Chapter 28: *"...more to these dreams than he originally thought."*

Down in the basement cells, Rain was blissfully unaware of the dark and sadistic plans Jack had for her. It was finally time for them to make their escape. There were only two higher level servants who were a part of the group of escapees. They were like Rain, one of their biological parents someone of high status in the Coven, with the other parent being either some kind of Shifter or werewolf. 

Those two upper level servants were responsible for freeing all the lower level servants escaping with them as well. Right on time there was the sound of the basement door being opened, and the sound of light footsteps reached her ears. The two upper level servants managed to get a hold of some keys. 

“Thank the Moon Goddess, Margerett you start on that end, Egbert you on the other end. Margerett was six foot seven, curvaceous with long curly hair that was a mixture of copper red with a few strands of black and white. Her eyes were inner rings of cerulean blue and outer rings of stormy gray. Margerett's mother had been a rare twin tailed fox shifter. 

Egbert’s father, like Margerett's, was an Elder of the Coven, his mother had been an Arctic Werewolf. Egbert’s hair was pure white, his eyes were inner rings of dark molten gold, and outer rings of white gold. He was very tall, towering over Rain at eight foot one, broad with lots of thick hard packed muscles. 

Both Margerett and Egbert had looks that brought them a lot of trouble among the more amorous guests the Coven hosted. Margerett's foxlike face was fair with delicate features and her skin complexion a golden peach color. Margerett looked seductive without meaning to, her father had sold a night with her more than once.

Egbert was no exception and had abhorred being violated in that way just as much as Margerett did. Margerett and Egbert were cousins who might as well have been siblings. Egberts features were strong and noble looking, they were so beautiful they would have looked good on a female. On Egbert his beautiful features were somehow inherently male. 

Egbert and Margerett had always been drawn to Rain. When they found out she had a plan to free the rest of the slaves, and any servant who wanted to go with them, they decided to follow her. So, when Rain gave out her orders, they followed them without question. While they went to do what Rain had said, Rain released herself from her own bonds and her cell, then her father.

Once everyone was released from their chains and gathered together, they made their way up and out of the basement. Several soon to be former servants acted as lookouts, everyone was sent in quick small groups until they made it undetected from the Mansion, into the library. 

It was several minutes of hyper awareness that made the slow and careful process feel like it was taking hours instead of just under ten minutes. Rain’s nerves didn’t start to settle down until they were all in the large chamber in front of the underground escape tunnel. Rain turned around and realized there was more here than she thought there would be.

If Rain counted, she bet there were more than three hundred beings here. It looked like it was not only the low level servants who wanted to escape with the slaves, there were a lot of high level servants and apprentice witches and warlocks as well. Every single apprentice witch who was assaulted during the breeding banquet was there. 

The looks in their eyes said survivor and spoke of deep pain and trauma. There were actually enough bags here for each escapee, making Rain look to Lillian. Lillian had a solemn look on her face as she gazed at all the beings here, a deep knowledge in her eyes. This made Rain feel assured that they were not making a mistake bringing the others she had not counted on along. 

As long as they were sincere in their desire to leave the Black Magic Coven and all of the evil it contained behind them. Lining everyone up in two rows, Rain had several beings, placed at regular intervals in the line, hold onto long thick wooden sticks that had glowing orbs attached at the end. Each orb contained a small blue fire, they would supply the light needed to make it through the tunnel. 

“I will bring up the rear, you guide the front with Lillian.” Dominic said to Rain.

Rain looked up at her father and worried, even so, she nodded. “Egbert, Alejandro!” Rain called out, and they both quickly rushed to her side. 

Alejandro was a jaguar shifter warlock hybrid, he was burly and had a seductive air about him. It was his seductive air that had him enslaved by a Coven Witch. His thick midnight black curls fell to his waist, a perfect complement to his dark caramel colored skin. His eyes were inner rings of dark emerald with outer rings of bright gold. Although shorter than Egbert at Seven foot three, Alejandro was still powerful. 

“You two go with my father and bring up the rear.” Rain told them. 

Egbert and Alejandro offered no objection, but Dominic didn’t want her and Lillian without protection either, so he said, “Okay, but have Lisandro and Rodrigo join you in front.”

Lisandro was another feline shifter warlock hybrid, a black panther. His long hair was a bone straight midnight black that fell to his waist, contrasting with his dark olive toned complexion. He had inner rings of a dark earth brown and outer rings of molten amber. He should have had lots of thick muscle covering his seven foot two frame, but years of starvation had made him gaunt. 

Rodrigo was a grizzly bear shifter and eight foot five, he had accidentally pissed off a Coven Witch living temporarily near his home. The Witch had wanted to bed him, and Rodrigo had refused. As a result, like Alejandro and Lisandro he had been drugged to the point of losing his ability to shift or use magic, then enslaved to the coven. 

Thinking about their backstories made Rain very aware that most if not all those here had suffered some kind of sexual assault at the hands of the Black Magic Coven. Rodrigo and Lisandro had been standing nearby when Dominic said that and came to flank Rain. It was their way of silently taking up the duty of protecting her. Not wanting to argue and very aware of time slipping away, Rain nodded in agreement.  

Lillian took a small chest and set it on the ground, then after a moment there was a rumble and lots of wind in the chamber. It stopped after a moment. Lillian had tucked the library away in the chest and replaced it with an illusion spell that would last a few weeks. After tucking the chest away in her satchel, Lillian joined Rain.  

Once in front of the group with Rodrigo and Lisandro following behind them, they cast a small levitation spell on their lanterns. The lanterns would float in front of Lillian and Rain as they traveled. This left their hands free in case they needed to fight. Just like that, in near complete silence, the group of over three hundred made their escape from the Coven.

****

After eating breakfast, Matt and Lauren talked in his room for about ten minutes. The conclusion they came to, after nearly breaking their jaws on yawns, was that he needed to sleep on it. So, Matt had, and now he was given the vision of his mate and a great many other individuals, escaping from the Black Magic Coven. 

Matt watched her travel down a dark tunnel, blue flamed orbs attached to sticks floating in front of them. Matt felt like he was a floating invisible observer, he was not a real presence there. Matt floated along, watching the large group walk down a seemingly endless dark tunnel. Ares was along for the ride with him, in his mind's eye he imagined himself sitting in the air, with Ares right next to him.

As this image became stronger to him, he suddenly saw a wisp of nearly white blue smoke trail from him and attached itself to Rain. It was like through his dreams their bond as mates was being formed. He wondered if he would feel it if he reached out and touched Rain, if she would be able to feel it too.

As he watched, he noticed Rain’s father was missing from her side. This made his heart jolt in worry, Rain’s father was very important to her. Matt calmed himself down in the next moment by observing Rain. If something bad had happened to Rain’s father, it would have been written all over her face. This meant that he was somewhere in this line up, most likely he was bringing up the rear. 

Matt floated closer to Rain, gazing into her eyes, observing her features. A longing filled Matt, a longing for his mate. Matt imagined himself reaching out to caress one of her cheeks, and it was like a jolt of electricity shot through them both as he made contact. Matt felt a heaviness suddenly weigh down on him, and knew he was about to wake up any second. 

Using the last moment he had, he chanced saying the words in his heart aloud. “Come to me at the Moon Mountain Pack my mate, so I can claim you.” 

Matt didn’t know if she had heard him, the dream ended the moment he finished saying his words to Rain. Preventing him from seeing any reaction from her, if she had any. He felt like he was slammed back into his body. 

Matt groaned in pain as he rolled to the side, his body felt like he had gone several rounds with his Uncle Brock. He was covered in sweat and his limbs were trembling and breathing heavily. It was as if he had been exerting himself physically until he collapsed. 

Matt started to think there was more to these dreams than he originally thought.