Elijah

by Jacquelyn Frank

  She tried to understand that having never known love before, Jacob had also never known jealousy. He had no experience with it and needed to learn just as anyone else would. But with his possessiveness fueled by a nature imbued with the temperaments and skills of all the animals of the earth, it would probably be quite some time before he came to grips with the volatile emotion. In the meantime, it was driving her up the bloody wall.

  Since it had been a millennium since the last Druids had lived amongst the Demons, there was no one other than the long-lived Gideon who knew anything about them. Even he had been a fledgling at the time, a youth with only minimum knowledge about the Druids his people had been intent on destroying in the war at the time. A great deal of history had been rewritten since then. The truth was buried deep in the Demon library, and they had not yet begun to unravel the history of the Druids to be found there.

  Along with the eradication of the Druids had come the reduction in instances of Imprinting. Demons Imprinting on one another, as Legna and Gideon had just done, was a one-in-a-million occurrence. It was now believed that all along, Destiny had intended the Demons would find their purest mates in the Druids, the very creatures they had systematically destroyed a millennium ago. It was written in a prophecy that had been lost to them for a thousand years.

  No Druids, no Imprintings.

  So, there was no standard in the current Demon generation for the behaviors and emotions a Demon would have to contend with during Imprinting. That meant, unfortunately, that they were walking around blindly, finding the answers as they went. Bella tried very hard to understand that. Jacob was a strong man, for all his sensitivity when it came to her well-being. He would learn to cope with it just as she would. She had no doubts that he would accept her help and eventually overcome. She should not have lost patience so easily.

  Isabella heard the door open behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see a red head peeking into the room. Bella put a finger to her lips and gestured for the visitor to enter.

  Corrine, Bella’s sister and, amusingly enough, also her sister-in-law, entered the room and silently pulled up a chair beside her. She leaned forward so that they were almost touching foreheads, just as they had done all through their childhood when sharing secrets.

  “I knew you’d be here,” Corr said, picking out a single coil of her long red hair so she could nibble on it in an old nervous habit. “Jacob is going to throttle you.”

  “You worry about your husband, I’ll worry about mine,” Bella responded, her voice extremely hushed but clearly amused. Her violet eyes danced with irreverence. “Besides, my day is not complete without the daily Jacob lecture. I do hope his brother has better tolerance.”

  “Well, Kane was born over five hundred years after Jacob and wasn’t brought up in the Stone Age.” Corrine laughed softly. “So my husband tends to be a little more forward thinking than his brother.”

  Isabella grinned and impulsively reached out to grasp her sister’s hand warmly. They had always been close, but after coming so near to losing Corrine a year ago, she had forged an even more powerful bond with her sister.

  As mentioned earlier upon Corrine’s arrival at the castle, Corrine had transformed from a regular human to a Druid/human hybrid just as her sister had after a brief encounter with her destined Demon mate, Kane. It was contact with a specific genetically appropriate Demon that triggered the birth of power in a Druid. Even a hybrid Druid. However, no one had even known hybrids existed until Isabella began to enter the process shortly after being exposed to Jacob. But Druids needed constant exposure to the triggering Demon from that first moment on, or they would become ill and “starve” to death.

  Corrine had been deep into the starvation before they had realized what had happened. It had taken months of exposure to Kane for her to recover. Much in the way the victum of a serious accident had to go through extensive physical therapy, Corrine had been forced to develop far more gradually than the norm, recovering her power slowly over the past year.

  This brush with death had been the glue that had reforged their already tight sisterly bond. Plus, they had often turned to each other as both had adapted to the lifestyle of a Nightwalker race as complex in culture as the Demons. They had also helped each other discover new ways to control and use their budding abilities.

  “Does Kane know you are here?”

  “No.” Corrine gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Looks like both of our big, strong men are sleeping. One of the blessings of being half human is that we aren’t driven to sleep in daylight as strongly as they are. What an awful feeling that must be, to be so lethargic that you have to sleep whether you want to or not.”

  “The same thing happens to humans. It’s just not limited to daylight hours and we can sometimes push off the inevitable. I hear Gideon is at a point where he can remain awake all day without even a yawn.”

  “He is extremely powerful,” Corr agreed, her awe clear in her voice. “So are you trying to get a premonition, or just playing nursemaid?”

  “A little of both.” Bella turned her head to frown at Elijah’s sleeping form. “I have never seen him so weak. We can’t get him to tell us anything. Gideon told Jacob that the wounds were not fresh, that the wound in his chest had obviously been healing for a couple of days before reopening. It looked as though it had been bandaged and that, when Elijah had transformed, he had left the bandage behind without taking it into account, reopening the injury.”

  “He’s lucky he made it here alive. But that’s a mistake I wouldn’t expect an Elder Demon to make,” Corrine remarked.

  “I was thinking the same thing,” Bella agreed, once more putting her head together with Corrine’s. “Something happened to him.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s obvious. I don’t need a premonition to tell me someone kicked the shit out of him.”

  “No,” Bella chided quietly. “I mean something else. Something that made him…act rashly. Make mistakes. And I have no idea what it was. I just keep seeing this image of cat’s eyes. It’s the only thing I get when I try to focus on this.”

  “I wish I could help, but my powers are limited to seeking Druids out. Maybe I could find his mate for him, but that’s about it,” her sister chuckled.

  “Lord, don’t say that out loud or you’ll really send him into a coma. Elijah has been hiding from you ever since we figured out what your powers were.”

  “And Noah,” Corrine added, making Bella giggle. “I swear, I have heard of gun-shy single men in my time, but these two take the cake. Then again, since I found the Druids Miranda, for Councillor Simon, and Yuri, for Yoshabel the medic, I have had only two other Demons seek me out for a search. Two out of thousands who know about my abilities by now.”

  “Some remember their history lessons about the Druidic Wars too well. It will take time, but they will come around.” Bella rubbed her hands together as if they were chilled. “I wish I could control when these premonitions come. Right now it’s like playing Russian roulette with a half-loaded gun. I’ve been here for half an hour clicking on empty.”

  “When you want them, they are nowhere to be found. When you don’t, they are all over you. Reminds me of dating,” Corrine quipped, making them both laugh.

  “Well, something better happen soon. Jacob will wake shortly, and if I am here there will be hell to pay.”

  “Bell?”

  Bella and Corrine both gasped softly and turned to look at the man lying in the bed. They both flushed, realizing they had pretty much forgotten he was there.

  But Bella got over it instantly and moved to sit on the edge of Elijah’s bed, taking up his hand eagerly as she leaned over him.

  “Hey you, what the hell are you doing scaring the crap out of everyone like that?” she demanded.

  “Good to see you too,” Elijah said dryly, glancing up to see his second guest. “Whoa, two gorgeous women. I’ve had this fantasy before.”

  “Ha! And probably not just in your imagination, if I kn
ow you,” Bella teased, making the warrior smile in that roguish, cocky way of his that eased both women’s worried hearts. Bella reached out to push back an errant blond curl once more, noting he was still pale in spite of a second blood transfusion. “How are you feeling?”

  “Depends. Did you stop the jetliner that ran me over, or let it keep going?”

  “Are you kidding? Who would want to upset three hundred underpaid, underappreciated business men on the way to a long, boring conference?”

  Elijah laughed, reaching to take her hand from his hair. He briefly kissed her fingers, his fondness and gratitude clearly reflected in his emerald eyes.

  “Thank you, by the way.”

  “Humph. I was just worried my daughter would be out a perfectly good Siddah if I didn’t save your sorry ass.”

  “Then you haven’t had the naming ceremony without me?”

  “Elijah,” Bella scolded. “Really! What do you take me for? We would never do such a thing. Not while you were missing.” She reached with her free hand to push back his hair again, but he took that one in hand as well.

  “Stop touching me,” he said. “The last thing I need is your insanely jealous husband pounding the stuffing out of me.”

  Elijah pushed her hands into her lap.

  Bella fisted her hands and stuck them onto her hips in a familiar gesture of exasperation.

  “You know, I used to be a nurturing, affectionate person. My unreasonable, domineering husband has to learn to get a grip, Elijah. When are you all going to learn I will do what I want, when I want, and you all can bite me if you don’t like it!”

  “I believe biting would also be an unwise action considering your husband’s unreasonable, domineering, and jealous behavior.”

  “Oops,” Corrine whispered from behind her sister as all three of them turned to look at the husband in question.

  Jacob was leaning in the doorjamb, arms folded over his chest, his dark, serious eyes lit with enough amusement to make Bella sigh in relief.

  “Now, since when can you sneak up on me like that?” she demanded, getting up and hopping over to him so she could jump up into his embrace.

  Thank you for not being a beast, she murmured into his mind.

  Thank you for forgiving me for being such an idiot, he returned softly.

  Jacob cuddled his little wife, scooping her up and burying his face in her silky hair and laughing. His dark eyes flicked up to look over her shoulder at Elijah, speaking volumes about how relieved he was to see his old friend awake.

  Jacob released his wife and moved to Elijah’s bedside, pulling up her abandoned chair to sit in and crossing an ankle over his knee once he was settled. Bella stood behind him, resting loose arms around his shoulders.

  “Hello, old friend,” Jacob greeted. “It’s good to see you awake and alert.”

  “You have no idea,” Elijah sighed, moving to sit up. He rested a hand briefly on his chest, noting the fresh pink skin that had replaced the wound.

  “Are you able to tell us what happened to you?” Jacob asked.

  Elijah nodded, his momentary hesitation going unnoticed by the trio of guests.

  “I was ambushed by Ruth and Mary and about thirty necromancers and hunters. Talk about ‘Hell hath no fury…’” Despite the joke, Elijah’s eyes were far too serious for his nature. “They nearly killed me.”

  “Jacob, ladies…”

  They all turned their attention back to the door at the summons just in time to see Gideon stepping over the threshold.

  “I do not believe I gave leave for visitors,” he remarked.

  One thing they all knew not to do was gainsay Gideon about the well-being of a patient. They all stood up and immediately took their leave of Elijah. Jacob clasped his friend’s hand briefly, and both women leaned to kiss him and tell him how happy they were he was back. They hustled out of the room past Gideon, Jacob shutting the door behind himself.

  Gideon remained leaning against the wall opposite Elijah’s bed, his silvery head bent slightly as he watched the warrior move to sit up. Elijah was not an idiot. He knew the Ancient Demon was on to something. But he wasn’t going to help him out in any fashion. He would let Gideon put down his cards first.

  And Gideon was nothing if not direct.

  “You were tended for at least two days,” Gideon said. “Why did you go into a metamorphosis, risking your life just to get here? You should have stayed where you were until you were much stronger.”

  “I couldn’t,” Elijah looked away from the medic just long enough to catch Gideon’s sharp attention. It helped confirm something he had already begun to guess at.

  Elijah’s hand curled into a fist as he felt the Ancient’s gaze resting on him with calm patience. Still coming awake after such a long sleep, Elijah might not have been aware of many details about the past few days, but he sure as hell remembered his encounter with Siena. And he realized he carried evidence of that even to this moment in spite of his efforts to conceal it.

  “I realize it is not my business, but I am aware of the change in your scent and will not pretend otherwise,” Gideon mentioned quietly. “I am also familiar with that scent. As much as I am familiar with the makeup of Lycanthrope blood when I see it in a body it does not belong in.”

  “Has anyone else…?”

  “If they took note, they did not mention it. It is possible they overlooked it, but I would not bet large sums of money on it.” Gideon paused long enough to brush a thoughtful hand at some invisible piece of lint on his trouser leg. “The female’s scent is Siena’s, is it not?”

  “Don’t play games with me, medic,” Elijah said bitterly. “You know exactly who it is and don’t need to ask me useless questions.”

  “I do,” Gideon admitted. “As improbable as it seems.”

  “Believe me, I am as shocked as you are,” Elijah admitted with a sigh. “It gets worse, Gideon.” Elijah laughed humorlessly. “The beautiful Lycanthrope Queen wants nothing further to do with me. So if you planned on setting the Enforcers on me for breaking the law or giving me some sort of purity lecture, I might take that fact into consideration if I were you.”

  The silver-haired Ancient did not respond immediately, instead studying the warrior’s expression and noting the strain around his attempts to brush off how much he was affected by the situation he found himself in.

  “Siena may not have much choice in the matter, Elijah,” he informed him quietly.

  “I am sorry?” Elijah wasn’t sure he’d heard that correctly. He sat forward slightly, meeting the medic’s unwavering gaze. “Explain that.”

  “There are very distinct rules governing Siena’s fate.”

  “Yeah. I know. One mate only. A rule she feels doesn’t apply to a lowly Demon male such as myself.” Elijah’s sarcasm was sharp, but not directed anywhere other than his own bruised ego.

  “I do not believe that is her decision to make. Destiny—”

  Elijah’s sharp laugh cut the Ancient off.

  The warrior moved out of bed, shedding the bedding and reaching into the closet for pants and a shirt. At least these would fit him because they were his, left behind for the frequent times he was a guest in Noah’s house and in this room. He was shrugging into a white moiré satin shirt when he finally turned back to Gideon.

  “Don’t talk to me about Destiny, Gideon. If you ask me, it sucks pretty royally at the moment.” Elijah jammed the tails of the shirt into his trousers.

  “You truly do not know what has happened?” Gideon asked, looking puzzled.

  The remark gave Elijah pause. He halted in the middle of buttoning a shirt cuff to look at the other man.

  “Do you think you could do me the favor of keeping the cryptic statements to a minimum?” Elijah asked, ignoring the sudden, anticipatory thrum of his heart.

  “Elijah, you have to be the first Demon male I have encountered who does not recognize the effects of an Imprinting for what they are.”

  Now that definitely got the Wa
rrior Captain’s attention.

  “Imprinting? Are you out of your silver head?” Again, that embittered laugh. “Between a Demon and a Lycanthrope?”

  “As improbable as an Imprinting between a Druid and a Demon was a year ago,” Gideon mused, “but here we are nonetheless.”

  Elijah forced himself to fight back the surge of excitement and hope that inexplicably rushed through him.

  “Explain why you think…just explain,” he demanded.

  “You mean other than telling you that I can see it plain as day in your body chemistry? That had Jacob sat there a few minutes more, he would have noticed you carry the scent of a woman all over you despite your attempts to cleanse yourself of it? Or perhaps I might mention the fact that your hair has changed color.”

  Elijah’s eyes widened and he turned back to the closet to look into the mirror hanging on the door.

  Sure enough, his hair had changed to a uniformly gold color, identical to that of the Lycanthrope woman he had recently made love to. It shocked him that no one had noticed outside of Gideon. It shocked him, period.

  “Your hair was wet when they first saw you. And frankly, they were far more concerned with your health than the color of your hair,” Gideon informed him.

  “Damn,” Elijah whispered, running fingers through the waved strands of gold. Bella had even touched it and hadn’t noticed. “But I thought Imprinting changed a woman’s eyes. Siena’s eyes are as gold as ever, I assure you.”

  “The Imprinting is marked by three very distinct traits, Elijah. The first is an uncontrollable desire between the male and the female. One that cannot be resisted for long, and absolutely not at all on the Hallowed moons of Beltane and Samhain, sometimes even the Solstices.” The Demon raised a silvery brow. “I believe it is safe to say you and Siena have met that criterion?”