by T Stedman
There was a rap at the door.
Chapter 21
Her heart thumped in her ears.
“Who is it?”
“Jay.”
“Come in.” She could barely get the words out her heart was beating so wildly.
He stepped into the room and shut the door. His face looked hot and fierce.
He stalked towards her not saying a word.
“Jay?” she said, with a trace of fear.
In one fluid move, he stalked towards her and pulled her into the mother of all kisses. Fuck, it was a toe-curler. It only took her a millisecond to acclimatise to the turnaround of events and meld to him. God, she’d missed him.
The kiss became urgent and quickly he started to pull her shirt up over her head and she did the same. Then she undid his belt and pulled down his jeans, which he stepped out of.
“Shower,” he rasped, walking her backwards towards the waiting, running shower.
Their actions were frantic.
He pushed her under the shower, but she wanted to enjoy him. She’d starved of him long enough. She needed to feel him, smell him and at that moment, taste him.
She kissed down his neck, down his tattooed chest and down lower and lower until she was on her knees.
Her hands were everywhere – stroking him, scratching him, cupping him. She put her mouth over him and swallowed the length of him and he groaned aloud. He leant back on the tiled wall to steady himself. She grazed him with her teeth to drive him wild then covered them with her lips to slide faster over his silken skin. She took total control while he lost his hands in her hair. “Ah fuck, Tia,” he said, pulling her up – not wanting it to end too soon. He kissed her roughly and turned her quickly to face the wall to spread her legs with his foot like a cop. He could wait no longer and plunged into her deeply.
She cried out with the sensation of invasion and fullness as he began a pounding rhythm immediately. He spanned his fingers around her small waist to keep her braced against him. She revelled in the feel of his chest on her back as it tantalised her skin so sensitive to touch.
His hands roamed her back as he pounded into her and she knew he was feeling her markings. They were now in their full glory. She could tell by his caress that he totally got off on them. And the knowledge drove her to the brink.
He groaned her name and she felt him pulse inside her. Every spasm of muscle drove her further and until she sighed and came along with him. Milking every last sensation she worked herself, gyrating and ringing as much out of him as she could. He leant forward and bit her shoulder, trapped her and reached down to touch her bud gently and urged her in small circles. Feeling him encasing her in his body was like coming home. Emotion threatened to bubble up in her chest. She half sobbed as she cried out and came again, but he was merciless, continuing till she could stand it no longer and she grabbed his arms and they both collapsed and panted against the wall.
Eventually she turned around and saw that his eyes were still closed. Still catching her breath she said, “I didn’t ever think you would do that again.”
“I tried not to,” he said quietly, leaning his forehead down on hers.
She ran her thumb along his flushed cheekbones, “Don’t ever try not to again.”
“It’s pointless,” he said, and ran his tongue down her body.
***
A couple of hours passed until they were sated, exhausted and, in Jay’s case, cold. Tia tucked him into her bed under the duvet, turned up the air con for herself and lay on top of him naked. She couldn’t bear to be apart from him now that she had him.
Once he was warm his arms enveloped her while she lay on his chest with her legs between his and they fell into exhausted sleep.
Tia couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so well – not since with Dante anyway. But she refused to think of Dante. She simply convinced herself that, had duty not forced her into it, she never would have left Jay in the first place.
She slept so soundly that she even slept through her alarm to go and feed and muck out the horses. That was probably the reason Cash knocked on her door to see if she was okay when he’d finished doing them himself.
She was a little embarrassed when Cash knocked again later asking for Jay. “Jay, Alfonzo just rang for you and asked me to give you an urgent message.”
“What is it?” Jay answered in a croaky voice.
“The Honourable Guard is turning up today, in time for you to go back tomorrow.”
Tia looked at Jay’s face with disappointment as she realised he was going.
“What time are they coming?” he said, looking back at her as if he read her thoughts.
“Around noon.”
Jay looked at the clock. “In an hour,” he said to Tia. “Thanks Cash. We’ll get up.”
Tia didn’t say anything and went to slide off his body, resigning herself to the fact that their little interlude was over, and he was going back to England.
“Hey?” Jay said, and stopped her sliding away. “Talk to me?”
“I didn’t know you were going back so soon?”
“I have to go back some time,” he said, holding her chin while he ran a thumb over her lips.
“Everyone’s going to know we slept together,” she said, blushing.
“Fuck ‘em! The hints they’ve been dropping Tia, I should think they were amazed it took us so long.”
She laughed. He was always so restrained and intense, that any little bursts of his personality were rare and precious moments to her.
“Doesn’t anything bother you Jay? Don’t you ever get scared or angry or anything like that?”
He looked at her strangely, smiling, with his head at a really cute angle. “Everyone does Tia. I just choose not to dwell on that stuff.”
Before she could say any more, he got up with one fluid movement and pulled her with him. “Come on. I want you to scrub my back.”
And just like that he’d smoothed her melancholy away, or under the carpet.
***
A little later and they were fresh from their shower, eating breakfast and drinking coffee in Cash’s kitchen.
Sarah and Sean had gone into town to do some last minute shopping which left Cash and Jay to welcome the Honourable Guard.
Jay wasn’t sure how he felt about it. He’d never knowingly met any other Atlanteans other than the Dubonnetti’s and Cash and Sean, as he and Dante were only ever on the fringes of Atlantean society while they were growing up.
He imagined they were like secret service types; like bodyguards or something.
“They’re here.” Cash said. “You’d better come and meet them.”
Jay picked up Tia’s hand and led her into the large lounge. Cash threw open the front door and asked in two of the biggest men Jay had ever seen. Brick shit houses came to mind. They were easily six feet five, but built with it – all muscle and testosterone. They looked military in tight black t-shirts and black baggy pants, but nastier.
Jay, never one to be intimidated, made sure he looked them both in the eye as he shook their hands. He’d already worked out which was the one he would deal with, as the other avoided eye contact as much as possible and remained silent. But he wasn’t lured into assuming he was weak.
Cash showed them to seats and Tia got up to make some coffee. “No need, thank you,” the leader guy said. “I am Marius Santalini, and this is my brother Keenan.”
“Jay.” he said abruptly, looking at him directly, waiting.
The guy just smiled at him showing some of the biggest canines he’d ever seen.
Jay’s eyebrows rose in acknowledgement, but he said nothing. Fuck, Dracula on steroids.
“I understand you are Human?” Marius continued. “With no Atlantean blood?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“I am just trying to understand what a Human is doing with a royal Bonaci Siren?”
Tia’s sharp intake of breath was audible at the obvious dig at
Jay.
Cash shifted his weight uncomfortably, like everything was going downhill fast.
“Why don’t you stop posturing and get to the point. And while you’re at it you can explain what a royal is doing here sporting a fucking fat divining ring, in the presence of a royal Bonaci Siren?”
Cash put his head in his hands. Tia put her hand to her mouth. The quiet one actually paid attention and looked up and actually hissed through his canines at that. “You have nothing to fear from me. I have my own Siren.”
Tia gasped. “You have? Who? My real sister … what’s her name?” she said, in a rush.
“Tia!” Jay reprimanded.
The two men looked astonished at the way he spoke to her. The one called Keenan spoke directly to Tia. “I was brought up with my Siren. It was a special dispensation given to the Honourable Guard, as it is our job to ensure the secrecy and safety of all the Sirens. It was my family who placed you all in the Human world when you were babies.”
“Wow,” she said. “Can you tell me about my sister?” She looked at Jay asking his silent permission.
He didn’t like their interaction with her. He couldn’t put his finger on why but bit down the feeling. She looked back at Keenan.
“She is similar to you in height and build, but has dark hair and green eyes, but more Human looking than yours.”
Jay rolled his eyes.
The one called Marius was watching him closely.
“Can I meet her?”
“I am afraid not she has disappeared.”
Jay tuned back in at that point. “You are guarding her but lost your own?” he said, not believing his ears.
“Jay!” Tia scolded.
“No, it’s a fair question,” Keenan replied on a sigh. “It’s complicated.” And he explained briefly how they had both been brought up among Humans just as Tia had been; how they had been in a children’s home together until she was eighteen. Then how they arrived in America hoping to make a new life, where he was to be told who he was and accepted into the Guard. But before they could go to his family she disappeared from a nightclub where she was working and he hadn’t been able to find her since. That was a few months ago.
“Is she a DJ?” Tia asked. “I’m a DJ.”
Keenan smiled at her. “No. She is a club dancer. She loves music, and her options were limited coming from where we did.”
Jay had heard enough and wanted to get to the point. “So you are not interested in her in that way?” he said, nodding his head towards Tia.
“No I am not.” Keenan said, very definitely.
Marius, who had been quietly studying Jay, turned his attention to Tia. “You married the king?”
Jay saw Tia squirm at the question and began to feel annoyed. “She did,” he interrupted.
Marius looked back at him. “You were his best friend and brother in the Dubonnetti family?”
“I am.” Keep going arsehole, pressing my buttons.
Jay subconsciously clenched his fists and his jaw ticked under his skin. Tia started to look nervous.
“Now can we take it down a notch boys?” Cash said, trying to diffuse the atmosphere.
“Why don’t our guests just cut the crap and get on with saying what they want to say.” Jay said.
“Okay … if we’re going to put our lives on the line guarding her,” Marius said, while he pointed a finger at Tia, “We need to know why a Siren married a royal prince and then ran off with his best friend – a Human.”
“Who employed you, Dante or Alfonzo?” Jay asked, squinting his eyes.
“Alfonzo.”
“Then come on, cut the bullshit, you know what I am to Dante and to her.”
“Keenan, perhaps you could take Tia for a stroll and talk to her about her sister?” Marius said.
Keenan inclined his head. “I would love to.”
Tia smiled enthusiastically and looked at Jay for permission. He nodded.
“I’ll show you the horses,” she said.
As soon as they left Cash made himself scarce, and Marius got down to business. “Okay, now we can speak freely.”
Jay waited.
“Alfonzo wanted to know whether you and Tia had resumed your previous relationship?”
Jay let out a sigh and resigned himself to this inevitable line of questioning, “I think you already know that we are close.”
“What would you do if she made the decision to return to the king?”
“I would not stand in her way.”
“You have to know that a Siren with a strong prince is the preferred outcome?”
“As I have said to Dante himself, if she and he are happy together then I wouldn’t stand in their way. But, if she comes to me of her own free will, as her Protector, I wouldn’t turn her away because of any loyalty to my friend.”
His honesty seemed to satisfy Marius who mentally logged away what Jay had said. “Is there anything you wish to ask me?”
“Yes. Have you seen Dante recently?”
“I have.”
“How is he?”
“He is like Keenan. Living with something missing. He is a mess at the moment, but Alfonzo will tutor him and he will come good eventually. Alfonzo sees something in him. And he is the rightful king by first pledge from a Siren.”
Jay listened to what he said. It wasn’t a surprise to him. He could just imagine how Dante would have hit the bottle with a vengeance, except he hadn’t had him to do it with. He’d lost two people. Then again, when Tia went back to Dante, he would as well.
Marius smiled at him. “I must confess, when Alfonzo told me that Dante had adopted you in to his family and Alfonzo had done the same, I did wonder what kind of Human held so much sway on Atlantean noblemen that they would want to honour him to such an extent.” He nodded to himself. “I will send a message to Alfonzo and Dante that the Guard accepts the charge, Tia Storm, into their care.
Jay nodded, not sure what he should say.
***
Tia moved along the barn petting each horse in turn. Keenan followed her along the line. She still couldn’t believe the size of him. He was about a foot taller than her with biceps the size of her waist. “Are you all as big?” she said, glancing at him as she rubbed a velvety nose.
He blushed a little. “We grow into this size. We are regular size as children and adolescents.”
“How come?”
“They reckon that we were the first Atlanteans to leave the water and lived on a diet of blood to survive.”
Her eyes went wide as she felt her own teeth. “So your teeth … you’re vampires?”
He laughed. “Not anymore.”
He was a lovely looking bloke, she decided. How lucky her sister had been to grow up with her mate. Perhaps, if she and Dante … She squashed that thought. “Never?” she asked.
“Only at puberty and when we join with or marry our female.”
That sounded hot. “So that makes you big?”
“So it seems,” he said, flashing a lovely smile with fangs and all.
“Does she breathe water … my sister?”
“No, not that I know of. Did you?” he asked.
“Yes. I discovered it by accident. I was in care as well you know.”
“Yes. We know where all the Siren are … well, all except mine.” He lowered his eyes in shame.
“You’ll find her.” She said, touching his arm. “I can’t wait to meet her … Will you marry her as soon as she comes back?”
He nodded. “Yes, I hope so. But I’m not sure if she’ll have to pledge to the king first, or how it’s going to work.”
Her face clouded over. “I see.” The horrible memory of Dante and the other girls swarming around him like parasites in the tank at Dubonnetti’s invaded her.
“The Human has a death wish,” Keenan said, interrupting her thoughts.
She smiled. “Who Jay? I’ve never known anyone like him.”
“You love him?”
She nodded and moved along
to the next horse.
“Then you will have a rough ride in this world, being a Siren.”
“I’m beginning to realise that.”
“Still he’s got guts, I’ll give him that.”
“Dante told me they fought all the time.”
Keenan flashed another fanged smile. “Well, anyone who keeps Dante in line can’t be all bad.”
She laughed, deciding she liked Keenan. “Will you be staying from today?”
“Marius will let me know when we go back in – unless he’s chewed up your Protector,” he said, breaking into a laugh at the horror on Tia’s face.
Chapter 22
The two guards were introduced to Sean as part of the Santalini royal family, and stayed from that day. And he was introduced to them as yet another of Tia’s Protectors. But they understood why they had been assigned when it was explained that Sean was an expectant father, Cash had to work his ranch and Jay had the Bonaci Corporation to run. Besides, bodyguards had to be a part of life now as she was a queen, whether she was estranged from Dante or not.
The day loomed when Jay was to go back to England. He paced in Tia’s room on his phone, always talking business. Tia lay back on the pillows watching him with a towel around her after enjoying another session of lovemaking like it was going out of fashion.
Jay switched off his phone and turned and looked at her. Her markings were still vivid and her pupils still dilated. They made him feel like jumping her all over again. He fucking loved them. But the thought of her going back to Dante and the very words Marius had spoken that afternoon were still ringing in his ears. Of course she would go back, it was as inevitable as breathing.
He missed his best friend like a right arm, and longed for old times when they would laugh and get into scrapes together, but he knew those times had gone forever. Even if you took Tia out of the equation Dante was a king and needed to start acting like one and not someone in a rock band. He laughed out loud at that thought.
“What?” Tia said.
“What?” Jay repeated, absently. He shook his head and snapped himself out of his memories. “Nothing. Listen, do you want to come with me when I go back tomorrow?”
Her eyes lit up. “Really? Yes of course I do.” She jumped up and flung her arms around his neck. “I thought you’d never ask.”