by Brenda Trim
No one had prepared her for any aspect of the mating and not knowing what to expect made her edgy. She wasn’t a virgin, but she hadn’t really dated much, either. No one had sparked enough interest. Relationships were complicated. She was all about going to work and spending time with her family and friends. She and Rebecca may have frequented Club Confetti, but Shae hadn’t been involved with very many males. It was easier keeping interactions with males uncomplicated, enjoy each other’s company for however long it lasted and then part on friendly terms. In fact, Shae and Rebecca joked about the three-month limit on relationships with males.
She missed Rebecca greatly and wished she had the courage to call her up. To be able to meet up at Confetti for a drink so she could tell her the colossal mistake she had made in falling for Gerrick. She choked back a sob when she recalled that Confetti had been destroyed by the archdemons who had stolen her from her safe, sheltered life. Acknowledging one more loss to the demons always had rage spiking the surface.
As if thinking about him opened a door, Azazel chose that moment to resume his efforts at mentally battering her and trying to command her to do his bidding. She squinted and tried to force him out. It wasn’t so bad at the moment and she prayed her experience during the boat ride didn’t repeat itself. The demand to steal the Triskele Amulet and kill the Dark Warriors had sent searing pain to her brain and it’d felt like a white-hot poker in her frontal cortex. Gerrick had been the key to breaking the connection Azazel had established, ending the compulsion and pain. She had to assume that being at Zeum lessened his reach because the pain wasn’t nearly as intense as it had been.
She tensed at the sound of the lock turning and shifted her stance. The door swung open and she lunged at the sexy sorcerer. He caught her mid-air and pinned her against the wall, kicking the door shut. The action had her melting against him and sighing in relief when the demon’s presence in her mind disappeared. A muttered spell left his lips and they were locked in the room together. His chest kept her in place while his hands gripped her wrists. He turned his head and surveyed the room.
“I see we’ve been busy redecorating,” he murmured when he glanced around and saw the destruction. She braced herself against the deep masculine voice, but he still made her insides turn to lava. “I like the change,” he teased.
“You’ll get my bill in the mail. Now that I’m finished with all of this,” she told him, not wanting to put herself through anymore, “I’d like Nate to take me to my room.”
She needed to get away from Gerrick. His presence was killing her. The bond, that was apparently one-sided on her part, grew stronger with every second, but the disdain was clear on his face. Besides, she felt like a ticking time-bomb.
“That’s not happening, Red. This is your room now.”
“Then get out. I don’t want you here.” She swallowed at the narrow-eyed look he gave her as if what she said pissed him off. Well, too damn bad.
“Look, I’ve not handled things very well, but this situation isn’t exactly typical.”
“Yeah, I get it. You don’t need to remind me that I’m damaged. Now, get out,” she demanded, breathing heavily with her agitation. This male made her head spin. One second she was melting for him and wanting another kiss and the next she wanted to rip out his intestines.
“I don’t think you do,” he said, his lips so close to hers they brushed hers when he talked. “You aren’t damaged. You’re perfect.” It would have been more believable if he weren’t scowling when he said the latter.
“This mark says that you’re mine. Neither of us is going anywhere until we figure this out,” he finished.
“I don’t need pity or lies. And, I won’t allow you to deny me one second then come back here and act like you own me.” She refused to allow her inner beast to claim him and barely held the words back. Only the knowledge that he didn’t want her, but another female, kept the words from escaping anyway.
“I’m sorry, Red. I fucked up, but it’s been a long day and we‘re both tired. We will talk more after we get some rest.”
She hadn’t realized how tired she was until that moment. She had been fighting to keep the demon out since the boat ride, and, between that and the mating, she was exhausted. “You get the sofa. Well, what’s left of it and I’ll take the bed.”
His smile had her toes curling in anticipation. “I don’t think so. We’re sharing the bed.”
She started to object when he swung her up into his arms. She had every intention of fighting his dominance, but she was tired. She had been fighting for months. He dropped her onto the bed and stripped his shirt and boots off in record time. He left his jeans on and slid into bed next to her.
“This would have been easier if you hadn’t destroyed the room,” he murmured as he reached over and picked up the blanket and pillows. He pulled her into his arms and held her close.
“Don’t piss me off again, Gerrick,” she said with a yawn. She heard his chuckle and fell asleep with his strong, steady heartbeat in her ear.
*****
Gerrick woke to the kiss of steel at his jugular. He had been sleeping with Shae next to his side and was shocked by how content he was to remain that way. He had never in his four hundred fifty years slept next to a female. He couldn’t erase the doubts about the mating, but neither could he deny how good it felt to have her by his side. She was lush and soft and her feminine scent wrapped around him, fuzzing his brain.
“Shae? What’s going on?” he asked, looking around the room for a threat that he knew wasn’t there. She was the best Trojan horse the archdemons could have devised. They knew Zander and the warriors would care for the females rather than killing them outright.
“You need to unlock the door, Gerrick,” she said, her face a mask of cold determination. There were no remnants of the female who’d set him in his place last night.
He opened his mouth to deny her but saw something flicker in the back of her eyes. She was locked in an internal battle and he could only guess what it was about. He wanted to keep her there and protect her, but ultimately he conceded to her wishes and it had nothing to do with the knife at his throat. The truth of the matter was that he could take the weapon from her in a heartbeat, but he refused to contribute to her suffering. What he wanted to do was shelter and care for her. Erase the reasons for the fine lines around her eyes.
When she heard the door unlock, she jumped from the bed and sprinted out of the room, dressed in a pair of his sweat pants and her heels from the night before. Her hair flew behind her as she fled. The sight of her running from him when she should be running toward him caused a sharp, twisting pain in his chest.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Shae’s heart was going a million miles a minute as she sped away from Zeum. She couldn’t believe her luck when she ran out the front door and a Mustang was sitting there. Without hesitation, she’d jumped in and fist pumped the air and shouted her excitement when she saw the keys in the ignition. Of course, the warriors wouldn’t have bothered with locking their cars in front of their compound. The engine’s loud roar made her jump and she worried someone would hear and come running. Quick as a whip, she’d punched the accelerator and whipped the car around and drove like a bat out of hell off the property.
She was still driving too fast through the slick, silent streets, but she was afraid she was going to be located any second. Nervously, she kept checking the rear view mirror, expecting to see Gerrick or one of the other warriors speeding up behind her, but she had to get out of there.
She’d been having the first peaceful night’s sleep in months when Azazel’s coercion had begun again. The blinding pain was accompanied by the urge to slit Gerrick’s throat and find the amulet. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him so she had to get out of that house. She’d taken for granted that Gerrick’s presence would keep the demons at bay and had relaxed her vigilance when Azazel once again exerted his influence on her.
When she reached Queen Anne she decide
d to leave the car in a parking lot far away from her destination and walk the rest of the way. There was no way she was going to lead the Dark Warriors any closer to her home. It was probably a mistake to go there, but she had no money and nowhere else to go.
She traveled the streets on foot and paused when she passed a gas station that still had a payphone out front. It had been years since she’d seen a payphone. Hands on her knees, she caught her breath as she contemplated calling Rebecca. Her best friend would be there in a heartbeat, no questions asked, and it would keep her family out of it, but she would never place Rebecca in the line of fire like that. No doubt, Gerrick would rake Rebecca over the coals for aiding Shae. He was insanely possessive and had slept with his arms wrapped so tightly around her that it had been a challenge for Shae to extricate herself. That was the way it should be between mates, Shae’s soul screamed.
Then there was Shae’s stability to consider. She could harm Rebecca if she lost it again. No, she couldn’t place Rebecca at risk. Decision made, she ducked behind a store and crossed a few neighborhoods in the blink of an eye. She was far faster now than she’d been before her abduction. She was trying to see that as a good thing when she found herself in her parent’s front yard moments later.
Sudden nerves stopped her and she crouched outside one of the side windows. She wasn’t sure how they’d react and didn’t know what she would do if they rejected her, too. Never before would she have questioned her parents or grandparents, but she was an unpredictable monster now.
She stepped back under the canopy of a large maple tree in the front yard and glanced back at the Victorian. The gingerbread detail of the eaves and the bright, colorful trim was highlighted in the early morning sunrise. The dark blue of the wraparound porch matched the trim around the windows and still bore the marks from Austin’s claws. Her brother had been running from their mother after one on his shenanigans. The sight of her family home was so familiar and comforting, and, vastly different from Zeum.
Zeum was a large grey mansion with Goddess only knew how many bedrooms. Shae figured it could easily house a hundred with how big it was. Their kitchen alone was almost as big as her home. Yet, there was a sense of intimacy when you walked in the door. The connections shared by those living there were as powerful as those between her family. It made sense, Shae thought, given their missions and how closely they fought together.
Rising above the windowsill, she peeked through the clear glass and saw part of her family gathered in the living room. She was lucky that they hadn’t yet pulled the heavy drapes that offered protection from the sun’s lethal rays. Her mother was playing a card game with her Aunt Shelly and Uncle Keith. A sharp pang in her chest brought tears to her eyes because normally, she would have been playing with them. She loved the time she spent with her family, but deep down, she didn’t feel like she fit here anymore.
She heard her brother, Austin calling out to her mom from the back of the large house about a lost shoe or something. She smiled. Austin was always losing his stuff. More than likely, her father was whipping up something delicious for their last meal of the day while her grandmother sat in the kitchen talking to him. It was a normal scene in her house and she couldn’t stop one of her tears from escaping.
She wondered if her grandfather was home from work yet. She had imagined their lives had stopped while they searched for her. But, here they were as if she wasn’t missing at all. Wild and crazy thought raced through her mind and suddenly she wasn’t so sure this had been a good idea. Hell, they may have given her room to her aunt for her office. They might not want her back at all.
Pale rays of sun hit the ground beside her, freezing her breath in her lungs. She hadn’t survived the past seven months of hell to be burned to death by the sun. The imminent sunrise made her decision for her and she ran to the porch, ringing the doorbell.
Her mother answered the door and screamed. Before she knew what was happening, she had been pulled into a hug and was surrounded by her mother’s familiar rose scent. She gripped her mom tightly and let the tears fall. She heard the others in the house run to see what the ruckus was about, but didn’t pull away from her mom.
“Kay, you need to back up before the sun reaches the both of you,” her dad said trying to tug her from her mother’s grip, but her mother refused to let her go. Shae felt them being led into the house as her dad cried and grabbed them both. “Oh, Goddess. I can’t believe you’re finally here. Where have you been? What happened? Are you okay?”
“That’s a long story. I missed you dad.”
“What is it, Matthew?” her grandmother, Philomena, asked coming into the room. “Goddess, child,” her grandmother cried out and rushed towards them. The familiar mint scent of her grandmother joined the menagerie of her parents as her small arms worked their way into the embrace. “We have missed you.”
She sobbed harder hearing that and they stood in their huddle for several minutes. She felt her brother and aunt and uncle hovering near the edges and knew they wanted to join the group. When she lifted her head, she met Austin’s gaze. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks and she nodded her head to him. She understood what he wasn’t saying. They may irritate each other, but they loved each other more than words could say.
“Let’s sit down,” her dad said, crossing to take a seat on the sofa. Shae’s mom didn’t let her go and Shae didn’t try to extricate herself. It felt too wonderful to be home and in her arms. Her aunt and uncle each gave her a hug where she stood in her mother’s arms and told her they loved her and then her brother nearly squeezed the life out of her, bringing more tears to her eyes. Finally, she and her mother sat together on the other sofa and her grandmother sat on her other side and grabbed Shae’s hand.
“You have no idea how good it is to see you and be home. I can’t believe it’s all the same, even the throws on the couch,” she said, looking around. They had the same faded, mismatched furniture they’d had for several decades. The stuff needed to be replaced, but it was nice to see the red chair and green couches as well as the purple recliners.
It was all ridiculous, especially after seeing the lush leather furniture in the King’s home, but it was perfect for them. Her eclectic grandmother had chosen every piece and hadn’t seen anything she liked to replace it, no matter how hard they looked. She took a deep breath of the familiar scent. This was home. And, they hadn’t rejected her.
“You look so tired,” her mother observed. Shae knew she was fishing for information, but she wasn’t ready to tell them. She didn’t want to see looks of disgust on their faces when they looked so happy to see her. She wouldn’t ever tell them everything she’d been through, but what little she could tell them would be enough to ruin this happy mood.
“I’m not that tired, but I could use a shower. And a change of clothes. Are my things still here?” she asked hesitantly.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course they are and your room is just as you left it,” her grandmother said, smoothing Shae’s hair back from her face in a tender caress. Unable to stop herself, Shae flinched at the contact and jumped up. She didn’t want anyone to see her scars.
“I’m going to clean up. I’ll be out in a bit,” she told her family.
“We never gave up hope,” her mother said, tears now slipping from her dark green eyes. Her father stood up and wrapped an arm around her mom. “Food will be ready when you’re done,” he added. She nodded and headed down the hall, emotion a hard lump in her throat.
Her brother was the only one who refused to let her be. He followed her down the hall and up the stairs. Thankfully, he kept silent. Not that she wasn’t blazingly aware of his wariness. It was obvious to her that he didn’t trust her sudden reappearance and she was glad. She didn’t really trust herself. Gerrick and the Dark Warriors had one thing right. It was best to have someone close by.
“I’m glad you’re back, sis. We have all been out of our minds with worry and mom hasn’t slept. You know her. They may ignore this and
not push the issue right now, but something is different about you,” he challenged, leaning against the wall, crossing his feet at the ankles. It was a typical Austin pose, all insouciance and vigilance. She welcomed the smile that spread across her face.
“I know you guys have questions and I will answer what I can. You’re right to be suspicious. I’d be disappointed if you weren’t. But, please, know that I’m just as overwhelmed as you are,” she admitted, asking for his understanding.
He held her gaze for several seconds then nodded. She touched his shoulder before she entered her room. She immediately closed the indoor shutters and curtains, noting that no one had touched a thing, and yet, it was dust-free and fresh. No doubt it killed her mom to enter every day and clean without making the bed or picking up her pajamas off the floor, but this was her way of believing Shae would return.
She grabbed some jeans and her UW sweatshirt then headed to the bathroom. Austin hadn’t moved a muscle, but did stick his tongue out at her like he had when they were kids. She reciprocated and they laughed as she crossed the hall into the bathroom. Goddess, she had missed her family.
She sat down on the edge of the tub and put her head in her hands. Her heart hadn’t yet settled and she felt the demon probing her brain. She checked her mental barriers and found them intact, not that it was keeping him out. No, he was at the back of her brain like a pounding headache and it was infuriating. She wanted to know how he was able to influence her and wished she could shut him out without Gerrick’s presence.