She’d studied Nightmare from the moment they’d come back. Expecting some kind of denial or negative reaction, but instead, she’d seen pure fortitude. There never was any fear or shock.
Just that pure determination.
Nightmare had a new goal now.
She just hoped it wouldn’t ruin them all.
Cyborgs and humans started to enter the gathering room.
No one said anything, but they all looked at her and Nightmare.
What they thought, she couldn’t tell, but some seemed to be expecting the worst.
Jade didn’t blame them.
“What happened yesterday?” Blaze was the first to speak, once everyone was seated. Attention in the room was rapt.
Jade gave Nightmare a quick look, looking for some support, and the smile she got filled her with strength.
She took a step forward, displaying the hard drive in her hand. “This is the answer to all our questions.”
Murmurs went through the room and over twenty pairs of wide eyes stared at her.
“I managed to access the private server and withdraw the information. I only got a quick glance at it before I had to leave, but what I saw … it was—” Jade clenched her jaw.
The disappointment still sang in her heart. She’d always been proud of MedAct, loved working and being a part of the company. It’d been a dream, but that dream was now shattered. Her gaze landed on Celise. “I understand now, and I’m sorry for ever mistrusting you.”
Her colleague gave a sharp nod and smiled.
“MedAct is hiding more than I ever imagined. The council always told me there was nothing of interest on the private server, and I trusted them,” Jade went on. “I don’t know what they’re hiding but what I do know is Carolyn had other plans for the cyborgs than becoming a woman’s true love.”
“What do you mean?” Silver asked, his expression was harsh, but his hold on his bound one was gentle.
Faye held him just as tightly.
“We need to study the information on the hard drive.”
“I can’t believe it,” someone said from the back.
Many shook their heads and just as many eyes were filled with disbelief.
“There’s something else,” Nightmare said and stood next to Jade, taking her hand in his.
She tensed. Knew what he was about to say, and he had to be the one to say it.
“Carolyn’s alive.” His voice was loud and clear.
It was as if death itself had suddenly walked into the room. All the color drained from everyone’s faces.
The air grew thick, so thick it was difficult to breathe. Many jaws hung low, and no one said anything. No one seemed able to.
They were waiting for more.
“I managed to sneak into MedAct in my attempt to find Jade,” Nightmare continued with no emotions on his face. “But before I got anywhere, I was surrounded by cyborg soldiers and Carolyn. I recognized her, but her appearance was different. It was definitely her … and she was young.”
Silver flew up. “Is this a joke?”
Faye, who sat next to him, had her hands over her mouth. Her wide eyes were filled with tears and shock.
The leader shook his head and took a deep breath. A pinch of sadness reflected in his shining eyes. His hands trembled, but he seemed to recover fast.
Deep down, Jade hoped he’d allow himself to feel, to let go.
He needed to process the situation, but chose instead to suck it up. This inkling of emotion was proof enough he wasn’t as strong on the inside as she’d first thought.
“It’s no joke,” she said because Nightmare seemed unable to say anything else. He was trying to keep it together. “And not only that, she’s been hiding in plain sight as Janice Walker, Soul’s bound one.”
Celise flew up from her chair. “What!”
Jade’s heart clenched. Poor Soul. She barely dared to imagine what he’d gone through. What if Carolyn had treated him the same way she’d treated Nightmare? Only, he’d never told anyone anything.
Tears gathered in Celise’s eyes. She opened her mouth but was unable to speak.
“Janice … Carolyn … said she died but was brought back. She refused to answer why she looked so young.” She gazed at the precious hard drive in her hand before looking at the Fighters again.
Their expressions were still the same, if not more intense. Everyone wanted answers.
Everyone wanted to know what the hell was going on.
This was beyond what everyone had ever imagined.
“I have no answers now, but believe me, we’ll do everything in our power to find out what’s going on.” A tear ran down Jade’s cheek and she quickly wiped it away. “From this day on, I am no longer the CEO of MedAct. Carolyn will make sure of that. All I’m asking of you is to trust me.” She raised her hand with the device. “This hard drive is yours now.” She handed it to her cyborg.
They exchanged a quick look.
Nightmare gave her a gentle and comforting smile.
For a long moment, no one moved.
Her hope sank. Was this still not enough to convince them she wasn’t the bad guy?
Would they never give her a chance?
Phoenix stood and approached. “I must say I had my doubts. I wasn’t completely sure if releasing you was the right thing to do, but now I know it was. You have my trust. With you among us, I’m sure we’ll be able to achieve everything we ever hoped for.”
A small part of her rejoiced. “Thank you.”
All around the room, one smile after another appeared. The Fighters nodded, giving their approval, and Jade smiled back, meeting each one of their gazes.
It felt good.
Her relationship with them would turn out all right after all.
Phoenix turned to Nightmare. “What about Soul? He’s going to need our help. We need to find him.”
Her shoulders tightened again. “He isn’t here, is he?”
Silver approached. “Soul went into hiding. He chose not to stay with us, because of the tracking device that’s implanted within him.”
That didn’t sound good.
“We need to find him. He needs to know what’s going on. I’ve no idea if he even knows his bound one is Carolyn.” A shiver went through her. Saying it out loud made it somehow more real.
Nightmare squeezed her hand. “He’ll contact us when the time comes.”
CHAPTER 31
Jade sat on the edge of the bed and watched her cyborg undress. She smirked when she saw his eagerness and desire, but when his shirt dropped to the floor and the dark bruises on his chest filled her sight, her smile faded.
Nightmare knelt in front of her. “Why the sudden sad face?”
She took a deep breath. “Everything rushed back to me.” Even if she hadn’t witnessed the abuse, she kept seeing it in front of her, how the cyborg soldiers beat Nightmare on Carolyn’s order.
They’d spent hours in the gathering room together with the Fighters, and the others, explaining everything. What’d surprised people the most, besides Carolyn being alive, was that the evil woman still thought Nightmare was bound to her. Yet, she’d tortured him. That said a lot about what a cold bitch she was.
He gently caressed her cheek. “Don’t let it set. Despite everything that’s happened, we’re both safe.”
Jade snorted. “I’m still angry at you for following me.”
“And I’m angry at you for leaving.” He didn’t look the slightest bit upset though, just amused.
“There was no other way.”
“I know.” Nightmare grabbed her shirt and took it off. “Now, let's talk about more important things, like when we’re getting married, and how many children we’re going to have,” he said as he lay her down on the bed and hovered over her.
She gaped. “Are you serious?”
He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “I’ve never been more serious. Despite the situation we’re in, I’ve never been this happy in my whole life. I’m not alo
ne anymore, the bond doesn’t rule me, and my feelings for you are true; they are my own. You’ve no idea how good that feels.” Her cyborg kissed her other cheek, and his fingertips slid down her arms, awakening goosebumps on her skin. “I want to spend every day of my life by your side. For so many years, I was afraid to belong to a woman again, but not anymore.” His lips grazed her throat. “You have my heart … forever.”
Jade trembled. His gentle touches and kisses ignited her from the inside out, making her long for more.
She’d never dared to think about marriage and children. It’d never even crossed her mind, but now, it was almost thrilling. “This isn’t a good time to have children.”
He met her gaze. “True, but the fight with MedAct won’t go on forever.”
Jade swallowed; her blood pressure rose. “I’m not that young anymore either.”
“You’re in your late thirties. You still have some time.” He leaned closer to her ear and whispered. “I know you want this. Say yes.”
She gulped. “Marriage? Children?”
“Is it that bad? The marriage-part we can do right away.”
She stared at the ceiling, as he kept teasing her with his lips.
His hands trailed down her body, slowly undressing her.
Jade hadn’t seen this coming. She’d never seen him like the type who would want to marry and start a family. “Have you thought much about it?”
“I just started.” He dropped her pants on the floor. “We have a long and difficult road ahead of us. Not just you and me, but every Fighter. Celise, Faye, and Wind, as well. Despite all the difficulties it’ll bring, I intend to be happy with you in the middle of it all.” A small grin decorated his luscious mouth. “So, Jade, will you marry me?” His shining gaze was filled with hope and anticipation.
She could finally have everything she’d ever dreamt of; everything she’d denied herself.
Nightmare was hers, and she was his.
They belonged together.
Not because of the bond, but because of love, true love.
She’d do anything for him, and he’d do anything for her. It was obvious in his love-filled expression.
They were a perfect match.
Jade smiled and caressed his cheek. Her feelings for him filled her heart. “Yes.”
A gentle flash sparked in Nightmare’s eyes. “Tomorrow. I will not wait a day longer.”
“And where are you going to find a priest by tomorrow?”
He smirked. “I’ll ask Blue.”
Jade blinked. “He used to be a priest?”
Nightmare nodded. “It wasn’t put into his programming, but he became interested in the profession and decided to go for it. Unfortunately, Blue didn’t get the chance to work as one. He’d just finished his education when his bound one died.”
“I guess we can’t let his skills go to waste then.”
He grinned. “No, we can’t.”
Jade grinned back and caressed his cheek again. “Tomorrow it is.”
THANK YOU
Thank you for buying and reading my book! If you have the time, I would appreciate it if you could leave a review. That would me a lot to me!
The fifth book in the series, Shattered Cyborg, Soul’s and Olive’s story, is coming soon!
In the mean time, would you be interested in finding out if The Winter Lord is a man worthy enough to sacrifice your life for? If yes, check out book 1, Winter’s Bride - The Elders of the Seasons series.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nellie C. Lind lives in Sweden with her son, but she was born in Poland. Writing has always been one of her greatest interests. Today, she runs the publishing house, Sense of Romance.
She writes passionate paranormal romance, fantasy, and science fiction books for adult readers. You’ll find all sorts of beings in her stories, such as angels, vampires, gods, and elves.
You’ll also find everything from short stories to novels among her books. Keep an eye open for upcoming releases!
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