“You are beautiful,” he repeated. When he said it in that low, rough voice, I couldn’t help but believe him.
“Your jeans. Take them off.”
He raised a brow at my softly spoken order. I cleared my throat, working up the courage to do what I’d wanted to do from the first moment he’d walked into my shop looking for a job. “Take your jeans off.”
I stepped back so he could kick them away. Amusement flirted at the corners of his mouth, but he wisely kept his smile contained. He let me push him gently onto his back. “My turn tonight.”
“Your turn for what?”
I knelt between his legs. “For this,” I whispered, leaning in to draw him into my mouth. Jax went still with shock. I teased the sensitive tip of his erection with my tongue, drawing a low groan from him. His hands grabbed fistfuls of the covers. I wrapped my hand around his shaft, caressing in long, slow strokes. I took him deep into my mouth once, twice, before he picked me up in a swift movement.
“I wasn’t done,” I protested.
“Another night. I thought I could—” He stopped and gulped down a breath.
He didn’t need to say another word. The fierce need coursing through the bond was as much mine as it was his. I pulled him down for a kiss. I wasn’t interested in sweet—I wanted my gargoyle. I poured my need for him into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around me. I swept my tongue along the crease of his lips, the heat of his mouth too tempting to resist. I deepened the kiss, and he made a low noise of approval in his throat.
Our tongues met and the delicious friction created goose bumps along my skin. I craved the taste of him. A slight, wintry mint. Cool and fresh, but so hot my toes curled.
He began to sit up, but I pressed him back down. I ran my hands along his chest, and then slowly interlaced our fingers. I drew his arms up until they rested behind his head. “Keep them here.”
He said nothing, but his silver eyes tracked my every move. I traced the muscles along his chest and down his abs, which contracted as I lightly drew my fingernails down to his narrow waist. “You’re teasing me,” he said, in that dark, raspy voice that indicated he was close to shifting to stone.
“No, I’m admiring you,” I murmured, fascinated with how smooth his skin was. It turned to gray stone for a few seconds before he shifted back. The muscles were clearly defined in both of his forms, and he stayed warm to the touch.
“Little gem.”
I heard the warning in his tone. I wanted to pretend we had all night, but we didn’t. I smiled and moved so I was positioned directly over him. He slid into my heat in one quick thrust. I arched my back as desire shivered along my spine. Jax moved his hands to my waist to grip my hips.
I moved above him, finding the rhythm that made my eyes close in pleasure. He cupped my breasts; his thumbs brushed along the sensitive skin of my nipples, wringing a moan from me. He sat halfway up to capture one nipple in his mouth. My inner muscles clenched. I slid along his erection, moving closer to climax. His tongue stroked my nipple as his erection stroked my inner heat.
“Mate,” he growled against my skin. The bond flared, feeding my desire, overwhelming my senses with his emotions. I couldn’t tell where he ended and I began. I increased the pace, needing to push us both over the edge. With Jax, I could lose control and tumble into bliss. He’d catch me, of that I had no doubt.
I leaned down and found his lips in a scorching kiss. He took control, devouring my mouth. He nibbled on my lower lip, and then drew it into his mouth, lightly sucking. I felt the pull in all the right places.
All of my senses hummed with pleasure as I shifted my hips, driving him deeper. The orgasm started at my toes and rolled its way up the entire length of my body as I cried out his name. He pressed his hips up, gripping mine as he found his release a second after mine.
Aftershocks of pleasure rippled through me. Jax’s muscles clenched beneath me as tremors ran along my body. Minutes passed as I slowly regained my breath and my awareness.
I relaxed on top of him, and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. The rise and fall of his chest as he breathed lulled me closer to sleep. The bond vibrated with a contented energy. I wanted to take this moment and this feeling with me into the evening and tomorrow.
I knew better. Tomorrow, I’d be a ball of nerves and anxiety.
I kissed the side of Jax’s neck and inhaled his scent. I didn’t want to move, and he seemed reluctant to let me go. I sighed, because I was just as reluctant. “We have to go.”
His arms tightened around me. “I know.”
I ran a finger along his jaw and chin. “I can grab a quick shower and a change of clothes at my apartment. I might even have something in the freezer we can thaw and eat really fast.”
He remained silent for so long, I thought he wasn’t going to answer. I tried to sit up, but he pulled me in for another kiss. When he finally let me go, I was breathless all over again. “I…I love you.”
The slight hesitation told me he’d been about to say something else. I didn’t push him. The connection through the bond told me more than his words ever could. He was as nervous, fearful, and frustrated as I was.
All I said was, “I love you, too.”
…
A moderate rain drenched us by the time we unlocked my shop. Cassie had closed about an hour prior, so the store was empty, except for Luna, who was seated in one of the overstuffed side chairs, legs crossed. The top ankle shook with her impatience. I received the full brunt of her teal glare when I walked past the shelves of products.
I flashed her a cheeky grin. “Hi. How sweet of you to welcome me home after a long day.”
Her expression soured. “You don’t have time to be out fooling around. I can appreciate your taste in men, but…” She caught sight of the ring on my hand. “Oh. Well, that’s different. Your gargoyle has good taste.”
Jax hooked an arm around my waist. “We’d like to do the official ceremony tomorrow evening.”
She stood quickly and put a hand on her hip. “Are you asking my permission?”
I repressed my snort of derision. “Hardly. But if you want to come, you’re welcome.”
She didn’t answer me. Walking closer to Jax, she looked him up and down. “Gargoyle, I expect you to take good care of my goddaughter. I have no problem plucking your balls off, one at a time, and feeding them to you if you hurt her.”
Jax had mastered a poker face, which came in handy now. But I could tell by the spark in his eyes he was hiding his amusement. “I understand. I’m glad she has someone else looking out for her.”
I waved a hand between them. “Hello? Hi. I’m right here, and I’m an adult. I appreciate the belated, awkward godmother act, but I don’t need protection from Jax. I’m more worried about the psycho dad, remember? You can pluck his balls off any time.”
Luna sauntered over to the counter. Her hair was pinned up and back, giving her a sophisticated up-do. Her polka dot top and slim-fitting slacks were adorable. How a dagger-wielding crazy woman like Luna could pull off adorable was beyond me.
She smirked at me when she leaned one elbow on the wood, adopting a lazy pose. “I can pull off a lot of things.”
“And on that note, let’s change the subject.” I squeezed Jax’s arm in a light caress. “I’m going to run upstairs to my apartment and grab a quick shower, and then I’ll get us a bite to eat out of the fridge. Will you be okay?”
“I won’t hurt your stone hottie. He’s safe with me.” Luna leered at Jax in an attempt to irritate me.
Strangely enough, it made something inside of me relax. She was continuing to grow on me, obnoxious attitude and all. I could always expect her to act like this, and it was oddly comforting.
But, I couldn’t let it go completely. “I know he is. Besides, I doubt Elion would take kindly to you looking at other men.”
The look of shock on her face was priceless. I ran up the stairs, laughing. It was convenient having my apartment and shop in the same building
. I’d be happy to get back to it once and for all.
She was leaning against the bathroom door when I walked into my apartment. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I rummaged around the closet for comfy clothes to slip into after my shower. “Luna, oblivious isn’t a good look for you.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her tapping on the handle of her dagger. I hid my smile as I searched for a pair of pants.
“There’s nothing between us.”
I made a noncommittal sound in my throat and turned on the shower. I waited a few seconds, and then arched a brow at her. “Want to help scrub my back?”
With a sound of disgust, she turned on her heel and stomped out of the room. I indulged in a small chuckle before pushing her from my mind. I’d gone on a hunch and hit a nerve. But now was not the time to wonder about the relationship she had with Elion. I stripped down and stepped under the water.
Tonight called for a relaxed, clear head, and I had just the thing: a bar of soap containing one my favorite fragrances, “Jaded.” Might as well tackle the issue of tomorrow while smelling great.
I inhaled the scent as I scrubbed the soap over my skin. Elion had said I’d always woven scents. I tried to pick out the strands of what I’d used. My nose was trained to put fragrance together, but my magic went beyond the obvious. Underneath the layers of scent were the subtler, yet also more powerful layers of substance. Sandalwood was used for calming and meditation. Vanilla was used for comfort, security, and an aphrodisiac. The two combined created levels of energy with an end result that made me feel sexy, cool, and collected.
I rubbed the matching lotion into my skin, still distracted with the energy of the scent. Could I do that with anything? Layer complimentary energies to create a desired end result?
I dug in my closet and found a pair of gray leggings, a cream-colored tank top, and a dark-purple knit wrap. No jeans, no T-shirts. The clothes were a few years old, but I didn’t think they’d draw criticism from Luna. Much criticism, I silently amended.
Most of my makeup was at the guesthouse, but I found a spare tube of mascara and some cream blush. There was enough in my kitchen cupboards to put together three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. No gourmet fare tonight. I didn’t want to leave Luna downstairs with Jax for too long.
Luna was in the process of smelling the bottles on my sample counter when I offered her a sandwich. Elion and Teryl walked in as Jax and I polished off the last bites of ours. “How’s Gemma?”
Teryl offered me a tired smile. “She’s holding steady. Hasn’t woken up yet, but I can’t see any problems in her immediate future. You did a great job.”
I wasn’t ready to do a victory dance yet. The big test would be how she acted after she recovered.
Luna seemed to want the conversation to end. “Gemma will be fine.”
Elion put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. “Luna, we don’t know that yet,” he said. “Once she wakes and heals, we’ll find out.”
“Can’t you guys look into her mind?” I asked.
“It doesn’t work like that. Her mind is offline right now while her soul heals. We’re not dream walkers, so we have to wait, too.” Luna’s nasty tone ticked me off. Her connection to Gemma was her business, but I had a vested interested in Gemma’s recovery. If she turned out like my father, I had to deal with her.
“Yes, we need to talk about that,” Elion said in a quiet voice, after reading my mind.
Luna stalked around the room in short, angry steps to punctuate her words. “After tomorrow, you’ll be able to wield the weaver’s dagger. You cannot go after your father right away.”
I’m pretty sure everyone stopped breathing for a few seconds. Teryl recovered first. “And why the hell not? Do you want him to get his hands on anyone else? I’ll go after him if I—”
Luna stood in front of Teryl, eyes spitting fire. “You will not go after him. You’ll let Elle do her job. Try, and you’ll be killed, guaranteed. This is her fate. Do you understand?”
That gave me pause. “My fate never specified anything like that.”
Luna didn’t take her eyes off of Teryl, who watched her dagger warily. “You are the one, Buttercup. Like it or not.”
MacLean and Gwen entered the shop.
I smiled at MacLean and nodded to Gwen. “Hi.”
MacLean was staring at the ring on my hand with a veiled expression. He didn’t return my smile.
“Elleodora,” Gwen said.
I rubbed a hand across my face, feeling more tired than I had in weeks. “Gwen, just call me Elle, please.” I needed to get a name badge.
Nobody said a word. I looked around and realized they were all staring at Gwen, who stood in an awkward, rigid stance. Her eyes had changed to a strange, unfocused glaze. Energy hummed through the room. Oh great. Now what?
Her voice had become hoarse. It sounded like she was forcing another person’s voice through her vocal chords. “Protect your mate’s soul. The danger will come after the chaos.”
Panic rocketed through my body as I stared at Gwen. Her eyes returned to their normal, violet hue. Awareness returned, and she moved her limbs gingerly.
Luna walked up to her, hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of her dagger. “Can you clarify that for us?”
“The words were for her alone. I’m not the oracle my mother was, and I can’t clarify or elaborate anything.” Gwen’s words were clipped, but she lifted a hand in apology to me. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. Despite everything that has happened, I want you to succeed as much as everyone in this room does.”
“Then give her more,” Luna said in a low, deadly voice. “I brought you here to help. Your pithy comments have little value. I’ve known many oracles and seers, and I know you can do more.”
Elion grabbed Luna before she could pull out the dagger. “Luna, please. She’s telling the truth. You know the lines have weakened.”
Gwen’s posture changed to one of defiance. “Check my mind if you don’t believe me. Feel free to pull out any useful information.” She opened her arms in a “come and get me” gesture.
I saw the strain in Elion’s arm as he held Luna back. “We need to talk about the missing souls,” he hissed in her ear.
Protect your mate’s soul. The danger will come after the chaos.
I hadn’t known I was shaking until Jax took one of my hands, cupping it in both of his. I looked up into his gray eyes. No silver in sight, which meant he was calm. Inside, I felt brittle. Elion and Luna’s furious whispered conversation sounded far away as I stared at my mate.
Protect your mate’s soul.
Jedren would go after his soul. It was my worst fear. I wouldn’t let that bastard touch him. Ever. I turned back to Elion. “What do I need to know about the souls that we haven’t already discussed?”
Elion threw one last glare at Luna, who leaned against a shelf with a sullen expression. “Your magic will peak at the time of your birth, which was three thirty in the afternoon. Your party is set to start at three, correct?”
“Yes.” It was difficult to move my lips. My entire body felt wooden.
Elion’s blue eyes softened in sympathy. For a split second, he reminded me of my mother. “When your abilities manifest, you’ll have control over souls and wards. Use the truth ward I gave you.”
“I think a kill ward would be more appropriate.”
Luna pressed away from the shelves. “She’s right.”
Exasperated, Elion crossed his arms. “No, she’s not. A kill ward won’t help us find the rest of the souls. Luna, you can’t let your emotions about Gemma cloud your judgment.”
Luna curled her lip in disgust but didn’t argue.
Jax was running a thumb absently across the back of my palm. His deep voice startled me. “Why can’t you gods look into Jedren’s mind and find the information?”
Luna shot him a dark look. “Two reasons, gargoyle. One, we need to be next to Jedren, and we’re not allowed near him. Two, his min
d is empty.” She noticed the sardonic tilt to my mouth, and I saw a brief spark of humor light her eyes. “What I mean is, his mind is a blank slate to someone who can read minds. It’s a protective ward drawn by a fae to keep his secrets from being spilled. He had it done years ago.”
“Fae magic is fickle. Only the one who’s drawn the ward can remove it,” Elion added, though it wasn’t much of a revelation.
“Yeah, we heard that before. And let me guess—Jedren killed that fae?” Teryl knew the answer before he finished the question, judging by the way he began to pace.
Elion put a hand on my shoulder. “You need to find out where the souls are. As Luna mentioned, we’re not allowed near him. We’ll be close, but not close enough to help. I’ve given you the truth ward, and Luna gave you the dagger. We’re forbidden from killing him ourselves.”
MacLean lifted a hand, catching our attention. “Some on the Council may be allies. I’ve been talking to Brenin. He’s waiting to see how your abilities change you. Most of the members are, although some want you dead, just as they want Jedren dead.”
“Good to know I’m already ahead of the game,” I muttered.
Luna started flipping her dagger, and a genuine smile curved her lips. The smile that always worried me. “This is war. Tomorrow is only the first battle.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I’d fallen asleep to the horrific image of misshapen souls coming after me. I woke to the image of my father’s soul trying to take over mine.
It was four o’clock in the morning. My birthday had arrived with a vengeance.
I could honestly say I felt older. Until a few days ago, I’d had no idea souls had a shape. Now I knew they had shape, color, and texture, and they buzzed with an energy unique to each. They could fray, snap, tangle, and tear on their own, or with help from a weaver. Like me.
They could also be repaired, rewired, and turned into something different. In my father’s case, something wrong. In Gemma’s case, hopefully something better. My mother’s journal had made one thing clear: though I now had the ability to rethread a soul, I had no control over how it ultimately turned out. Which made the ability dangerous, unpredictable, and, in my opinion, not worth it.
Stone Cold Revenge (Set In Stone, Book Two) Page 21