Damn it. I closed my eyes as the pain in my head made my vision waver. I had to think. I had to get out of here.
“Want to play, Princess?”
My mind went blank. When Luke started talking to his dagger, things went south. Fast.
“Let me up!” I didn’t beg. I demanded it. I was desperate, trapped, but I wanted to survive.
The weight immediately lifted from my legs.
What the…? I managed to turn my head and saw Luke crouched beside me, looking equally confused.
Manipulation. Hope, the most dangerous of emotions, flickered in my stomach.
“Step away, Luke.” My voice was hoarse, but I injected a command into it. Or so I hoped.
Oh, thank God. He took a few awkward, stumbling steps back. A look of shock swept across his face. And was that a flicker of…fear?
With difficulty, I got to my feet, wincing in pain. The bastard had nearly broken my right leg, so putting weight on it hurt. My stab wound was on fire. If he’d hit a vein… I glanced down. There was enough blood on the floor for three stab wounds, probably.
I swayed as I stood upright, and put a hand to my head. It came away wet and sticky. I’d forgotten about the head wound, which would bleed like crazy.
“What are you doing, Elleodora?” Luke’s voice was quiet and tight with fury.
“Shut up.” I blinked, trying to bring him into focus.
His lips were pressed together, and his eyes were a little wild. I grinned at him because I couldn’t help it. “Put the dagger down.”
His arm jerked.
“Put it down.” If this didn’t work, I was in serious trouble. In fact, judging by the look of rage on his face, Luke would kill me with or without my father’s consent.
The dagger hit the floor with a clatter. I smiled through my pain. If I only had a little time, I’d make him regret every moment of our past.
I saw Luke’s eyes widen as he stared over my shoulder. I spun around, too late.
“Elleodora, stop,” my father sighed.
I lurched to a halt, dizziness making the room continue to spin wildly. Idiot, idiot, idiot. I gritted my teeth against the nausea that threatened. If only I had tried to use mind control sooner. Maybe I should have used the shock ward. Or hit him in the nuts again.
I should have tried harder.
Jedren stared at me, thoughtful. “This is an interesting development. What else have you been hiding?”
“Let me go.” I put as much feeling behind the order as I could.
He smiled at me and said, “Luke, pick up your dagger.”
I heard the scrape of the blade when Luke grabbed his dagger. I couldn’t move. Staring at Jedren, I waited for the bite of the blade.
“Let me go, damn it.” The sob that bubbled up with my words ruined the effect.
“Elleodora, your powers won’t be fully accessible until your birthday. You can’t use your abilities against me.” Jedren’s smile lit his eyes. I didn’t ever remember seeing him genuinely amused. “Save your energy and cease this behavior.”
The order was issued in a calm voice, but it hit me hard enough to make my body jerk.
Fight! my mind screamed, but my body refused to obey.
Jedren continued to smile. Inside, I felt icy cold. Never in my life had I seen his smile reach his eyes. He seemed downright…joyful.
I didn’t realize I was shaking until he said, “Dear, are you cold? Luke, fetch Elleodora a blanket.”
Now he was being solicitous? Not once could I remember my father being nice to me, fake or otherwise. At best, he’d tolerated me. At the worst, he’d handed me over to Luke. But nice? The thought was laughable.
Luke dropped a damp, wool blanket over my back. It hurt, but I didn’t flinch.
“Now, Luke, could you please see to our guests in the dining hall? I’ll bring Elleodora up in a moment.” My father’s smile widened when he saw me flinch at the word “guests.”
Guests were always a minefield of danger in my father’s house. Even when Cian and MacLean were the guests, pain was certain to follow their visit, an inevitable punishment for some imagined misstep I’d made in front of Father’s guests.
I didn’t want to know who had just arrived at my father’s “holiday cottage.”
Luke brushed past me, and his glare promised a slow, painful death.
I managed to sneer at him. Back at you, buddy. Now he knew what it felt like to be manipulated against his will. And he’d only had a taste.
Jedren gestured for me to precede him up the stairs. The invisible chains holding me motionless released in an instant. I leaned against the curving wall as I limped up, one torturous step at a time. My vision swam, and I staggered a bit on the last few steps.
“Come.” My father took my elbow—fortunately, my good one—guiding me toward the dining hall. I didn’t want his help. However, as badly as I wanted to pull away, I knew I’d topple over. If I fell, I wouldn’t have the energy to get back up. I needed to conserve the little strength I had left because I still had to meet the guests.
Think, Elle!
I had to get out of here. Somehow. The windows were located high up on the walls, and too small for a child to fit through, so forget about it for me. I could run, but not before he issued another order. The harder I tried to think of an idea, the more the pain in my head increased. It took my full concentration to walk. I wondered if this was how men had felt walking to the gallows or before the firing squad. Sheer panic warred with the driving need for survival.
I stumbled and bit my lip against the intense pain that shot through my shoulder.
Showing the enemy weakness? Always a bad idea. Bleeding all over the floor while trying to see through my squinty eyes and holding my bloody head? I’d given it away.
I was in deep shit.
Jedren escorted me into the great hall. I prayed the garish chandelier would fall on him. A spectacular crash at just the right second. Too bad I couldn’t use mind control on an object that didn’t have a mind.
The dining table was huge and seated an entire army. My head hurt too badly to count the chairs, but there were a ridiculous number of them. I turned to Jedren. “Did you buy this from Dracula’s people?”
His smile dimmed a bit, and I saw a warning flash in his eyes. “I’ve never understood your sense of humor, Elleodora.”
He didn’t have a sense of humor. I doubted he knew what one was. I’d never heard him laugh, and I didn’t want to, but my sense of humor was the perfect way to distract him while I tried to get my bearings.
“Hello,” Jedren greeted his guests, who were seated at the far end of the table. Their faces were blurry. As I limped closer, I felt a slight buzzing sensation along my skin.
Power.
It flared and reached to the far corners of the room. I clenched my teeth against the prickly sensation. Two women and two men sat with Luke.
“Look what the cat dragged in. You’re looking a little worse for wear,” a husky voice purred.
“Hello, Mitzy,” I greeted the black-haired woman, wishing I could kick Maura’s teeth in. My violent urges were getting stronger, and I welcomed them. Whatever it took to get me the hell out.
“It’s Maura.” Her teeth gnashed at my insult.
“Whatever,” I waved my right hand at her in dismissal. My left hung limp and useless against my side, but I wanted to keep the shoulder injury to myself for the time being.
“Maura, I expect you to treat my daughter with respect.” Jedren’s voice was cool, with a hint of reproach.
Maura jumped like she’d been slapped. “Yes, Mr. Warlow.”
Hmm…maybe this could work to my benefit. I smiled at both of her heads as they wavered in front of me.
“Sit, Elleodora.” My father pulled out a chair for me.
Gingerly, I sat down, proud when I didn’t cringe, whimper, or fall to the floor and curl up in the fetal position. All things I desperately wanted to do.
Jedren tilted his head t
oward the other woman, a tall, willowy blonde with bright green eyes. “Blythe, stop her bleeding.”
She nodded and stood, then walked around the table to me. I jerked away. “Don’t freaking touch me,” I warned.
“Elleodora, sit still.”
I acknowledged the warning in Jedren’s tone by glaring at the table instead of the woman.
Blythe held up her hands and let them hover over my head. I heard her quickly indrawn breath, but she didn’t say a word. A gentle heat surrounded me. The stab wound and the head wound prickled and itched for a moment and then…nothing. I checked my abdomen with my good arm in surprise. The wound was gone.
I looked up at her. “How’d you do that?”
She glanced at Jedren as if she needed permission to answer me. “I’m a light elf. I can heal.” Her explanation was simple. Her voice was light and melodic. Not at all what I’d expect from a hunter.
“You’re in the wrong business,” I told her. It should be criminal to waste healing talents by becoming a hunter. Even worse, she worked as a mercenary for my father. Two strikes against her. The kindness I glimpsed in her expression was probably a trick of the light.
I wished she’d been kind enough to fix my shoulder, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to ask her. I couldn’t reveal that I still had that big of a weakness in front of my father.
Blythe walked back to her chair. Next to Altair. I didn’t acknowledge him, nor he, me. I wondered if he thought I was worthy of his trust now. I know I didn’t. Didn’t really care.
I felt a pair of eyes burning a hole in my head. I shifted my gaze and saw a second man, seated on the other side of Altair. Because the others were hunters, I assumed this was Falon. His hair was long and white. Pure, bright white. His eyes were also white. Was he blind?
He blinked and smiled at me. Somehow, I didn’t think he was. I would swear his eyes tracked my movement. His face had that ageless quality that put him somewhere between twenty-five and fifty. I couldn’t tell. He was seated, but even so, I could tell he was big. Big like Luke. Bigger, maybe.
I had to figure out how to escape.
“Have you met everyone?”
It took me a moment to realize Jedren was talking to me. “Everyone I need to meet.”
“We haven’t, actually. I’m Falon.” The white-haired man stood and extended his hand across the wide expanse of table. His voice had an accent I couldn’t place. It was a quiet, educated voice. Very Hannibal Lecter.
I stared at his hand. No way was I touching him.
After an awkward moment, he pulled his hand back and sat down. Pleasant smile still in place. White eyes staring.
Jedren’s pale, creepy eyes were preferable to Falon’s blank, white ones. My father’s eyes had looked at me with disgust, disappointment, and anger. They had haunted my nightmares before Luke’s ugly visage had appeared. Now, I was voluntarily looking at him to escape staring at Falon. I was pretty sure hell had frozen over at some point in the last few minutes.
Jedren was frowning at me. I waited for him to rebuke me for my rude behavior, but he said nothing. Which made me nervous. He really wanted something from me. And that made him dangerous. When my father wanted something, he got it. Or killed, tortured, and manipulated as many people as he had to in order to get it.
Luke had moved to stand behind Jedren and was watching me, fury still evident. I realized I had nothing to lose. “How are the balls, Luke?”
Before Luke could lunge at me, Jedren held up a hand. “Enough,” he said to both of us.
I held Luke’s gaze a moment longer before looking back to Jedren. “Why am I here? Are you handing me over to the hunters?”
“Not quite. I’ve called them here to show them I have you in custody. You’ll return the souls, and I’ll mete out your punishment.” He checked his watch. “We’re waiting for MacLean and one other.”
One more hunter? Friend or foe? Judging by the rest of the gang, it would be a foe.
But MacLean was expected. I knew whose side he was on. Dear God, could he help me escape?
A commotion at the front door had me clenching my teeth, praying it was MacLean. Praying Teryl and Jax were still alive, too, if my father had let MacLean live.
“Where is she?” I recognized the deep voice as it reverberated around the room. It made my heart leap, and then twist in terror. Jax was striding in here, too confident, too careless. Had it not occurred to him that my father might have more hunters than Luke keeping me captive?
“Jaxon.” My father stood, a cool smile on his face. “So glad you could finally join us.”
No, no, no, my heart screamed. I couldn’t bear to see Jax walk into a trap.
With a courtly gesture, my father indicated the chair nearest to him. “Please, take your usual seat.”
One other hunter.
“No…” I whispered, not meaning to speak out loud.
Time stopped, and my chest constricted as I watched Jax. My gargoyle. My mate.
My heartbreak.
He strode past my father, past the chair that had been waiting for him, his silver eyes searching for mine. I waited a heartbeat, two heartbeats, still holding out hope I was wrong. But no. There it was, in his eyes and on his face.
Guilt and shame.
The pain of my dislocated shoulder was nothing compared the sudden, sharp ache in my chest. I wanted to scream and rail and drop to my knees in agony. But I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.
Jax’s gaze never left my face. His skin turned gray and his deep voice came out harsh. “Why is she bloody?”
My father waved a hand. “Blythe healed the wounds. I told you she’d be fine.”
Each word was a knife to my heart. I stared at Jax with dry eyes. I didn’t want to believe what I was seeing, what I was hearing. The other hunters offered nods and muted hellos to him.
I was finally able to look away. Never had I experienced betrayal like this.
“Elle.” Jax came to my side. “Elle, look at me.”
Rage like nothing I’d ever felt before coursed through me. I stood, knocking the heavy wooden chair over in my haste. “Don’t talk to me again, you sneaking, lying son of a bitch!”
I heard Maura giggle.
“Shut up!”
The laughter gurgled in her throat, and then stopped. Her face turned purple as she struggled to speak. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she looked to Jedren for help. He sat there, watching, smiling.
I had a feeling he was enjoying the show. I wanted to wipe the smug look off of his face.
Maura made furious, gurgling noises, and stood. She pulled her knife and jumped on the table. I stumbled back. Her skin began to shift to gray stone.
I couldn’t use my left arm. My head ached like a bitch. Each time I looked at her, I saw double. I didn’t know which Maura to watch.
We eyed each other. Her black eyes hardened. Shit. She was going to jump.
I managed to take one step back before she launched herself at me. Before I could throw my good arm up, Jax jumped between us. She crashed into him. The noise was horrific. An awful sound of stone scraping against stone. Her knife clattered to the floor a moment before she did.
Jax stood over her.
I moved away from them both. Maybe they’d fight each other, and save me the effort.
Jedren clapped. “Brava. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s move on. Maura, get up. You’re a hunter. Act like it.”
I watched her slink back to her seat, no longer stone, limping. Maura glared at me, hatred burning in her eyes. The feeling was mutual. But I had bigger things to worry about.
“Why is he here?” I asked my father, without bothering to gesture toward Jax. My throat hurt. My eyes burned.
Jedren smiled. “He’s a hunter, of course. Like Luke, Jaxon works for me. Didn’t he tell you? No? What a pity.” His mock sympathy fanned the flames of my rage.
I turned back to Jax, hoping he felt the weight and depth of my anger. “I hope you rot in h
ell, with my father.” My voice shook.
He shifted to full gargoyle before I finished my sentence. “It’s not what you think. Let me—”
“No!” I slashed a hand in front of me. “I’m done. We’re done.” The words reverberated in my head with a horrible finality. Judging from the look on Jax’s face, he thought so, too. A twinge in my heart was my only indication the bond was affected. Not gone completely, but muted and weak. I wondered if it could break. Like my heart.
I turned my back on him and walked toward my father. With each step I took, my heart shattered a little more, but I kept my face impassive. I had one more thing left to do. “I won’t be your heir. Ever. In fact, I’m—”
Another commotion at the front door cut me off. Hunters jumped to their feet. MacLean and Teryl ran into the room.
“Elle!” Teryl cried. His face turned white when he saw the blood on me. “Are you…? I mean…is everything…?” He struggled to find words when he noticed the room full of hunters. He went from white to a sickly shade of green.
Yeah, the odds weren’t good.
MacLean walked toward me, ignoring the hunters. “Are you okay?”
No, my heart cried.
“Peachy,” I whispered. I cleared my throat and tried for a semi-normal tone. “Did you know about this little party, Mac?”
MacLean stopped a few feet from me and shook his head, his brow creased with worry. “No.”
“MacLean, I’m so glad you’re here,” my father said. He stood and walked over to us, offering his hand.
MacLean’s manners kicked in, and he took my father’s hand automatically, looking confused and suspicious.
“Great news, MacLean, for you and the Douglas family. I was going to wait and speak to your father first, but it seems my daughter is set to become my heir.”
“Didn’t you hear me? I said no way in—”
“Quiet, Elleodora,” my father snapped. My mouth shut because of his command. I twisted toward him, ready to jump at him with little thought to the consequences, but MacLean put a restraining arm around my waist. He watched my father through wary eyes as I seethed beside him.
Jedren smiled, triumph clear in his pale eyes. “MacLean, I’ll need to meet with you and Cian to renegotiate the marriage contract.”
Stone Cold Seduction Page 23