Bound by the Moon (The Ancients Series Book 4) by Christine M. Butler

thought it was my baby they snatched. A sharp pinch to my arm from Ashley’s fingernails stopped my forward movement long enough for me to think sensibly though.
    “Who is this?” I nodded in the mystery woman’s direction, but didn’t receive an answer until we were all seated around my parents’ large kitchen table. Both my parents, Serena, Avery, Ashley, a very distraught Sierra, Gabriel the Hunter, and myself were all there. “And why is he here?” I tossed my head towards the hunter.
    “This, is my sister, Layla.” Serena began the introductions
    “Layla?” I questioned, and then heaved a sigh of relief. “You are a sight for a sore eyes.” She bowed her head to me in a quick gesture.
    “That she is.” Gabriel spoke up, seemingly entranced with the witch. “As to why I am here, we recently acquired a dark one who gave us some rather helpful information. Avery was just catching me up to speed on your own interrogation of a dark one, and unfortunately, you have already learned all that I know.” As soon as he finished speaking to me, Gabriel’s focus returned to the moonbeam drenched goddess to my left. At least I could rest easily around him now, knowing that his fascination with me seemed to pale in comparison next to that of the moon goddess, Layla.
    “I tried to reach the white wolves through the dream world. They basically kicked me out, and wouldn’t let me back in. I need to know where the hell this portal is so I can get Jack back. He’s just a baby.” I didn’t say what was probably on everyone else’s minds. We’d all heard the rumors that the dark ones favored infant blood above all else, because it was so pure and untainted, as if the deeds of man somehow factored into the flavor their blood would take on as they aged.
    “I understand what is at stake, for everyone concerned.” Layla spoke, and I swore I could hear wind chimes in her voice. It was an icy sound that sent chills up my spine, just as a her wintery scent enveloped me in a minty-cool essence.
    “I will tell you where to go, but only after we’ve established a plan to get you there and back safely again.” Layla tipped her head to her sister. “She will not allow me to send you otherwise.”
     

LAYLA
     
     
    We were all perched around the kitchen table minutes later. It seemed to be as though hours had passed. Everyone had an opinion of what we should do, and none of those rescue attempts involved me going to the portal. “The only way to open the gateway to the dead is by spilling your blood, Jessica, or that of your direct line.” Layla spoke softly. “If we keep you both safe, then we needn’t worry about your blood spilling there.”
    “That’s the problem. They have Jack, but they think they took Willow. If they get desperate they may attempt to use Jack’s blood. They’ll drain him dry because it won’t work. Hell, they’d probably drain him dry anyway, just for fun. We’re talking about monsters here. And all of you are acting as though I have any choice in the matter. Little Jack is family. It doesn’t matter how he came to be, how long he’s been in our lives, or anything else. The truth is, he inadvertently saved my daughter tonight, and no matter what, he deserves a chance at a wonderful lifetime of happiness. I won’t be the reason he doesn’t get to grow up.”
    “You won’t be the reason, Jessica. That’s what you’re not understanding. Bad things happen to people all the time, some of them are out of our control.” My father said to me.
    “Only this thing wasn’t out of our control. We screwed up. You, me, every one of us screwed up, and that baby is counting on us to make it right.”
    After a while of fruitless argument, I excused everyone else from the room except Serena and Layla. I sat in the kitchen with the two of them while Willow I fed Willow, and we discussed the realities of the situation.
    Layla reiterated, “It only takes a willing drop of your blood and a desire to