“What will be for me to decide?” Jaxson asked, looking up as I spilled into the control room after Griff. Jaxson’s gaze shifted from Griff to me and the smile that had begun, died on his lips. “Love?” He started around the console.
“There was another incident outside the ship. Two men have been taken to cells.” Griff looked guilty as he spoke the words, and cringed as he glanced in my direction.
“Another incident?” I could not help the heat that rose, burning the tips of my ears. But Jaxson did not seem to hear me, and Griff’s focus was back on Jaxson. Something seemed to be passing between them as Griff gave a barely perceptible nod and then a shake of his head.
“There was no violence, I assume?”
“None, except the one boy trying to escape in the hall,” Griff responded.
“Leave them in their cells for a few days, maybe a week. Give no indication of their fate. They will dream up far worse things than we could ever inflict on them. Their fears will be punishment enough. Make sure their families are aware they are safe and no harm will come them.”
Griff bowed in response to Jaxson’s orders, and stepped out into the hall with only the retreating echo of his boots as evidence he had not vanished all together.
“If you ask me, I think you should make examples of them. Execute them and show the City we do not tolerate attacks on our ship.” Deuster did not look up from her console while injecting her opinion.
“They have families!” I could not keep the horror from my voice.
“Careful, Anaya, it sounds as though you are beginning to care for them as Jaxson does.”
“Duester, do you not remember the fear and pain you felt as you watched your beloved attacked?” There was a wicked gleam in her eyes, but she held her tongue and nodded her head. “And would you not have given anything to hear that he would be alright?”
“Yes, I would have given anything,” she hissed.
“We already ask them to sacrifice much for our survival. We cannot expect them not to fight back when we take away the little security they do feel. Force will only be met with resistance. Compassion, however, inspires loyalty and engenders trust. There is a reason Jaxson was Chosen to be the head of us. You would do well to learn from his example.”
“Maybe you should look in the mirror before you lecture about the reason for their sacrifice.” The hatred in her eyes was unmistakable. Her tone was a warning that felt as dangerous as if she were holding a knife to my neck.
Jaxson must have felt it too, because his hands closed around my arms, pulling me back against him. His tone held a surprising amount of compassion though. “You should leave us, Duester. Return to your quarters.” She turned to leave, but stopped as his voice turned deadly quiet. “Be grateful I have never subscribed to the line of thinking you suggest, and for the sake of your own neck, pray I never do.”
Chapter 27
The room was dark when I woke. I stretched and instinctively reached for Jaxson, needing to feel his skin. My pulse quickened as my fingers found only empty sheets in the space his body belonged. My heart began to race as I sat up and scanned the room.
Reluctantly, I slid off the bed and padded to the washroom. I winced as I caught sight of the bloody cloth tucked in with his other dirty linens. The nightmares began after the Festival and they were getting worse.
The most recent had been a particularly nasty one. The worst yet.
It started as usual, with Duester circling me, whispering in my ear. “I know your secret.” She leered at me. Slowly, others would join in until Jaxson would stop them.
“Silence!” he’d call out. Everyone would turn and look at him with expectant eyes.“What is your claim?” he would ask.
Duester would step forward, and with long sickly fingers, pointy like they were made only of bone, she would point at me. “She is she a sheep in wolf’s clothing,” she called.
“And what should I do about that?” Jaxson would ask. Which is usually when the dream would end and I would wake up, heart racing, searching his face for a sign that he knew. I could never find a trace of question in his loyalty.
The dream did not end there this time.
“Strip her and find out,” a voice called from the shadows. It was a voice that haunts me. Niko stepped forward, looking hungry for something that frightened me more than Duester’s skeleton fingers. He wanted blood. It was not Anaya’s blood he wanted, it was mine. He wanted justice for what I had done to him.
I closed my eyes and tried not to remember what it felt like as their hands tore into my flesh, or how close Jaxson held me, even while I clawed at him, trying to get away.
I knew in the back of my mind it was Anaya’s influence. She was hitting me hard since that day but it did not ease the fear the dreams inspired.
I dressed quickly as she replayed the image of Niko’s face from the day of the Festival over and over again. I stumbled out into the hall and hoped no one was around as I raced toward the garden, bumping into the wall as I rounded the corner.
I dragged myself through the opening and was just barely able to hold off retching until the wall closed behind me. I sat on the floor for a while until I was sure she would be silent for several days.
I returned to the room and ordered a bath. I let the girls bathe me like they had that first day, cleaning me with care and delicacy that was uncommon in either world I had lived.
~o~
The way to the control room was as familiar to me as our own room now. I took a breath and walked through the opening.
“You again.” Duester rolled her eyes. “Jaxson, can you please do something about her?”
She jumped and took a step back, finding I had closed the gap between us in the seconds she spent batting her eyes at Jaxson.
“He is not yours to command. If anyone is leaving here, Duester, it is you!” I said through gritted teeth. I had to fight the urge to lash out at her as she sidled out from between me and the console.
“I will leave you two alone. Jaxson, tomorrow I would like to go into the City. Maybe she can handle my responsibilities while I am gone.” She nodded to me.
“That will be fine,” he said. He watched her leave before he came and took my hands into his. A hint of humor playing at his lips as he began to unball my fists.
“Easy there, Tiger,” he teased, kissing each finger as he unfolded it.
“Why does she get to me so easily?”
“It is your Kincha. It boosts your aggression towards anyone who you perceive as a threat to your mate.”
“I do not think she could harm you,” I responded, only half paying attention. My mind still lingered on the look on Duester’s face as she addressed Jaxson.
“Not that kind of threat,” he said, brushing a finger across the tip of my nose. I turned to look at him, paying full attention now.
“You mean, I am jealous of her?”
His mouth widened into a grin. “It would appear so,” he said, lifting me up so that I was sitting on the console.
“You are enjoying this?” I asked, pinching him in the chest.
In response, he grabbed my legs and pulled me closer to him. His lips hovered dangerously close to mine, but did not touch. I worked my fingers under the edge of his shirt and pulled him the rest of the way, our lips locking in a feverish kiss.
The console became soft and squishy beneath me as the room was transformed into a lush forest. The entrance closed and let out the familiar whine that ensured privacy.
~o~
“You are getting really good at this,” Jaxson said looking around at the low hanging petals of flowers that adorned the trees above us. “What place is this?”
“I found it on the console when I was looking through pictures of the places in this world. It looked like somewhere I would like to visit.”
“You never cease to amaze me. You made this from a place you have never been?” he asked, looking astonished.
“I have a vivid imagination,” I said, feeling s
elf-conscious.
He turned his attention back to me. “I would say so.”
I ran my fingers along the line of his collarbone. “You left without saying goodbye this morning.”
“You were sleeping peacefully. I did not want to disturb you. It is a rare thing lately.” The concern was clear in his voice.
“I am sorry that I hurt you,” I said, tracing the spot that was now completely healed.
He tightened his arms around me, pressing the side of my face against the soft skin of his chest. His fingers pulsed softly in my hair, comforting me as they massaged.
Lulled nearly into peaceful slumber, I felt his lips curve into a smile against the top of my head as my stomach rumbled.
“Lunch?” he asked even as his grip loosened on me.
“Stay,” I said, pulling him tighter against me. “Just lay with me. Your skin is all I need.”
As if to contradict me, a second, more insistent growl issued from deep within me, and I knew the battle was lost. He slipped free of my grasp and stood.
“Your stomach says otherwise.” He chuckled, holding a hand out to me. “I have a surprise for you,” he whispered, his lips brushing gently against my ear as we walked toward the dining room.
I could not fight the impulse to be nearer to him. My fingers dug into his flesh with desire, pulling him closer so there was no space between us as we walked.
Reluctantly, I released my grip and let him walk around the table as I moved toward the opposite end. My stomach fluttered as we met again on the other side. It seemed to have a will of its own lately.
He held my chair out as I sat. His fingers whispered across the bare skin of my arms raising tiny bumps of pleasure in their wake.
“You must not tease me so, in front of everyone. I have very little self control of late,” I warned.
He took my hand and pressed his lips so softly to the curve in my wrist that it left a tingling trail behind each baby kiss. My mouth fell open as he winked and released me to take his seat. If not for the restraining chair and table, I might not have been able to control my response. As it was, I growled in frustration.
The corner of his mouth twitched but his eyes remained forward. He looked all business sitting next to me, knowing what he was doing. My erratic sleep patterns were causing all my emotions to run at a heightened level. Desire, as Jaxson was aware, was not an emotion that was immune to this effect.
Katy appeared before us, professional as always, but a hint of a smile played at her lips. Her eyes switched back and forth between us and a slow blush crept over her creamy cheeks. Knowing I was making her uncomfortable sobered me.
“How are you this afternoon, Katy?” I asked, straightening in my chair.
“I am well. How are you, my lady?”
“I am well,” I responded, unable to keep the humor from my voice as Jaxson smiled deviously.
“I will be back with your food in just a moment,” Katy said with a squeaky tone she only used when she was excited.
“I have not ordered yet,” I responded, confused.
She winked at Jaxson and disappeared without another word. Jaxson would not meet my gaze and I felt my stomach flutter again in anticipation.
“What are you up to?” I asked, studying the contours of his face for signs that did not come.
“You will just have to be patient, Love.”
Katy appeared, saving him from my glares. She placed a large tray in the middle of us, then set two plates next to it and backed away. “Enjoy,” she said with a smile.
I watched her retreat back into the kitchen before I turned my attention on Jaxson. He lifted the lid with a look of pure devotion, his eyes watching me as the scent hit me first. I drew in a deep breath and let the emotions of Festival wash over me for only a second. I pushed those thoughts away and smiled at Jaxson, unwilling to taint his surprise.
He pulled a piece from the pork roast and held it up to my lips. There was a hint of uncertainty in his emotions. I took the bite and let my lips brush against his fingers. It was exactly as it had tasted when Lena prepared it.
“You will be rewarded greatly for your thoughtfulness,” I whispered as I offered him a bite in return. A burst of desire swelled around me as his pulse quickened, spreading his scent into the air.
A commotion at the entrance drew our attention away from each other. Duester stood in the doorway. And my worst fear was now realized.
With one hand holding his hair, Duester forced Niko to his knees. His hands were tied behind his back. Her other hand raised and a single white finger extended toward me, piercing me with all the fear and anger I had been holding back.
My chair flew back with a clatter and I was on my feet. “No,” the word slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
Chapter 28
Jaxson’s arms were around me immediately. “Shhhh. Careful, careful,” he whispered in my ear, his grasp nearly painful around my waist as we crossed the room. “Do not let her see how much this upsets you or she will use him to hurt you.”
I could not think about the implications of what he was saying. I had to remain focused. Do what he said.
“What is the meaning of this, Duester?” I demanded.
Her lips curved up into a look of pure, devious satisfaction.
“How dare you bring a human into my dining room while I eat!”
Her smile faltered and I hoped she could not see me tremble under Jaxson’s embrace. “I found him outside. He was looking for you,” she responded, the glint in her eye returning.
“If every human that asked, got a private audience with me, this room would be overrun. You are setting a very bad example, Duester. I am disappointed.” I leaned forward to show my teeth as I spoke, and Jaxson’s grip made it seem as if he had to hold me back.
She took a step back and swallowed hard.
“Griff, can you please handle this?” I motioned to Niko trying not to look him in the eye. It would be my undoing.
Griff, who was hovering dangerously close already, closed the distance in a stride and pulled Niko free of Duester.“What of her?” he asked, glaring down at Duester with a look that frightened even me.
I turned to Jaxson. “What should we do with her?” I asked, hoping he would dole out a just punishment, I was incapable of at the moment. Before he could respond Duester opened her mouth and spoke the words that damned me.
“Wait.” She held up her hands but Griff had already shoved Niko aside, and was wrapping a massive hand around her arm. Duester cringed but was undeterred. “He wants to be here, to be a part of us. I say we allow him.” She turned to Finale. “You will be needing a new host soon?” she asked.
He nodded, looking uncertain.
“Does this boy please you, Daniella?” Duester asked.
“I… I… I do not know. I need to think,” she responded, looking into my eyes. Hers were full of fear.
“Enough.” I waived my hand in frustration. “He is over age. He cannot be a host any longer—”
“That should not matter if he is volunteering,” Duester interrupted.
“I said enough!” The room was completely silent. Not a flutter of lashes or the sound of breath tainted the air.
Griff’s hands tightened around Duester and she yelped, but said nothing more.
“Get her out of my sight,” I growled.
Niko looked up into my stinging eyes and I knew I would not last. Jaxson took Niko’s arm and gently helped him to his feet. I followed as Jaxson led him to a room that would be his cell.
I took a deep breath and then looked at him. With all the strength I had, I kept my voice steady and cold. “What were you thinking? Are you trying to get killed?”
“I just wanted to be near you,” he said softly, looking at the floor. “I am sorry, Reka.”
My throat burned as hot tears welled in my eyes. “I am sorry, too.” I clasped my hands tightly behind my back to keep from reaching out to him. “Get some sleep. We will figure this out tomorro
w.”
It was too late though. His coming here had made me acknowledge the one thing I always knew was coming. I would have to watch one of my friends be taken and turned into a host; a slave. Then, slowly, others would follow until I was surrounded in their death.
I closed my eyes, unable to look at Jaxson, knowing what I had to do.
Chapter 29
Watching Jaxson fight whatever demons he was dreaming of made me ache. I knew I had to spare him, but I was not sure if it might more merciful to let him die with me.
I brushed my hands over his hair and let the tears I could not cry while he was awake, spill silently. I wrestled with what to do for two days, but could put it off no longer. Duester would be released from her punishment in two days, and she would begin working on Daniella.
A hand snaked around my waist, pulling me down next to him. I fit perfectly into the curve of his body. I was meant to be there.
“What are you up to, Love?” he whispered in my ear, cradling me in his arms. I turned my head and kissed his lips, knowing this was the last time I would ever make love to the man who had become my world.
His lips seemed to understand the urgency of the situation, as did the fingers that had been tracing my skin sleepily only moments before took on a desperation, as if seeking to memorize every inch of me.
~o~
His eyes watched my face as I trailed circles aimlessly across his chest. I was unwilling to fall asleep and lose any of the final moments I had with him. Whether he sensed it or not, he too remained awake holding me, running his hands through my hair and down my back.
I knew I could wait no more. I had to get him and Griff off the ship before I could begin preparing, and I needed to be ready before breakfast.
“I need you to do something for me,” I said, looking him in the eye.
He watched me for a minute before nodding.
“I need you and Griff to take Niko back to the City today, before anyone wakes up.”
He nodded again, but still did not say anything. His eyes felt all-knowing and I feared he was humoring me so he could lock me away in our room until it was too late. Instead, he kissed my forehead, then slid out from under me.
Children of the Gods - A Chosen Novel Page 15