by Janie Marie
She laughed and let her head roll to the side. He copied her, giving her a smile that was hers, and hers alone.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“And I love you.”
“But we—”
“I know.” He let out a breath. “But I will kiss you when I wish. Unless you tell me to stop, of course.”
“You’ll force me to kiss you?”
“I didn’t say that. I said unless you tell me to stop, I will kiss you when I want. I cannot help it anymore.” He eyed her seriously. “Are you telling me to stop?”
The response of yes should have been instant, but she could only stare at his gorgeous face in silence, and David chose that moment to walk through the doorway with Arthur right behind him.
Jane and Death slowly looked in David’s direction, but neither moved to sit up straight yet.
David eyed where Death’s hand rested on Jane’s shoulder before looking back at a smiling Death. Surprisingly, though, Death chuckled and removed his arm before lifting his legs off the table to sit up. David smiled, that is, until Death grabbed hold of her right hand. Jane didn’t really pay attention to Death—she was waiting for David to tell her how things went.
Death chuckled again and David grunted before he looked away.
“What’s funny?” she asked Death.
He squeezed her hand, smiling. “Nothing.” He looked to David and Arthur. “How did Dagonet’s conversation with Jason go?”
They took a seat on the opposite couch as Arthur started. “So far—good. He’s aware that we intend to relocate and bring them with us. He knows I have news for him, but not that you’re alive or that you have been with us the entire time. There’s not really a delicate way to handle this situation, I’m afraid. To keep him calm and still willing to come, I will explain we gave you a treatment to save you from the virus. And the only reason we kept the information was because of how dangerous and uncertain your recovery was.
“I’ll make up something about your appearance, as well as your similarities with us now. I’m sure he will already be happy to hear you’re alive and want to go directly to you, but I need you both to understand the dangers here. So I will tell him you’re unstable, which you are, and that you may always be this way, but that we are taking measures to ensure their safety.
“Since David and Death are the only two who can overpower you, it will not be a lie when I inform him of this. He’ll simply have to accept that any member of your family alone with you is not permitted; one of them must always be at your side.”
Jane swallowed and leaned forward as Death gently squeezed her hand. “He won’t like that.”
Arthur sighed and rubbed his tired face. “Probably not. But we have no choice. None of us are exaggerating the danger, Jane. You could injure or kill your family in the blink of an eye. You know that’s your worst fear.”
“I know,” she said, looking down at Death’s hand as it held hers. His tanned skin was so beautiful next to her pale hand.
Arthur spoke again. “Jane, this will be overwhelming for him. I would not be surprised if he ends up angry. But he’ll have to accept it. However, I will explain the urgency of our departure and that whether he agrees or not, you will be coming with us. And you wish to bring your children. He can come or stay; it matters not to me.”
“Brother,” David said, shaking his head at Arthur. “They are a family. We will not split them up.”
Arthur looked at Jane. “It is not my desire to separate your family, but I think you know why I care so little for Jason’s wishes.”
Death squeezed her hand, and David’s eye color lightened a bit as he stared at her with an expectant look. She breathed out, relieved that David didn’t seem to know what Arthur and Death knew.
“What’s he talking about, Jane?” David asked.
“Now is not the time,” Death told him, earning an annoyed glare from David. “She knows to let us handle Jason.” He turned to her and grabbed her chin to turn her face toward his. The cool and warm sensation of his touch relaxed her. “Don’t you, baby girl?”
“I trust you to handle Jason,” she said.
Death gave her a serious look. “You should never have been treated that way. You are worth everything, and you should never think the way you do about yourself because of him.” Her eyes watered. “Those were his faults and weaknesses, Jane. Not because you had failed him in some way. Do you understand me?” He rubbed her trembling lip as she nodded. “That’s my girl. Let us deal with him.” He leaned forward and kissed her head, then let go of her face to stand.
He turned to help her up, too, and she looked to see David staring at them. She sighed and rubbed her head as she smiled. Even with them all working together, she knew it wasn’t going to be simple with Jason. It wasn’t ever her intention to let David know some of the things he’d found out about her and Jason, but she wasn’t ready to tell him these things.
David stayed quiet as Death shook his head at him, a silent order to not talk about anything else.
David smiled back at her. “We’ll deal with him together, baby.”
Jane glanced around, meeting each of their confident gazes and took a deep breath. “Okay.”
“MR. WINTERS, IT’S GAWAIN. May we come in?”
Jason moved to the window and made room for it to be opened as he spoke. “I’ve already packed some things, but I have a little more I need to get—just some things that belonged to my wife—stuff I’m not ready to part with.” He spotted Gawain first, then a larger, more intimidating man behind him. He smiled politely, but the man simply nodded and climbed through the window.
“We understand,” Gawain said. “And it’s no problem. We can help you gather what you need here shortly.” He gestured to the other man. “Let me introduce my commander, Arthur.”
Jason reached out to shake Arthur’s hand, but he did not return the greeting, so Jason lowered his hand to his side.
“Mr. Winters,” said Arthur, “I have some matters to discuss with you before we depart.”
“Please call me Jason.”
Arthur nodded. “All right—Jason—when my men approached you, they told you we came across your wife. I’m sure she relayed her initial meeting with a few of my men?” Jason nodded. “And you were then told about us finding her after she fled from your home with the virus—”
Jason nodded. “Yes. Jane told me about running into three men, and Gawain told me about her asking you to help us before she died.”
“She did not die,” Arthur said. “She’s alive, and you will be reunited with her shortly.”
Jason couldn’t think. “What? I—I don’t understand—”
Arthur sighed and glanced around the room briefly. “We had a way to keep her from succumbing to death and stopped the effects of the plague.”
“Jane’s alive?”
“Yes, very much so. Let me explain a few things before you get your hopes up.”
Jason’s racing heart nearly came to an abrupt stop at the thoughts of her being crippled or worse. “Oh, God, is she—”
Arthur held up his hand. “She is healthy.” Jason let out a breath. “However, there are some side effects of the treatment.”
“What kind?”
“Dangerous side effects. But it was either that or let her change. If we allowed that, we would have been forced to eliminate her.”
Jason grabbed his head. “So what’s wrong with her now? Why did you let them lie to me about her? Why didn’t she come home?”
“Nothing is wrong with her. I did not order my men to lie, I ordered them to omit information for the safety of your family and wife. She has been with us—I have her waiting close by. But before I allow her near you or your children, you will listen to what I have to say. Do you understand?”
Jason didn’t like this guy now, but he nodded.
“Do you notice my physical differences from you? Gawain and Dagonet, as well?” Jason nodded, shifting his eyes between them. “We un
derwent the same treatment as Jane. Only, we’ve had time to adjust to life as we are now—Jane has not. She is, and may always be, unstable and unsafe to be around. The control we have harnessed has not come quickly, and it will not for her. In fact, she is a great deal more dangerous than most of us. Do not misunderstand, she is the same person, but the treatment has permanently changed her physically, mentally, and emotionally. At any moment, she could easily lose control of herself and harm you or your children.”
“What do you mean?” Jason snapped, glaring back and forth between the two men. “What did you do to her?”
Gawain held out his hands to calm him. “Jason, we saved her. That’s what matters, is it not?”
“Yes, that’s what matters! But you’re saying she’s dangerous? That I can’t trust her with our children?”
“No, you cannot trust her with them or yourself.” Arthur’s calmness over everything he was saying only irritated Jason. “Actually, she is a threat to everyone, including us. Which brings me to the next part. There are only two who can control her—well, more appropriately, help her maintain control. If needed, they can overpower her, physically.”
“WHAT?” Jason began to pace the room. “This is a joke!”
“I would not joke about such things,” said Arthur. “Now, listen to what I say. These two men are stronger than anyone you will ever meet, and it is only they who will be able to keep Jane from doing something that could devastate everyone.”
“Two men?” The words burned Jason’s throat.
“Jealousy is expected, but I will not tolerate unpleasant behavior from you.”
“ME?” Jason yelled.
“It’s simple, Jason: Piss me off, I will remove you from contact with her. Piss either of those men off, you’re playing with death.” Arthur chuckled. “Anger or upset your wife—and death will be a gift she grants you herself. Need I say more?”
“I want to talk to her,” Jason said. “Now.”
“You will speak to her when I say,” Arthur said calmly. “Now you know we agreed to relocate you; that is true. However, we will be relocating to my home in Canada.”
“I’m not going to Canada.” Jason spat. “I want to see Jane. I will discuss with her where we go.”
“Jane comes with us,” Arthur said. “That is not up for discussion.”
“Like hell she will!”
“Mr. Winters, I advise you to take a seat and reconsider how you speak to me. I do not have to bring you with us, but Jane wants all of you to come. Your home is under threat; she knows this, and she will not allow her children to be left behind for slaughter.” Jason breathed out angrily but sat anyway. “You have the choice to stay, if you wish. If you come, you will abide by my rules. I will not be questioned. Do we have an understanding?”
These people had his wife all this time, and now they were taking her while ordering him around like he was below them. He had no choice, though. He wasn’t a fool. They were armed, dangerous, and they had Jane.
“I’ll come.”
Jane and her two immortals stood outside the window Arthur and Gawain had entered earlier. They hadn’t spoken, only listened in silence to the conversation happening. Death hugged her when she covered her eyes to keep from letting them see how upset Jason and Arthur’s conversation was making her.
David didn’t look happy either, as he cast an annoyed look at Death when Jason started to argue with Arthur about them needing to be with her.
“I can’t believe he’s so angry,” she whispered into Death’s chest. “I thought he would be happy I’m alive.”
Death leaned back to look at her. “He is, Jane. This is shocking for him. Arthur is just telling him how it is. I won’t have a problem doing the same.” He smirked and nodded to David. “I’ve been waiting for the chance to fuck with this bastard.”
“He’s not that bad,” Jane said as David chuckled. “Please behave. I just want to see my family and get out of here.”
Death sighed. “Sorry, babe. Just for your sexy ass, I’ll play nice.”
“Leave her ass out of your thoughts,” David said.
Death snickered at David’s glare and lowered one hand to hover over her bottom. “You’re right—these sweet cheeks should be in my hand.”
“Death!” Jane hissed, turning out of his hold and smacking his hand.
David stepped close to Death. “I can’t kill you. But touch her ass—or any part of her she does not wish you to—and I will rip off your damned arm.”
Jane gasped and looked between them, watching Death smirk while his eyes burned so brightly they cast a green glow across David’s face.
“And what if she never tells me not to? What if she likes it? She does, by the way.”
David smiled, and it was about the most frightening look she’d ever seen on his handsome face. “Then I will rip off both your arms.”
Death laughed, truly laughed, and Jane took that chance to push herself between both men. “Please don’t fight.”
Both men glanced down at her, and shocking her, they both grinned.
“Baby, this is the only way I can tolerate him,” said David.
Her mouth fell open, and she looked to Death.
“We’re men,” was all her angel said.
“Okay.” She rubbed her temples and mentally counted to ten. “Just hands off my ass, and no ripping limbs from anyone.”
Death chuckled. “You’re no fun, Jane.”
David laughed, too, and turned back to the window and stuck his head in. “I think we should go say hello, now.”
Jane looked between the both of them, but rushed back into Death’s arms quickly.
“See?” Death chuckled again as David turned away.
“She has to sleep sometime,” David muttered, climbing through the window.
“That’s right, Sweet Jane,” Death whispered in her ear as he placed his hands on her waist from behind to help lift her. “When the cat’s away, the big bad wolves will play.”
Jane turned to glare at him. “That’s not how the saying goes.”
“Do we look like mice?” He lifted her up as David chuckled and held his hands out for hers.
David pulled her through the window and snuck a quick kiss to her temple, which made her face hotter than any Texas sun ever had.
“I saw that.” Death glared at David as he squeezed a part of the window frame hard enough to make the wood splinter under his hands.
At first, she thought he was angry at David, but his glare at the window while he bent down to pull himself through made her realize he wasn’t angry with them. She giggled and walked to help pull him through.
Finally, he got through and stood, dusting off his jacket. “Shut up. I’m not used to taking doors, let alone a fucking window.”
David laughed quietly. “No one said you had to come through the window.”
Death flipped David off, shoving him in the chest, not hard, but enough to make him move, and pulled Jane back to his side.
David let the exchange go with a smile, and Jane grinned, happy to see them not exhibiting any true malice against one another. Her vampire caught her eye and winked, and she felt as if David knew she needed Death more than him at the moment. Perfect.
He confirmed her thoughts when he moved closer and cupped her cheek with one hand. “I know he has to be close enough to touch you if you lose control.” This made her smile more; he really did understand—and he wasn’t letting the fact Death had more power bother him anymore. “But I will be right here.”
“I know,” she said, smiling as Death took her hand.
The angel smirked at David’s quick glance to their hands. “Lead the way, Mr. Perfect—I’ll take her in her rear.”
“Jason.” Arthur’s voice rang out, halting Jane, Death, and David, who remained in the front. “This is David, my second in command. David, this is Jason.”
Jane stared at David’s tense shoulders and then noticed how one of his hands had balled into a fist.
“David,” said Jason. “May I see my wife now? Or did you plan on giving me a lecture as well?”
Jane’s eyes widened at Jason’s harsh tone. She could barely breathe from all the tension in the atmosphere and judging by the rigidness in David’s posture, her vampire was ready to cut that tension, and Jason’s claim on her.
Death pulled her close and turned her face to look at him. “Let us handle him.” He pecked her cheek, then straightened, taking her hand in his.
She nodded and looked down at his hand. Apparently, Death planned on staking his claim, too. Oh, great…
David turned slightly and called out to her. “Jane, you may come in now.”
Death squeezed her hand. “Showtime,” he said, pulling her behind him and letting Jason get a view of him first.
Jane immediately panicked, wondering if Jason would react the same way the knights had when they first met him, but noticing a quick exchange of nods between Arthur and Death, she hoped her angel had some trick up his sleeve.
Jason certainly looked unsure as he eyed Death, but he didn’t look as shocked as the knights had been. He stood tall despite the fact the man holding her hand was taller, more built, and definitely not hiding his glowing eyes.
“Jane?” Jason called out, snapping her thoughts away from Death.
Death stopped and carefully pulled her out from behind him but kept a firm grip on her hand. She was shaking, but she moved around slowly and looked up at a pair of brown eyes.
“Jason.” Her eyes watered at the sight of his shocked face.
“I can’t believe you’re alive,” Jason whispered. “Are you hurt? Are you okay? Oh, my God. You’re really alive!”
“I’m fine,” she told him quickly. “They’ve taken good care of me.” She glanced at Death, then David, smiling when David moved a tiny bit closer to them.
At that moment, Jason’s gaze fell on Death’s hand holding hers, then snapped up to glare at her angel. “Who are you?”
Jane frowned at Jason, forgetting their reunion for now.
Death, however, smiled innocently. “Jason, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I’m Ryder.”