by Janie Marie
“When?” Lancelot sputtered before the grip tightened around his throat, cutting off more words. “How?”
“Do not concern yourself in my affairs, dog. I gave you a job to do. Do it.” He then dropped Lancelot to the ground and vanished.
Death found his gaze zeroing back on David’s fingers as they trailed along Jane’s arm. She was barely holding back her blissful sigh. Death was disappointed she wanted to practice with David again, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to whine.
He knew he could have found some excuse for her to come to him, and he considered it when David pressed his body against hers, putting her in a submission hold. Only, a silent call touched his mind. Death tilted his head, and Jane quickly darted her eyes to him. The worry in those hazel eyes was difficult to bear, especially knowing what the call meant.
“What is it?” she asked, looking around for a threat.
Death grinned to soothe her anxiety before it got out of control. “An old friend needs to see me.”
Jane pulled out of David’s hold and stepped toward him.
Death lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. “Don’t worry, Sweet Jane.”
She searched his face, her smile fading for the first time in hours. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me.”
“I have to go see what he wants. There are still duties I am responsible for.” He shifted his gaze to David. “Your knight will take care of you while I am gone.” He looked back to her. “I’ll see you soon, I promise.” He knew it hurt her, but she nodded, and he looked back at David. “May I have a moment alone with her?”
David’s jaw tightened briefly, but he relaxed as Jane turned. “Of course. I will be inside when you need me.”
Jane frowned as David left without another word, but she looked back at Death as he slid his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer. The sudden contact of their bodies made him sigh. He wrapped his other arm around her, and she moaned, whether she realized it or not.
Death grinned and leaned down to kiss her cheek. It was hard to bend so low, but he managed, smiling wider because she was on the tips of her toes. “I’m very proud of you. You are learning so quickly. Then again, you are my girl—I expect nothing less.” She smiled softly, and her fingers flexed against his chest. “Now, I want you to stay with David and continue your training.” He slid his fingers along the small bit of exposed skin where her top had inched up.
She closed her eyes and exhaled softly as the unique sensation that occurred whenever they touched spread through his arm. She called it tingles, but he didn’t know what to make of it. It felt alive as it passed from him to her, searching for something inside her.
He brushed his lips across the rapid pulse on her neck. Had he not supported her by tightening his hold, she would have fallen to her knees. Death chuckled and kissed her neck. “Did you hear me, Jane?”
She didn’t answer.
He grinned and leaned back to wait until she opened her eyes. “I told you I am proud of you and that I want you to stay with David while you continue your training.”
Jane blinked a few times. “Thank you, Death. I promise to keep training.”
He needed to kiss her and lowered his face to hers. At the last second, though, she turned her head and his lips met her cheek.
He smiled against her skin. “You feel as though you’re betraying all of us, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Death sighed, straightening as he pulled her head to his chest. “I’m sorry, baby girl.” He kissed the top of her head.
“It’s all right. I’m fine.”
He grinned and leaned back, lifting her off the ground. “I know you’re fine. You wouldn’t be my girl if you weren’t.” Jane shrieked from surprise when he suddenly tossed her over his shoulder and smacked her ass.
She yelped. “Death!”
“That’s just a taste of your punishment if I find out you’ve been slacking off without me.”
“Put me down,” she screamed.
“No can do, babe.” He laughed, walking her to the house. “David.”
The knight opened the back door with a blank expression. Death smirked, watching David’s gaze slide from Jane’s rear to him. Instead of showing any rage, David simply shook his head while a faint smile teased the edge of his lips.
“Take care of this little monster, will you?” Death spanked her butt again but left his hand there. He wanted to see how much of this David would really take.
“We will always take care of her,” Gawain said, storming out of the house, glaring at the placement of his hand.
Death smirked and squeezed her ass, setting off a series of threatening growls. “Of course you will, big brother,” he said, not bothered with the hostile change in the atmosphere.
Jane smacked his back, and he chuckled at her hit as he lifted her off his shoulder. He’d seen the fire in her pretty eyes when he placed her on her feet; she was going to yell at him, so he quickly kissed her cheek. He practically saw her reprimand die on her lips.
“Be careful, baby girl,” he said softly, nuzzling the side of her face with his.
Her cheek warmed, and she smiled, obviously forgetting any cross words she’d been prepared to give for him handling her so crudely. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she stood on her toes again, catching him before he could stand all the way. “Come back to me,” she whispered.
“Always, Sweet Jane.” He pressed one last kiss to her cheek and peeled her arms off his neck, nodding to David before he stepped out of her hold.
David quickly pulled her into his arms.
Death had to admit to himself, Jane and David looked good together. She didn’t know it, but he saw how deeply she cared for David, and he knew he was going to regret leaving her. But he needed to go. At least she was with David and not Jason or Lucifer.
Death stared at her without saying anything. He knew, besides David and Jane, the others still saw a hooded man looking down to the girl they had formed an attachment to. So, with his veil and only David to witness his true feelings, he let her see what he felt for her: I love you.
She nodded, and he saw it clearly in her beautiful hazel eyes: And I love you.
Sorrow stepped up to his side, shaking out his mane and stomping his hooves in an agitated gesture.
She slid her teary gaze to his horse briefly before looking back at him.
Death shushed him and pet Sorrow along his neck. “He does not like it when you are sad.” She would understand he also meant the same for him.
Jane smiled sadly and held her hand out. Sorrow took a few steps to reach her and nuzzled her palm.
“I’ll be fine,” she said, sighing and looking back at him. “Goodbye, Sorrow.”
JANE LEANED BACK AGAINST DAVID’S firm chest as they watched Death ride down the street. David’s body heat and strength seemed to absorb some of the anguish that wanted to destroy her because her angel was leaving. Again.
She was lost. Empty. The farther away Death got, the more hollow she felt. As stupid as it sounded, she felt less alive without Death.
He finally turned down another street and out of her sight completely. She wanted to scream or run after him, but she knew she couldn’t. She knew Death would eventually have to leave for one reason or another; he always did, but she had hoped he would be with her longer.
Her chest hurt in a way it had never hurt before. It felt like a hole had been left, the edges singed with ice instead of fire. She felt the cry rise in her throat; it ached and fought to get out, but she merely closed her eyes and swallowed it. She felt wrong. She felt like a part of her had been stolen.
Opening her eyes, she stared ahead, seeing nothing but the blurry vacant street. Pressure. So much pressure enveloped her. Her throat tightened, and her chest felt like it was collapsing. Something she should never part with had been taken.
“Shh…” David kissed her head and pulled her close to his body. Heat spread across her back and wrapped around her
like a blanket. “Oh, baby,” he murmured, kissing her hair. She felt herself shaking, but she could only continue to stare at the spot where she’d last seen Death. “You can’t let yourself get upset.”
“I hurt,” she said, not knowing she spoke until the words were out.
“I know.” He hugged her tighter. “I am not him, but I’m here. I won’t leave. I’ll hold you until he comes back.”
She closed her eyes, feeling the hot tears slide down her face. The heat he emitted settled in her chest, filling in the gaping wound Death’s absence left her with. “I’m sorry, David.”
“No, Jane.” He turned her around and smiled. “You don’t have to be sorry.” He used his thumb to wipe her tears. “I’m the one who should apologize. I should not have reacted so negatively to your reunion with him. You could have had a more pleasant time if it were not for me.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I was scared for you,” he said quickly. “First the entity threatened to take you, then I had to watch the Angel of Death kiss you. When I saw how you reacted to him, I doubted my trust in you. I felt betrayed realizing you knew him, and I was jealous you picked him without a second thought. I should have let you explain instead of behaving like a child. You were in no state to process what had happened, and after everything I had been willing to do because of that entity, I should have known you needed to be away from me.”
Jane hadn’t expected him to say any of that. She knew he felt betrayed and hurt, but she couldn’t believe he was worried over what had almost happened. It hadn’t been his fault. “That’s not why I needed to be away from you.”
He continued caressing her cheek. “You’re not afraid or angry that I would have—”
She shook her head to stop him. “No. I was afraid of what she’d do to you.” She lowered her gaze. “And that you saw how pathetic I really am.”
He was quiet for a few seconds. “Jane, look at me.” She bit her lip to stop it from quivering and looked up. “She had me beat. There was nothing I could do to restrain her or any hope that I could defeat her. She overpowered me without lifting a finger. Me, Jane. I do not mean to sound arrogant, but I have never been defeated by an opponent before.
“Yes, I have had draws or outside factors that worked so my enemy could flee, but from the moment I became immortal, I have not fallen in a fair fight. Yet, she, or whatever she is, smiled as she forced my surrender. You continuously battle her—and I do not know how long it has been there, but the point is, you have not surrendered.”
Jane shook her head. “I couldn’t hold her back. I attacked Gareth and you. I was trapped in the dark. If it weren’t for Death—”
“Sweetheart, you simply stumbled in battle.” He smiled. “He helped weaken her, but he did not beat her; she is still there. I see you fighting her even when you do not realize it. If you were pathetic, she would have crushed us when she held us. Did you realize she was there?” She shook her head. “She was, baby. I saw her in your eyes. We watched a battle raging inside you.” He smoothed her hair back and smiled. “And we witnessed the moment you won. You are far from pathetic, Jane.”
She didn’t know what to say as she stared into his blue eyes. Without thinking, she pushed herself up onto her tippy-toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. She sighed as his arms quickly took their place around her waist, and he surprised her more by lifting her when he straightened.
Jane automatically wrapped her legs around his waist. It felt natural. In fact, she wasn’t thinking about anything she was doing, when one of David’s hands slid under her butt, and the other moved up her back to pull her closer.
So hot and inviting, she wanted to surround herself with him. She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck, smiling as she breathed in his scent. “Thank you, David.”
His right hand rubbed up and down her back. “For what?”
“I don’t know—just everything,” she said with an awkward shrug.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He kissed her bare shoulder, and she shuddered at the brush of his hot lips on her skin. “Are you going to be okay with him gone? I’m sure he will be back as quickly as he can.”
She hugged him and smiled when his hold on her tightened in response. “I’ll be fine. It doesn’t hurt so much now.”
David pulled back, but the smile he wore slipped after he studied her face carefully. So warm. So deliciously hot. She leaned into his hand that he lifted to her cheek. “You’re pale. Do you feel the need to feed?”
“I feel tired and weak. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I will get you a blood ration.”
“Is there something wrong with me? I mean, I just drank one before we came outside. You don’t look as tired as I do.”
“I have a lot of stamina.” She blushed as his gaze swept down her body that was still wrapped around him. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you increase yours.”
“How are you going to do that?”
He chuckled. “Just practice, baby.”
“Oh.”
He shook his head, grinning while he spoke. “I think your power drains more energy than we realize. Tristan reacts similarly after having a long battle, but your power exceeds his. We might need to increase your blood feedings. For all we know, your power could continuously syphon your energy away.”
“That makes sense, I guess. I hate being a burden, though.”
“Never, Jane. Let’s go get you something to drink. The sun will be rising soon, and you can rest before we go out tonight.”
Jane nodded, looking up at the stars as David spoke again. “I don’t want to take you into another fight with Lance’s wolves, but Tristan seems confident this is a small camp that became separated from the main group. At least under Lance’s control, there is order. But without him directing them, they run wild.”
“What if it’s a trap like last time?”
He sighed and hugged her. “If Lance is there, I will only engage him if you are safe. Otherwise, I will be by your side. We still have a duty to mankind. If we let these wolves run loose, we put too many at risk.”
“I understand. And you’re the best. Everyone is probably upset that you’re hanging around with me. I’ll go and do my best.”
“I do not care what the others think. I’m sure they don’t think that—they care about you—but even if they do, you are my priority.” He squeezed her butt cheek, and she knew he hadn’t done it intentionally by the way his eyes widened.
She blushed and tried to hide her face as he walked to the back door. He noticed her red face and laughed.
“Stop,” she said, laughing as she turned away and rested her cheek on his shoulder.
“I didn’t mean to squeeze.” He chuckled as he stopped walking and gave her a little shake. She didn’t look at him. “I swear it was unintentional.”
“That’s not what’s wrong. I know you didn’t mean it.”
“Then what is it?”
She huffed. “You’re carrying me like a baby.” That wasn’t the whole truth. She did feel stupid for the way she looked, but that wasn’t why she was upset with herself. It was simply that she went from Death to David without knowing it.
“I’ll put you down.” He began to lower her to the ground.
“NO!” She slapped her hand over her mouth.
They stared at each other in shock for a moment before he smiled. Jane wanted that smile to stay on his handsome face, so she pulled her hand down and smiled back.
“I like you holding me,” she said, admitting the obvious. “You make me feel better.” David smiled wider. “I just think it’s wrong how much I want to be close to you… and Death.”
Had her inclusion of Death hurt him, he showed no sign of it. He moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her to place a kiss on her forehead. “It’s not wrong. Let me get you a drink now.”
“Wait, David.” She swallowed nervously. “Can I feed from you?”
David nodded withou
t showing if her request affected him, and continued into the house. She relaxed. Maybe it wasn’t a big deal. Hopefully, this time would go smoother than her previous feedings.
On their way through the house, they passed Tristan, and she swore she saw the knight move his eyebrows up and down suggestively. When she turned to look at David, he seemed to be fighting a smile, but his mouth stayed shut and he took a seat.
Unfortunately for Jane, Tristan didn’t continue to wherever he had been going. Instead, he leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms while David rearranged her on his lap.
Her face was burning; she must look ridiculous. Perhaps Tristan wanted to get her back for tossing him over her shoulder during her training.
Tristan chuckled. “What are you kids up to?”
“She needs to feed again.” David shrugged. “I think her power uses too much of her energy.”
Tristan nodded. “It may become better for her in time, but she is more powerful than any immortal I’ve ever fought. It must be exhausting. Perhaps even the pull she emits uses energy?”
“I did not think of that,” David said, and Jane’s eyes widened as he caressed her bare thigh.
She stared at his hand, wondering if he knew he was turning her body into a furnace from that simple touch.
David’s hand slid higher, making her eyes nearly pop out. “Now that you know how to use some of your abilities, Jane, do you sense the pull you give off?”
“Thumb,” she blurted out as David’s thumb went between her legs.
Tristan laughed, and David’s hand moved down to her knee.
She wanted to roll out of the room, never to be seen again. Thumb?
David cleared his throat, but she didn’t dare look up at either male.
“That’s good,” said Tristan. She could see him from the corner of her eye as he moved to leave the sitting room they were in. “Your blood will have a more lasting effect in her than a donor’s. Uh… I have some information about the wolves if you want to come discuss it with me after you’re done, David.”
“Give me a few minutes.” David lifted his hand to take hold of her chin and turned her so she could meet his gaze. “I am sorry.”