“Shit,” he gasped, his hips jerking.
Her brow arched. “Don’t like?”
“Love. But Brent. He won’t wait long to wake us.”
“We’re awake.” She nibbled down the shadow between muscles before trailing her tongue up the vein along the underside of his cock. “Need this,” she murmured.
“Jackie, you don’t have to do that. I’d rather have you.”
She kissed his crown, then traced her tongue around the ridge. “I’ll make love to you before you finish. First, I crave a taste.”
Eddie’s hands fisted in the sheets as her mouth closed over him and took him in. She couldn’t tear her eyes from his face. Watching him lost in pleasure was the hottest thing she’d ever seen.
His muscles jumped under smooth brown skin. Black hair fanned across her white sheets. A strangled moan escaped his full lips as his hips flexed.
“Damn it, Jackie. I’m close.”
She pulled off with a pop, climbed up the bed to straddle his hips, and slid down over him. After he’d worshipped her the night before, she wanted to return every ounce of pleasure.
She looked into his eyes as she rose over him, and crashed back down. Eddie sat up, his hands tangling in her hair as he brought her mouth to his.
They connected on every level. Their bodies in sync. Each wave of love pulsed through him as strong as the desire that quickly escalated to the point of no return.
Everything she never thought she could have was right here. She flew apart as his release filled her. He held her tight, his forehead pressed to hers as he stared into her, their souls touching.
“Promise me, no more guilt. Either of us,” he whispered.
“Not anymore. This is too right.” Didn’t matter what anyone else thought. For now, they would keep this quiet, but there was no way she could ever pretend like what they shared wasn’t the real thing.
Banging on the door made her jump.
“Come on, get out of bed, take a shower, and get dressed. No more bumping uglies. We have a lot to do before Jackie goes to work tonight.”
Eddie groaned. “Don’t want to train today,” he murmured. “Want to stay here in bed, and keep you all to myself.”
She sighed heavily. “Unfortunately, we have to. There’s so much I need to learn. You thought what I could do before was awesome.” She shook her head. “It’s a whole new ballgame now. Isa and Jayde are meeting me out in the forest, while you hang out with the guys.”
He groaned. “Yeah, Brent mentioned learning how to fight the right way. Watch them kick my ass.”
Jackie laughed. “I bet they don’t. You’ll learn a few tricks.” She leaned in and whispered against his ear, “I’ll let you pin me down and have your wicked way with me afterward.”
His cock hardened further and she wiggled with a moan.
Brent banged again. “Seriously, you two, don’t make me come in there and pull you apart. There are some things I never want to see.”
“Be right there,” Eddie called, before rolling Jackie to her back. They made love as quietly and quickly as they could manage.
* * * *
Once Jackie drove away with Eddie, Brent made the trip to Tiana’s shop. He needed to talk to her without interruption, and with Stefano at the bookshop, it had to be in person so he could seal the sound in the room.
He’d been a fool for not seeing the signs sooner. Stefano was a fucking loon. His mask slipped easily and the true monster showed itself when he bared his fangs at Jackie.
He strode into Tiana’s Reads and found Stefano at the counter. “Hey, Stefano. Where’s your aunt?”
“Basement. Is Jacqueline all right?” A flash of anger passed through his eyes, though he smiled brightly.
Bastard was scheming. He wished he’d asked more questions about Stefano and his past. Though Tiana clearly hadn’t wanted him to find out about Eloise.
“She’s out with friends today. Don’t worry, she’s safe. Tell me something, Stefano. What is it you really see when you look at Jackie?”
His face lit up. “I admit I was first drawn to her resemblance to my late wife. Jacqueline is so much stronger, confident. Seeing a woman stand up for herself is refreshing.” There was a snarl to the last. “She won’t fall victim the same way my wife did.”
“And what will you do if she doesn’t choose you?” Not that she ever would.
His smile chilled. “Let her go. No one can change her mind once she makes a decision.”
“You’d do well to remember that.”
He hurried down the stairs, tossing up a shield at the top when Stefano attempted to follow. Brent pushed through the door and found Tiana looking through a stack of books.
“What are you researching?”
“Ways to free Jared from his master’s control. And ways to remove the effects of being faerie struck.” She looked up and shook her head. “I didn’t realize how lost in the past Stefano was. I never suspected he would be so obsessed over a resemblance.”
“Jackie could be his wife’s twin. Their eye color appears to be the only physical difference.”
Tiana gave him a hope-filled smile. “He claims he’ll let her go if she doesn’t want him. I hope he means it.”
“But you don’t believe him.”
She shook her head sadly. “Unfortunately, he hopes to charm her. He seems unusually determined to prove he’s the better man by being her friend.”
He leaned against the workbench. “Tell me you understand how twisted his mind is. I want to hear the words from your lips.”
“Definitely twisted and wrong. He’s all the family I have left, but as much as I want him to be happy, I don’t want it at the expense of another’s happiness.”
“Yeah, we need to find a way to stop him from doing something stupid.”
“Agreed.” She glanced down at the books. “Want to help me find a solution?”
“I do. Let’s hope there’s some way I haven’t considered yet.”
Chapter 26
Eddie followed Toryn and Scotty past the lake, further into the woods. They went at least a mile before Toryn started to slow down. Eddie kept up easily, having spent most of his summers in the forest.
Scotty had no trouble in the woods. In fact, the branches and roots seemed to move out of the way as he pushed forward, and didn’t slide back into place until they’d all passed.
“What in the hell are you doing, dude?” Eddie finally asked.
Scotty shrugged. “My magic is getting stronger. Nature responds more intuitively than it used to.”
“Because you finally embraced your power,” Toryn pointed out. He threw a glance at Eddie. “I’m not totally sure what shaman can do, but I suspect it’s similar to a wood nymph. Once you stop holding back, you’ll find you can do all sorts of things you never imagined.”
Eddie grunted, not real keen on finding out.
“Think about it this way,” Toryn said. “The more you can do, the better you can protect Jackie. I ran into Stefano last night. He’s not happy about what you two were doing.”
Eddie stopped in his tracks, his eyes pinned on Toryn. “What are you talking about?”
“Overheard a heated conversation with himself. I followed him for a few blocks to figure out what he was ranting about.”
“And?”
“Apparently he lurked outside her bedroom. Heard you ‘fucking like wild animals.’ He honestly thought he had a chance with Jackie.”
Eddie’s eyes slammed shut. “If he touches her, so help me spirits, I’ll shred his goods and leave him for the bears.”
Scotty nodded gravely. “He knows he fucked up. But between drinking her blood, and getting off like some damned virgin in his pants, he’s faerie struck.”
Eddie sneered. “Brent said Jared is too.”
Scotty winced. “You heard about that mess?”
His hands flexed. “I don’t understand how Brent let that fucking weasel live.”
Toryn sighed heavily.
“Agreed, but Jackie doesn’t blame him. And in all honesty, he wasn’t fully in control. He deserves a chance to make things right.”
“Not sure he can,” Eddie muttered. “But wait, how did you two find out?”
“Brent came to us looking for a way to break Jared’s predicament without having Jackie further involved,” Toryn answered.
Scotty shrugged and changed the subject. “So, what can you do, Eddie? I understand your powers have to do with nature, but I have no clue what.”
He groaned. “I’m not sure why Brent thought you two could help me more than my grandfather can.”
“Because something is keeping you from accepting the fact that power flows through your veins.” Toryn looked him dead in the eye. “I understand most shaman change sometime between eighteen and twenty-two. You’re twenty-six. My guess is you fear something.”
Eddie sighed. “Not sure. Maybe. My parents were killed for their magic.”
Toryn nodded. “Dark mages. I heard. Around the time you turned eighteen.”
He shifted his feet.
“Before then?”
“Was easier back then.” Eddie’s eyes widened. “Shit. Do you think I pushed it all away after that?”
Scotty nodded. “Very likely.”
“Man. I remember coming home and Grampa John sitting me down to tell me what had happened. The house was a wreck. A dark taint had bled into the walls with traces of their magic. I had to get out of there.”
Toryn’s eyebrow arched. “That’s when you moved in with Jackie?”
Eddie smiled sadly. “Yeah. She’d moved out of my parents’ house on her eighteenth birthday, to the home her father had owned. My parents kept it up for her, until she was old enough to decide what to do with it. When she saw the state of my house, she demanded I move in with her. We were both in college. It made sense to be closer to campus.”
“Wondered how that came about,” Scotty admitted. “I knew she grew up in your home after Miles died, and that she had moved out before your parents died.”
“I couldn’t stay in my parents’ house. It wasn’t the same. And yeah, part of that was Jackie being gone. But whatever was done to my parents left a taint in the house. I couldn’t stay there.”
“Hey, you’re where you need to be,” Toryn told him.
Scotty redirected the conversation. “Why didn’t you play with your magic more?”
He groaned. “I was more into computers than magic. Keeping the systems going, and writing new programs to keep Ward Tower Security at the top of the line, is where I belong. Magic, it’s a whole different field. Jackie helped me learn the old tales Grampa insisted on, though the magic used to come easily.” He shook his head. “The more I thought about the stories, the less the magic flowed.”
“When did your magic dry up?”
He shrugged. “Stopped being easy after my parents were gone.”
“Knowing is half the battle,” Toryn stated.
Eddie shook his head. “I can cast, but nothing like a druid or mage. Definitely not like the fae. Shit, I’m not at all sure what you can do to help me. Sure, I can call on nature, or weather, but it’s not like I can create a thunderstorm in a clear sky.” He nodded up at the blue, cloudless horizon.
“What about earth shields?”
He hadn’t attempted one in so long, he wasn’t sure it was still an option. Glaring down at the ground, he shrugged.
Scotty gave him a nod of encouragement. “Drop all the doubt and try it. Can’t hurt.”
Eddie focused on the ground beneath his feet and pulled his arms up. The soil rushed vertically, twigs and rocks filling in the gaps as it hardened before him. His mouth fell open as he stared.
Something slammed into the wall, and he jumped, pushing his hands out.
The wall leapt forward, then collapsed. Scotty grunted, but was nowhere to be found, until he sat up shaking off the earth, and spitting out dirt.
Toryn laughed. “Okay. We have a starting point. Let’s see what you got.”
* * * *
Jackie stood at the edge of the lake, a frown on her face. “You want me to freeze the lake?”
Isa grinned. “The surface. As long as you thaw it quickly, the cold won’t be an issue for the fish.”
“Quickly?” She snorted. That is if she could freeze more than a couple inches to begin with.
Jayde touched her shoulder. “If you have trouble thawing the water fast enough, we can both help.”
“Right,” Jackie answered slowly before kneeling and reaching out. She placed her hands on the surface of the water. Magic bubbled up and flowed through her, out in a wave. Ice spread from her touch, geometric crystals sweeping out across the lake.
“Holy fuck! That’s enough,” Isa exclaimed.
Jackie swallowed hard and pushed warmth at the water. The ice melted and quickly warmed. She jerked her hands back with wide eyes. “Supposed to be that easy?”
“Water certainly is your element. Didn’t you say you had a harder time with other elements?”
She nodded. “Brent says it’s because of my other half. That my siren magic overrides a lot, but the water side of things is more powerful.”
“Don’t think you have any issues with water.” Isa grinned. “Though, we should play with the other elements. I’ve watched a mage/fae hybrid enough to see how he casts. He’s not a siren, but he is half-mage and half-fae.”
“Okay. I’m up for trying anything.”
“Can you do electricity?” Isa asked, raising a hand and letting lightening dance over her skin.
Jackie drew a breath and called on sparks. They danced to life in her palm. “Now what? This is as far as I’ve gone with it.”
Jayde stepped closer. “Practice makes perfect.”
* * * *
Tiana came upstairs, alone. She wore a tight smile. “What did you say to Brent?”
“Where is he?” Stefano countered.
“He has business to attend to.”
“He doesn’t trust me.”
Tiana snorted. “Right now, I don’t trust you. I’m sorry, Stefano, but after last night, I worry how far you’d take things if you ever got Jackie alone.”
“I would never hurt her. I only want to protect her.”
“Think about this for a moment before you answer. Do I need a keeper?”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve seen you fight. Seen you rip people to pieces. You don’t need anyone to take the reins from you.”
“Then why does Jackie need that?”
He looked away. “She doesn’t need it, but I want to be there to ensure her safety. We’re talking about Sidra, who wants to do everything in her power to destroy me.”
“If you don’t want Jackie destroyed, then perhaps walking away would persuade Sidra not to harm her. Maybe if you go far enough away, Sidra would follow, and leave Jackie alone.”
He shook his head slowly. “Not that simple. Now that I’ve found her, I can’t walk away. I must know she’s safe.”
“You can’t make her safe, Stefano. She doesn’t want your protection. If you pursue her, you’re hurting yourself. Don’t you understand that?”
“I’ll watch from a distance. Make sure she isn’t walking into Sidra’s trap. Don’t ask me to leave. I need to be near her.”
Tiana touched his shoulder. “You’re only going to rip your heart to shreds if you keep chasing her.”
One way or another, he’d get through to Jacqueline. Losing Tiana as a confidant saddened him, but he would find a way to convince his siren to accept his love.
Chapter 27
Jackie had locked herself in her room to get ready for work. Eddie paced the living room. He wanted to beg her not to go in, but Skylar loaned Doug an employee since Jared was dealing with a family emergency. Unless Brent took the shift, there was no one available. Since Brent wanted to keep an eye on Jackie, it made sense to let her work.
Brent stepped through the door with a dark look and pulled Eddie aside. “Jackie m
ight have to do something to break Stefano’s obsession. She may be the only one who can at this point.”
Eddie shook his head. “Bastard can suck it up and deal.”
“No, I’m not sure that’s possible. The solution isn’t the worst one I’ve heard. She’d have to let him kiss her, grind against her like he did, and then she could send the compulsion to leave her the fuck alone.”
Eddie shook his head violently. “Yeah, no. That’s a really fucking stupid idea. He scares her, and you want to let him put his mouth anywhere near her?”
“If she agrees, to get rid of him, can you handle it?”
“Jackie has to agree to the insanity first.” He sighed, pushing his fingers through his hair. “Shit, yeah, if she agrees, I’ll go along with it. Just tell me she doesn’t have to do anything to Jared. After what he did, I can’t handle the thought of his hands on her.”
Brent shook his head. “When we get him free, I’ll send him to a friend who battled her addiction to Other blood. She can help him, and by the time he comes back, if he chooses to come back, he should be past his current obsession.”
Eddie pushed out a breath and dropped his head into his hands as he breathed in and out, attempting to ignore his opinion on the matter. Ultimately, it was Jackie’s decision, though he sure as hell would be nearby to make sure that shady fucker didn’t try to sink his fangs into her.
Jackie came out in a sexy summer dress. His mouth watered at the sight. First thing that came to mind was bending her over the table to sink deep into her body.
Brent shoved him. “Mind out of the gutter. You have a babysitter, and the last thing I want to see is whatever fantasy put the tent in your pants.”
Jackie grinned. “Can’t wait until you decide to go home again, cousin.”
Eddie dipped his head with a smirk. “Sorry. Can’t help it. Now that fantasy can be reality, my imagination is in overdrive.”
Coming Together Page 17