Changing Destiny

by Rivers, Brandy L

  “Would explain a few things.” Toryn rubbed at his head. “Look, you’re going to have to wait until she comes to. She will. I’ll convince her to talk to you, but not until she’s conscious.”

  “Why would you swear to take her from me?”

  Toryn snorted. “Wanted your stupid ass to live. Didn’t think she’d help if I refused. I sure as shit can’t fix that.”

  He took a slow breath and sat back down with Jayde cradled in his arms. “Don’t want to let her go.” He searched her face. Unconscious, she curled into him, nuzzling her face against his chest. “Fuck, what did I put her through? Why couldn’t I be strong enough to leave Saressa on my own?”

  “Because you were bound to the bitch. Look, don’t make me put you under to keep my word. You don’t stand a chance against me.”

  “This is so fucked up.”

  “Saressa likely sent some asswipe after you when she realized your bond was broken. We expected that. Didn’t expect fucking manticore poison. Aren’t they supposed to be extinct?”

  He shook his head. “She breeds them. Or did.” He caressed her face, tipping her head back to press a soft kiss to her lips. A tear fell. “Don’t want to let her go. Not like this. I need to fix us, but I’m not sure I can.”

  “We’ll figure it out. I’ll help you. But I won’t break my promise.”

  “Keep her safe, Toryn.” He handed her over, his heart breaking. “Whatever you do, keep her safe.”

  “You have my word.”

  Chapter 21

  Kellan had followed Jayde to Shenanigans but didn’t enter. He felt Isadora in the building. His cousin, supposedly his rival. He wanted to meet the woman his mother had despised since birth.

  Then he caught sight of his mother’s pet climbing down a fire escape, muttering curses. The siren had a crossbow on his back.

  Dispersing into air, he moved to the bottom of the ladder and reformed as soon as Eiren’s foot hit the pavement. Kellan pressed a hand to his chest and put him deep into sleep. Then he pried Eiren’s mouth open, pulled out his tongue and cut it out so he couldn’t enthrall anyone with his voice.

  A black Maserati pulled up and a mage stepped out. He looked an awful lot like Toryn. “What the fuck do we have here?”

  Kellan dropped the tongue and blade before slowly raising his hands above his head. “A siren attacked someone. He’s…” How much would a mage really know? Did it matter? Kellan chose to answer anyway. “He’s employed by Saressa, the queen of the Fire and Water Realms in Faerie.”

  Isadora and Endiscott ran out of Shenanigans. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and blood smeared his chest. Kellan’s brow arched.

  The mage turned. “What the hell is going on?”

  “The Paineater took his injuries. I’m guessing that’s why Toryn isn’t with Isadora.”

  Isadora stopped as she looked into Kellan’s eyes. “Who are you?” she demanded.

  “Kellan Storm.” He drew a slow breath and gave each of them a look.

  “You’re a Storm Master,” the mage stated.

  Isadora hadn’t taken her eyes off him. “You’re Saressa and Remus’ son. Aren’t you?”

  “I am. Though more importantly, I’m a friend of Jayde’s. You could ask her.”

  “She’s not going to be conscious for a couple days.” Endiscott stepped toward him, fists clenching as his chest heaved. “You won’t be going near her. I’ll kill you first.”

  Kellan snorted. “A nymph is going to stop me? Yeah, think again.”

  Isadora stepped around Endiscott. Her dazzling green eyes faded to silver. “No. You won’t be going near Jayde. Not until we get some answers.” She gave him a smile that chilled him to the bone. “You won’t get through me.”

  “Look, Princess, you may have come into your power, but you haven’t grown up wielding it.”

  “No, but I have allies here. Do you?”

  He stopped, one corner of his mouth lifting. “True enough. Look, I want to see that she’s all right. If I need to wait a couple days, so be it. I am her friend.”

  “I hear you’ve been fucking her,” Endiscott snarled, taking another step.

  The mage put a hand on Endiscott’s shoulder, stopping his forward progress. “Fuck, Scotty, let him talk. He could very easily have done any number of things different. He took the tongue of a siren, disabled him, and still has his hands in the damned air.” The mage looked over. “You can put them down, knowing that if you make one wrong move, we will all stop you.”

  Kellan dropped his hands. “Who are you? Why is a mage involved?”

  “Preston Emrys. Because this incident could go public, which would be pretty fucking bad. So for now, I want you to come with me. The siren too. Maybe together we can figure out what the hell is going on.”

  “I can drive Kellan,” Isadora offered.

  Endiscott shook his head. “Not alone, you aren’t. I think Toryn would have my balls if I let you run off with this prick.”

  Isa’s brow arched. “You can come along to set your mind at ease, but Toryn knows I can handle myself.”

  “With this? I wouldn’t be so sure. You don’t know Saressa like I do.”

  “I’m not my mother, asshole,” Kellan spat out.

  “No, but who’s to say you aren’t exactly like her?”

  Kellan smirked. “One way to find out. Just tell me who’s driving. I didn’t come by car.”

  Another mage appeared beside Preston. This one in a suit and perfectly styled hair.

  Preston looked over. “Me and this guy.”

  The pretty mage crouched down and touched Eiren while holding Preston’s arm before disappearing.

  “I’ll drive,” Endiscott announced. “I have more room than your Mustang, Isa.”

  “Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  Scotty seethed. “Did she know you were Saressa’s blood?” Saressa’s son had his hands all over Jayde. The images dancing through his head turned his stomach. Rational or not, he wanted to beat the asshole senseless.

  Isa sighed in the passenger seat.

  Kellan sat in the back and met his gaze in the mirror. “Not until last night. I never told her.”

  “And last night you did?”

  “She was pretty pissed at me too. Still, she trusts me.”

  “Yeah, well she’s not awake to tell us that. Was that Eiren on the ground?”

  “Yeah. My mother’s most faithful companion.” Kellan shuddered. “The prick is an ambitious fuck. He wants power. I don’t trust him. That’s why I cut out his tongue.”

  Scotty couldn’t help laughing. “Smart move.”

  Isa turned in her seat, humor dancing over her face. “Oh my, you two might be able to get along.”

  “Too soon to jump to that conclusion. You best call your man before he wonders where you wandered off to.”

  Isa sighed. “Well, since he said you couldn’t go near Jayde until after she wakes up, I’m guessing he’s staying with her. I’ll call though.”

  She dialed and quietly spoke to Toryn.

  Scotty shot a glare at Kellan in the rearview. “What happened when she found out?”

  Kellan sighed, looking away. “Jayde left. Didn’t talk to me until today.”

  “She love you?”

  “No.” Kellan’s reply was bitter. “She’s hung up on you after centuries of your putting another woman first.”

  Scotty let out frustrated snarl. “Funny. She made Toryn promise to take her away from me. She didn’t want me near her.” He never truly expected her to give him a chance after the way he left, but it was the only option he had to save Jayde.

  “Think about it. She just healed you. You haven’t seen her in more than a century, and you broke her fucking heart when you went back to my bitch of a mother. Did you expect her to run back to you?”

  “No.” He groaned. “My whole life has been fucked over by your mother. I don’t know how to fix it, but I’m going to try.”

  Kellan turned to glare out the
window.

  “You love Jayde, don’t you?”

  “Doesn’t matter. She loves you.”

  “Saressa really did fuck us all over.”

  “Yeah, so let’s figure out what the hell is going on,” Isa snapped, then turned to face Kellan. “How are we going to get answers from the siren when you cut out his tongue?”

  “He can write, though I’m sure I’ll have to translate.” He faced Isa. “You aren’t at all what I expected.”

  “What did you expect?”

  He snorted. “A snotty princess.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I was raised on Earth. I knew nothing about my parents until my awakening.”

  “Who raised you?”

  “A slew of foster parents. It wasn’t a walk in the park.”

  “I know better than to make assumptions. I apologize.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Look, Toryn says you’re trustworthy, according to my father. That doesn’t mean much to me. You still have to prove yourself. And with you wanting Scotty’s girl, well, that’s already an uphill battle.”

  Kellan nodded, then shook his head. “I’ve seen the memories of what happened to my mother when she forced the bond on Endiscott. It was a vicious cycle. I’m not that naïve. Jayde doesn’t love me. I’m not one to force her. That’s how we all got into this mess.”

  “See.” Isa smiled at Scotty. “He sounds sincere to me. Heartbroken too. Give him a chance. I can always hand him his ass if he changes his mind.”

  Scotty sighed heavily, his chest aching. “If Jayde did love him, I’d walk away. I never imagined having a chance to mend our destiny.”

  “You’ve got one,” Kellan snapped. “So don’t blow it. If you do, I’ll find a way to warm her heart.” It sounded like a threat. He couldn’t blame the guy either. But he wasn’t ready to like him. Yet.

  Chapter 22

  Toryn pulled Jayde out of the car and gently moved her over his shoulder. He walked up the path to his house and found Reance standing on the porch with his hands on the rail.

  “What’s going on, Reance? Isa called to tell me Kellan is your sister’s son. You said to trust him, but was it necessary to hide that particular detail?”

  Reance shrugged lightly. “Kellan isn’t like his parents. Not yet anyway. And I don’t believe he will ever be.”

  “Still, that might have been good to know. I would have kept a better eye on him, just in case.”

  “You know now.”

  Toryn sighed. “Scotty is taking Isa and Kellan to the Silver Council Headquarters. Preston already took in the siren who shot Scotty.”

  He nodded slowly. “Do you trust me, Toryn?”

  “I do. Not sure Isa and Scotty trust Kellen yet.”

  “They will in time.”

  “Okay. So, why are you here?”

  “I have the antidote. There isn’t time for her to be comatose for the next several days.”

  Toryn nodded, dug out his keys, and let them in. He brought her to the couch. “Take care of her. I’m going to change and grab her something to wear.”

  He went to the bathroom and called Isa. She answered on the first ring. “Hey, Toryn. Do you think Scotty manages not to throttle Kellan?” A laugh escaped her lips.

  Smiling, he shook his head. “Don’t know. Jayde and I should be there before long. Wanted to give you a heads up. I’m letting her wear something of yours. Her clothes are covered in blood.”

  “Yeah, that’s fine. You should change too. I’ll try to keep the boys in line.”

  “Not sure about Kellan, but you realize Scotty’s a few hundred years old, right?”

  She snorted. “Sure. Doesn’t mean they aren’t acting all high school, grumbling over liking the same girl.” She laughed, then paused. “Wait. Didn’t you say she’d be under for a couple days?”

  “Your father came with the antidote. I don’t imagine he’s staying.”

  Isa sighed. “Tell him hi. I guess I’ll see Jayde and you soon.”

  “Not soon enough, Princess.”

  * * * *

  Jayde’s eyes snapped open. Reance sat beside her, his expression caught somewhere between grim and amused. “Welcome back, Jayde.”

  She sat up slowly. “Reance. Didn’t expect to see you.” She looked down at herself and winced. Blood covered her clothing.

  Toryn interrupted her self-inventory. “I brought you some of Isa’s clothes. Seems the shit is about to hit the fan. We need you, and Reance had a solution.”

  Her brow arched at Reance. “You did?”

  Reance nodded. “I see everything. He’s right. Your help is necessary.”

  Her heart fluttered in her chest. “I’m going to have to deal with Endiscott, aren’t I?”

  “It’s about time. Saressa no longer stands in your way.”

  Closing her eyes, she covered her face. “I’m afraid.”

  A hand grasped her shoulder. Toryn murmured, “You’ll figure out what you want. Right now, you don’t want him hurt.”

  “I don’t. Not sure my heart can take it, but yeah.”

  Reance stood with a smile. “Go on. I need to get back to Aeryana.” He left without another word.

  She turned to Toryn who held out clothes. “Give Scotty a chance.”

  Her eyes rounded. “Scotty?” she whispered. Endiscott had smiled so sweetly every time she uttered her nickname for him. Her heart threatened to shatter.

  “He chose that name when he came to Earth. Endiscott isn’t exactly human-sounding.”

  “He said I was the only one to ever call him Scotty.”

  “He’s missed you all these years, Jayde. Through a spell, he was obsessed with Saressa. But you were the one in his heart this whole time.”

  “No, this isn’t fair. After all this time he’s going to choose me for healing him. Not for love. I can’t—”

  “He chose you when he went back to Saressa. He chose to keep you safe the only way he could. He chose you when he let you go, not realizing you were bound to him. And now, I have a feeling he’ll choose to fight for your shared destiny.”

  “Damn it, Toryn. What do you want me to say? I fought for him for a century. Finally had him, and he walked away. Whatever his reason, it tore me apart. He could have looked for me in the last hundred years after he left Faerie, and he didn’t. Did he?”

  “He thought he was protecting you.”

  “He wasn’t,” she whispered. “Look, I’ll talk to him, but I don’t know that we can fix what was broken.”

  “That’s a start. We should go before he starts shit with Kellan.”

  Or worse, Kellan started shit with Endiscott. A nymph wouldn’t stand much chance against Kellan’s magic. Fear washed through her. “Where?”

  “Silver Council Headquarters.”

  “Why there?”

  “One of Saressa’s minions shot Scotty with the manticore spike. They’re holding the siren for questioning.”

  “Reance knew.” She laughed bitterly. “He could have shown up to give Endiscott the antidote directly.”

  Toryn chuckled. “Probably. He has his reasons. Same way he had a reason to talk me out of chasing after you when you went to get Scotty away from Saressa. Trust him. I do.” He held out the clothes. “Go change. Then we can go.”

  A thousand fears danced through her, but she did as he suggested because a seed of hope sprouted deep within.

  Chapter 23

  Scotty stood in the room where Eiren sat, chained to a seat. Preston had given him a tee shirt that was too tight, but better than running around half-naked at the mage’s version of a police station. Robert and Preston stood on either side of him. The magister and his lieutenant. He looked at Preston, then Robert, and shook his head.

  The plan was crazy. Scotty let out a nervous laugh. “So you want me to go in his head with you, and protect you from his influence?”

  Robert ran his hands down his lapels. “You’re immune to his magic, correct?”

  “I am. It’s the projecting my
protection I’m not sure about.”

  Preston nodded. “That’s what I’m here for. We’re all going in. We need to know what happened, and he’s not cooperating.”

  “All right. But you’re going to have to guide me. I’ve never done anything like this.”

  “Don’t worry. Follow our lead.”

  “Fuck, might as well get it over with.”

  Preston frowned. “You sure?”

  No. That fucking piece of shit is loyal to Saressa. I don’t want anything to do with his twisted head. Instead he smiled grimly. “Been through worse. Let’s do this.”

  Robert touched his shoulder and as he reached out to place his hand on Eiren’s forehead.

  An endless sea of images. Saressa fucking a chained up Scotty, or Eiren watching her with other people. Men, women, a creature that was part man, half-spider.

  Scotty froze, squeezing his eyes tight as though that would help. He didn’t want to see Saressa. Especially not her fucking anything and everything that moved when he spent so long wishing he were enough for her. None of what he’d felt was real, simply a product of a spell twisting his heart around. Now that the bond was broken, he hated himself for once feeling anything toward the woman who tore his life apart. Jayde’s life too.

  Someone tapped him on his back. Scotty focused and found Saressa staring at Eiren with determination.

  She asked him to bring Scotty back to her. And to tell her son it was time to come home.

  He wanted to laugh. Against direction, Eiren had tried to kill him. After all these years, Eiren was still jealous Saressa chose a wood nymph over one of her own people. That she coveted Endiscott over everyone.

  Scotty wanted to tell the siren he could have her.

  Fear rolled through him. If Saressa was coming for him, could he risk putting Jayde in her path? Now he was free of Saressa, with people who would take a stand beside him.

  No more waiting. I have to at least talk to Jayde.