by Brenda Trim
“We need to speak with Madame Madeline in Kyran’s room immediately.”
She glanced at his hands nervously. “I will send her right in.” He inclined his head and returned to the room. He paused at the door and listened to Zander yell at Kyran. When Madame Madeline, the lithe Rokurokubi demoness, met him in the hall, he opened the door and noted with disgust how she entered the horrid scene without a flicker of emotion. Her gaze skittered over the dead shifter then to Kyran and Zander, yet she remained stoic. She was one cold bitch.
Zander rose from his crouch and drug Kyran with him. “Madame Madeline, as you can see, we have a problem.”
“Yes,” she said, anger evident in her tone. “I’d say you and your brother have a very big problem. It displeases me to have to clean up this mess and find a replacement for one of my highest grossing females.”
Zander clenched his fists and spoke through gritted teeth. “As Kyran’s sovereign, it falls upon me to punish him for his transgression, and as part of that, he will be cleaning up his own mess. What I want to know is how much he will need to compensate you for your…losses.”
“This will cost him greatly. I never want him to return to my establishment. Bite will be warded against his presence.”
Jace couldn’t understand what brought Kyran to this point, but he understood suffering, and recognized it when he saw it. Kyran was a very disturbed male. Jace heaved a deep sigh, it was still early but it was going to be a long night, and he couldn’t leave Kyran to do this alone. Zander had been there for Jace and he wouldn’t let either of these males down. He only hoped he was able to help Kyran come back from this.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“Shhh…quit being so loud,” Jessie whispered. Cailyn glared at her friend. She hadn’t made any noise.
“I am being quiet,” Cailyn hissed from her crouched position behind a cluster of evergreens. The moon shone bright in the late summer evening, like a spotlight pointing her out. She felt like an escaping prisoner who needed to be on the lookout for the tower guards. Paranoid much?
“You sound like a heard of buffalo traipsing behind me. If I can hear you, I am sure Elsie and the others can, so try to make less noise when you walk,” Jessie breathed into her ear. Cailyn hadn’t heard her footsteps. It was still odd for Cailyn to think about her friend being a skirm-hybrid with preternatural abilities.
Cailyn stuck her head around the trunk of a tree and scanned the back of the house. No one was following them, so they had to keep moving. Jace and Zander were out on patrol, but there were still way too many warriors in the mansion that could stop her. She tiptoed as fast as she could through the property toward the private boathouse and dock, hoping they didn’t get caught. Breslin was going to be mad when she returned from her trip and learned that Cailyn had borrowed her boat to go see John.
But there was no other option for Cailyn. She needed to see John, and it was impossible for her and Jessie to leave the compound any other way than on the water. The front gate was protected by the best electronic security system in the world, as well as the strongest magical wards. The wards extend around the property, but there was no electronic system along the water, making it their best bet.
She had stolen the boat keys and codes for the boathouse. She felt like a teenager sneaking out of her parents’ house to go joyriding in the car. Hopefully, this ended better. When they were teenagers, her and Elsie snuck out and ended up in an accident, totaling the car.
She breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the boathouse undiscovered. Excitement over what she’d done with Jace warred with anxiety and anticipation of seeing John. She understood the danger she was in, and wasn’t going unprotected, but this was too important to discuss over the phone with him. Jessie was super-powerful now, and able to defend them. Besides, Cailyn refused to allow anyone to tell her what to do or not to do, even if a part of her liked Jace’s dominance.
She fumbled with the key and prayed she wasn’t being too loud. She glanced at her friend and noted her gaze was fixed on the house in the distance. Once the door was open, she rushed to the alarm panel and entered the code to disable it. When she was about to start the motor for the automatic wench, Jessie stopped her.
“No, I’ll get it down by hand. I’m not sure how loud it is, but I’d rather not take any chances,” Jessie voiced as she got to work turning the hand-crank. While Jessie worked, Cailyn pulled out her phone and looked over the map she had Googled.
When the boat hit the water, Jessie turned and opened the door so they could get the boat onto the lake. “Let’s go,” her friend said as she ushered her into the sleek speedboat. It was intimidating, and made her re-think her plan of driving this boat down the lake to get to John’s hotel. She had no idea how to drive a boat, and neither did Jessie. This was doomed to fail, but that didn’t stop her from jumping into the craft.
She stood at the wheel and watched Jessie join her. “I don’t know about this. It’s pitch-black and neither of us knows exactly where we are going. What was I thinking with this hair-brained scheme?”
Her friend pushed her aside muttering, “I can see just fine and this will work. It’s the only way, and you have been dying to see him since you talked to him. I, for one, don’t want to hear you bitch and moan about it anymore.” Jessie snatched the boat key that was dangling from her finger and started the boat.
She yelped as she fell back into the seat when Jessie gunned the boat. They bumped into the dock and a loud screech told her she was going to owe Breslin a paint job. “Jesus, maniac. You don’t know what you are doing any more than I do.” Cailyn cursed as her friend hit the edge of the building before she cleared it, and they finally hit open water. Add a new door to the list, too.
“Which way is south?” Jessie yelled over the engine. Yeah, they were in deep shit.
“I think it’s to the right. Doesn’t this thing have a compass?” Cailyn asked as she stood up and checked the controls. “It’s right there, see?” Cailyn pointed to the control panel. “Turn to the right and then we look for the public dock for BluWater Bistro.”
Cailyn took in the sights as they made their way down the lake. There were countless houses, most of which had private docks. After a few minutes, she began to worry that they’d gone too far. “Slow down. Unlike you, I can’t see at night and don’t want to miss it.”
The boat slowed and a couple minutes later Cailyn spotted the neon sign on a building. “Stop, that’s it,” she called out and pointed to the docks near the restaurant. Jessie whipped the boat around and made her way into one of the slips. They had no idea how to tie the boat off and looked at how the other boats were secured. Cailyn threw big rubber tubes over the side and tied the ropes to some metal hooks on the dock, hoping the boat didn’t float away.
Once they were out of the boat, Cailyn hailed a cab and directed the driver to the Sheraton near downtown Seattle. She was glad she had raided her sister’s wallet before leaving, ensuring she had plenty of cash to pay the fare.
As they stood on the sidewalk at the bottom of the stairs, she was suddenly nervous to see John again. She grabbed Jessie’s hand for support and they walked into the hotel.
“What room?” Jessie asked.
“He said five-twenty-six,” she replied as she pressed the elevator call button. An older couple joined them as they entered the car. The gentleman pushed the number nine button and turned to them. “What floor?”
“Five, please.” As they rode in silence, Cailyn’s heart raced and her palms began to sweat. She had slept with another man. She felt no guilt, because sex with Jace had been right, necessary even, but John would never understand that.
She smiled at the couple as she exited the elevator then followed the signs to his room. Jessie placed her hand on her shoulder, offering comfort. “I’ll be downstairs in the bar. Come get me when you’re done.”
“Thank you. Here, take some money.” She watched Jessie round the corner then knocked, holding her breath until John
opened the door.
“Cailyn! Oh my God. I have been so worried about you,” John exclaimed and grabbed her up into a bear hug, causing her feet to leave the ground. He held her tight and carried her into the room.
He set her down and placed his hands on her face. “I’m sorry you worried, but I’m ok now. I missed you.” She placed her hands on his chest, pushing lightly to create space. In the back of her mind she registered that Jace’s chest was more muscled. Comparing the two wasn’t fair because there truly was no comparison. Both men were so different from one another.
John refused the space and closed all distance between them, claiming her lips in a kiss. He mistook her hesitation for permission and deepened the kiss. He held her close when she tried to pull away. She was sad that his effect on her was mild compared to the uncontrollable lust that Jace induced in her.
As she ended the kiss and looked into John’s warm, brown eyes she saw unconditional love and caring. This was the hardest thing she had ever faced. “We need to talk.”
John slid his hands down to her arms and squeezed. “Whenever a woman says that, it never ends well. I love you, no matter what. You know that, right?”
Tears misted her eyes. “I know and I love you, too. It’s not necessarily bad, but complicated. Let’s sit down.”
He interlaced their fingers and he tugged her to the only place to sit, the bed. She kept her eyes downcast and played with his fingers as she gathered her thoughts. “As Elsie told you, I was in an accident. Jessie and I were both injured in that accident. I am not one hundred percent better, and Jessie has a long road ahead of her. Jessie won’t be returning to San Francisco. She has to stay here where there are experts to help her. Elsie’s new husband has the connections and money to help her. She is my best friend, and the accident was my fault…what I’m trying to say…is that I’m going to stay here with her, at least for a little bit.”
John’s shock was evident as he gaped at her. “But what about your job? You can’t quit. And your condo? What about us?”
She grabbed his other hand. “I have to quit. I can get a job here if I need it. I’ll be staying with my sister as long as I need to.”
“Are you saying you want me to move here with you?”
“No, I’m not. You can’t leave your job, and I need some space and time. These last few days have been difficult for me.”
She saw the heartbreak on his face, but she wouldn’t lie to him and tell him everything was going to be alright. “I love you,” she said simply.
“I love you more than you know, and I will be there for you anytime you need me. Can I come visit you at least?”
She choked back a sob and nodded her head. A loud knock sounded as he was leaning his head to kiss her again. He cursed and rose to answer the door. A panicked, pale Jessie was on the other side. “Hey John, I hate to interrupt but,” she looked over at Cailyn, “we have to go. I need to see Jace right away, something is wrong.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked as she met them at the door.
“There is this feeling under my skin that I can’t describe but it’s not normal,” Jessie said through clenched teeth. She noticed that her friend was hiding her fangs and was in obvious discomfort.
“What’s going on?” John demanded.
Cailyn turned to John and hugged him close. “I’m sorry but I have to go with her. I’ll call you soon and will try to see you before you head back to San Francisco,” she murmured before kissing his cheek.
“Call me later and tell me what’s going on.”
Cailyn couldn’t answer him so she turned and headed down the hall. She felt John’s gaze on her back, but she refused to look back.
*****
Jace pulled up to the hangar-like garage around the back of the main residence, relieved to be done with the ugly task of cleaning up Kyran’s mess. He climbed out of the car and glanced at Zander and Kyran. They had cleaned the room and ridden home in silence. The tension was draining. It was going to be a rough road for the warrior, and Jace worried that Zander wasn’t going to be there for his brother. A noise drew their attention to the house.
“What’s going on?” Zander asked as he looked toward the back of the house.
“Don’t know but something is up. Everyone is racing to the water. We may be under attack,” Jace called as he conjured his staff and raced across the lawn.
They caught up to their majordomo, Angus, a dragon shifter, and Elsie. “What’s wrong, a ghra?”
“Cailyn and Jessie are gone, looks like they took Breslin’s boat. I’m sure she went to see John, but she doesn’t have a cell phone and John’s not answering his,” Elsie said worriedly.
Jace cursed and dashed toward the water as a ball formed in his gut. He uttered the words to a reveal spell and saw the traces of Cailyn’s aura along with that of Jessie’s. “She left with Jessie,” he observed when they entered the boathouse. He looked around the scene and noticed the blue paint along the dock and door. Had they met foul play?
“We have to go after her,” Elsie insisted.
“We will,” Jace promised, wondering where to start looking.
“I hear a boat,” Elsie cried out. “Is that them?”
Jace cocked his ear and heard the faint sounds of a boat. A breeze off the water carried Cailyn’s cinnamon scent to him. “Yes, it’s her.”
The boat came into view a few seconds later and Elsie began cursing at her sister. Jace saw that Jessie was driving the boat and Cailyn was in the passenger seat. The female maneuvered the craft into the garage and banged into the dock. “Shit,” Jessie cursed, “stupid boat.”
Jace ignored her and charged over to his mate. He jumped into the boat before it stopped completely and he crouched down to meet Cailyn’s gaze. He was certain his eyes were black with his anger. “What the fuck were you thinking?” he growled. As the tight knot of fear unraveled and Cailyn’s soul soothed his tension, he realized he couldn’t lose his Fated Mate. He couldn’t live without her, but wasn’t sure he could live with her, either.
Spunk sparked in Cailyn’s eyes. She squared her shoulders and stood up. “I was thinking I wanted to see John, but that’s not important right now. Something is wrong with Jessie.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Cailyn gasped as Jace got into her face, distress, fear, and annoyance marring his beautiful features. “I don’t give a fuck about her right now. I do, however, care about you and the danger you knowingly placed yourself in.”
Her jaw went slack and her eyes widened. How could he say he didn’t care about her friend? Obviously, the Hippocratic Oath meant nothing to him. “Yeah, well fuck you too, Jace. I do care about her. She is my best friend and the only one, aside from my sister that I can count on. If you aren’t going to help her, I’ll find someone who will.”
Cailyn turned on her heel and hurried to the house. How had they gone from making love earlier to this? They hadn’t made love though, had they? They didn’t know each other, and despite being Fated for one another, that didn’t necessarily mean it meant anything to him. She should consider it nothing more than good sex. Unfortunately, it was the best sex of her life. He may be able to forget her, but she would never forget this sorcerer and the moments they shared.
Suddenly, she realized she had no idea who to call within the realm that may be able to help her. She turned to ask her sister for suggestions and noticed that Elsie’s panic lingered in her eyes.
Cailyn should have known how worried her sister would have been, especially after what she’d suffered. Her sister was one of the strongest women she knew, and it cut Cailyn to the bone to see the worry in Elsie’s eyes. She hadn’t really thought the situation through, and had only done what she’d wanted to. In hindsight, talking to John in person wasn’t necessary and hadn’t even given her the clarity she hoped for.
“El, I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to worry you,” she canted her head and begrudgingly included Jace. She was still mad at him. “Or anyone else. Can you help
me find someone who can help Jessie?”
“Please, there’s electricity or something pulsing under my arm, close to my heart,” Jessie interjected, grabbing her arm. “It was much worse when we were at the hotel, but it seems better now.”
“I will help her,” Jace offered, glaring at Cailyn. What did he have to be angry about? “Let’s get to the clinic downstairs,” he barked and headed to the house.
Elsie wrapped her arm around Cailyn’s shoulders as they followed. “One thing you will learn is that these warriors have a hard time with being overbearing, especially where their Fated Mate is concerned. Cut him some slack. None of them know how to deal with everything when it hits them all at once.”
Zander stepped up to her sister’s other side while Jessie walked on Cailyn’s other side. “She is right, puithar. I have a difficult time with being what Elsie calls a Neanderthal.”
Jace stopped as they reached the back of the house. “I am sorry, Cai. This is all new to me, but trust that I will do my best for Jessie. Although, I’d like Evzen here just in case.”
He grabbed her hand and tugged. She met his blazing amethyst eyes and saw his vulnerability for a split second before he shuttered his emotions. She heaved a sigh. Overwhelmed could summarize exactly how she felt. In fact, she wanted to crawl into a big, soft bed and get lost in a good romance novel, anything for a break from everything plaguing her. Between her four J’s: Jace, John, Jessie, and her job, she was close to breaking. His reaction was to be expected, and she needed to remember that.
His tension was obvious as they entered the house, but, as Jace intertwined their fingers and sidled closer to her, some of that tension eased. She normally hated reading people’s thoughts, but for the second time since the accident, she entered his mind. As with all the supernaturals, it was difficult to gather clear impressions, let alone coherent thoughts.