will put us all in more danger than we already are. You have seen what humans do to each other out of fear, greed, or petty differences. What do you think they will do to us out of that same fear? Hunt us, kill us, or worse. Only difference between what they will do and what The Collectors are doing is there will be no cages.” Rayne states as she places a hand over her flat stomach.

That was what she feared the most.

“There has to be some way!” Natalia speaks up for the first time since she introduced herself earlier.

“We fight them, free their captives, and kill them when we can.” Parker states firmly. Rayne could feel the anger radiating off him in waves. Finkman broke his family apart when he was a child. Killed his mother after she gave birth to Frank. Kept his father and brother in cages. The war became personal to him and it scared the shit out of her.

Looking at her watch, Rayne saw that the witches would be here soon. “Do you have what is needed for the spell?”

Irina pulled a locket out from under her shirt and tapped a finger on it in answer.

“Alright, then let’s make our way to the clearing. The White Witches will be there soon.” Rayne moved out the comforting circle of Parker’s arms. She takes a step towards the stairs by the driveway side of the deck, but stops when Irina clears her throat. She turns to look at her to listen to what she has to say.

“Before we head out to this clearing, there are a few things I want to say. First being that I am grateful to you both for your help in this. I know our coming here most have been awkward for you two considering where you all stood with each other not that long ago. This place and what you two do for the supernatural community is amazing. Thank you for helping me find my daughter.” Irina says as she takes a few steps away from Sebastion.

Rayne did what she felt was the most natural thing to do. She closed the distance between the two of them and hugged Irina. The other woman stiffened at first, but then let out a cheerful laugh. “Our stories may not be the same, but I know what it like to believe that you have lost everything. I know what it is like to have someone hurt you in such a way that you believe you are unworthy of love from anyone else. Treadstone is the devil you know. Wilson was mine. One day I hope you can have the same peace I did when my devil died.” She whispers into Irina’s ears for only her to hear.

When she steps away, they nod at each other as they form a bond between two survivors. Yes, their stories differed, but both suffered greatly at the hands of others. Mental, physical, and emotional abuse is something that takes years to overcome, if it ever happens at all. Both women will wear the scares of their past until they meet the moon. It is what they do with their time that counts now.

Rayne meets Sebastion’s eyes before she turns to lead the group towards the woods. She could tell that he heard some of what she said by the questioning look in his eyes. It was part of a past that she would share with him if he ever asked. Walking down the deck stairs, she and Parker lead them towards the clearing. She could feel the tension in all of them as they walked.

Ten minutes later they entered the clearing. The five stones seemed to hum with magic in anticipation of what was to come. The binding stone standing in the center of the other four. It is wider and taller, standing out as different. Each of the stones has a basic elemental symbol carved into it. Earth, water, air, and fire. Each element has a symbol below it for a direction, and the stones are set up in correlation to the compass directions.

“North for Fire. East for Air. South for Earth. West for Water. The middle stone to bind them.” Rayne explains as Sebastion, Irina, and Natalia stop and stare at the stones.

“How did you learn about witches?” Natalia asks.

“That was an interesting night that I will tell you all about another day.” Rayne laughs as the memory of the night she met Arabella flashes through her mind.

Before she can say anything further, a clap of thunder sounded behind them all. It was a sunny and clear day, so that could only mean one thing. The White Witches are here. Turning around as a group, they all faced the new arrivals. Two men and three women stood silently before them.

The men wore matching loose fitting grey tunics with white slacks. They stood behind the three women and off to the side. The one on the right was pale skinned while the one on the left was darker, more exotic. The three women are all wearing loose, flowing white dresses. Each with hair long and loose to flow freely down their backs. After what felt like an eternity, one woman stepped forward.

“You must be Rayne Solas,” Her voice was airy with a slight accent to it that Rayne couldn’t place. Her dark chestnut eyes seemed to pierce Rayne’s soul in their intensity.

“Yes,” was the only thing she said.

“I am Hysin, and these are Freida, Esthwyn, Marcus, and Mekhi.” She didn’t indicate who was who as she gave their names. In the long run, it didn’t really matter. Rayne doubted she would ever meet any of them after today.

Rayne nodded her head in acknowledgement after Hysin introduced her fellow White Witches.

“Who is seeking to find the lost, or the hidden?”

Irina stepped forward, “I am.”

“Who are you seeking and why?”

“My daughter, they stole her from me and she is now a prisoner.”

“You seek family, then we will need something of hers to use for the spell.”

“I have her hair with me and a drop of her blood.”

“The blood will work better than the hair. Come, let us begin,” Hysin declared to her companions, then walks around Rayne’s ground and into the circle.

The hum of magic in the air gets louder as the five witches enter the magic circle that is etched on the ground. A shiver goes down Rayne’s spine as she watches the witches set up for the spell. She could feel the tension in her friends turn to wonder, anticipation, and hope. The feeling of hope was coming from Irina.

Hope at finally knowing where her daughter is being kept. Rayne is glad she can be here to see her get the answer she needs. With luck and the help of the White Witches, Irina would have her answer soon enough.