by Lisa Daniels
The shifter smiled, then gave a low bow. “I am Braxton. The friend whose presence was neither expected nor welcome.”
“Not in the beginning, no, but considering what Bryce is doing these days, I have to admit that your presence here has been invaluable. You have done all of the things that he was meant to do.”
“Yes. The little brat.” A look passed over the handsome face that reminded me of a disapproving adult talking about a child.
Leland laughed, and I could feel the way his body shook in his mirth. Without realizing it, I was smiling a little. He responded to Braxton, “We all have our own approach. Most of us aren’t nearly as lucky as you were in your youth. The search is much harder for most of us, as you well know. If he has finally found success, I am not going to insist he continue to help me.”
The corners of Braxton’s lips moved up a little more, and I suspected this was his real smile. “I realize that. But he is also past the proper age. His lack of enthusiasm is about as disheartening as his lack of interest in taking it seriously.”
“I don’t think you are in a place to criticize anyone.”
“And I am not giving just my perception of it. I am stating what many of you have said in private but fail to bring up when it matters.”
“It is certainly not something I have said.”
“My apologies. I did not mean you; it was more of a general statement. Of course you would not say anything like that behind someone’s back. It is one of your charms.”
There was a hint of suspicion in his voice as Leland asked, “One of my charms?”
The smile was almost angelic, which was in stark contrast to the words that came out of his mouth, “How blunt, verging on cruel, you are when characterizing people to their faces.”
I started to giggle as Leland tensed up, “Which one of us is cruel?”
“Based on history, that would be you. It took a change in my circumstance to become the way I am. Then I learned how to cope from you.”
Leland seemed to be lost for words for a moment, and I could not keep from laughing. I buried my face in his chest. “Despite how you said that, the words were not complimentary. And why are you laughing?”
Braxton leaned over and placed a couple of parcels and a bottle inside the cell, then stood back up. “It is nice to meet you, Jada. I have heard a bit about you, thought I doubt he would want me to repeat it.”
There was a low growl from Leland. “You had best watch yourself, Braxton. I could just up and leave you here, then where would you be?”
A very sly smile flashed across the shifter’s face, “You said it yourself. I would still be here.” There was a sound from Leland that indicated his annoyance, but Braxton ignored it. Addressing me, he said, “From here, you look a bit like my mate.”
“Braxton,” there was definitely a hint of warning in Leland’s voice.
“Don’t worry. I’m not about to try to take her away. Based on what you told me, Jada and I would not work. Though she may have some resemblance to my Reagan, there is someone else who has a more compatible personality.”
I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, but there was silence for a little bit. Looking up at Leland’s face, I tried to decipher what that silence meant. Finally, he sat up. “Should I interpret that the way it sounds?”
“It is too early to say, but it would appear that… you may not have any reason to be concerned going forward. If you opt to leave sooner than later, you need not worry about any foolish actions on my part. Or not many foolish actions. Well, not fatal actions.” The way he kept that smile in place made me think that Braxton must have been older than Leland. He was certainly more composed and in control.
“You will have to forgive me, but I am not willing to take your word for it quite yet.”
“I did say that it was too early to say.”
“Yes, I picked up on that, and it is why I am opting to stay here for a while longer.”
Braxton sighed, but the smile on his face barely moved. “Just don’t put Jada in danger. We both know how much you would regret that.”
“I would regret something happening to you, so I will stay. It shouldn’t be too difficult to keep her protected. They will be too busy looking for her elsewhere. The odds of them looking for her down here are pretty much nonexistent.”
“Indeed. Pretty much.”
Leland let out a heavy sigh, “Braxton, it is good to see you are feeling better. But please, go back to whatever you were doing before you went to get us sustenance. Go be minimally foolish somewhere else.”
“Of course. Best of luck.” Without another word, he turned and left.
“He seems a little distant, but trustworthy.” It was my honest appraisal of Braxton.
I felt a soft kiss on my neck. “You have no idea. It should give you an idea of why I feel it is necessary to keep an eye on him. A bit like someone else I know.” His arms wrapped around me.
I leaned over a little as if to see Braxton as he disappeared from view. “If you are comparing me to him, I don’t think I would mind that. Being that calm, composed, and collected would be fantastic.”
“You would think that. But it certainly makes it more difficult to know when to help and when to let things run their course.”
“Isn’t it best to let people make their own decisions?”
“I don’t think that anyone can be trusted all of the time. We all need support and help at some point, and I’ve only met two people who were capable of recognizing when they needed help. It is far harder to be there as support when someone continues to claim they are fine until they fall apart.”
“I’m not one of those people, am I?” The sarcasm was heavy in my voice. He was clearly taking a shot at me.
He gave me a squeeze then moved closer to the food that Braxton had left. Bringing it close, he offered a little to me. “It is best for you to eat a little now that you are awake. As he mentioned, you should not be trying to drink much in the way of wine. Not yet.”
“How long do you think you will need to wait before we leave?”
“Are you concerned that you may be in danger here?”
I was about to deny that, but realized that would not be the right thing to do. “A little. The prince will be arriving soon. Or maybe he is already here. I know my father well enough to know that he is going to tear this place up trying to find me, and I would rather not still be here when he thinks to check the cells.”
“Don’t worry. I promised to protect you, and now that I know I can’t trust you to tell me what is happening, I won’t allow you to be left alone. Any one of us would be more than enough to take on whatever your father throws at us. He is never going to get you back now.”
“So what will you do with me? Are you taking me back to your home? Leaving me in the woods?” I began to nibble at a small roll he had given me.
“It’s entirely your choice. I would certainly prefer to take you back, and I would love to take you to my home specifically. But I won’t force that. Since you don’t have anywhere safe, you could stay in our city for as long as you like, then leave when you felt it was safe.”
“So what do you want in return?”
“Just to know that you are happy and safe.”
“That sounds a little too perfect.”
“Much like you don’t expect any kind of repayment for trying to save the lives of the women, I don’t have any need of repayment.”
I nodded, my mouth beginning to feel a little dry from the bread. Almost as if he could read my mind, he offered me the bottle with the warning, “Just a small sip. You are in no shape to have much to drink.”
When I felt like I could speak, I asked, “So you really don’t want anything for yourself?”
“I never said that.”
“Then what do you want for helping me escape?”
He simply smiled at me and changed the subject.
Over the next couple of days, we talked and laughed as he waited for me to recover enou
gh strength to leave. Only once did he leave me, and during that time, he had Braxton stay to watch over me.
Braxton sat with his back against the bars, the enigmatical smile on his face. It didn’t take me long to realize that he wasn’t going to talk and would be just as happy to stay silent if I did not strike up a conversation.
“So,” I folded my arms across my chest, “you were told not to come, but you came anyway. Why?”
There was an amused expression that passed over his face before he finally settled into that same smile. “You don’t waste any time getting to the point. I can see what he likes about you.”
I mentally bookmarked what he said, but focused on my question. After all, I had initiated the conversation—I wasn’t about to let him hijack it. “Are you avoiding answering the question?”
“Not at all. Just stating the truth so that you are a little more aware of yourself.”
I raised an eyebrow, “I believe that I know myself quite well.”
He leaned forward a little, and for a brief moment I felt like a small animal being stalked by a cat. “Yet you tried to leave your prison on your own. Too weak to even make it out of the passages. Either you don’t know yourself well or you are very much like me.”
I blinked a couple of times. “What is that supposed to mean? That I was looking for death?”
The toothy grin would have been terrifying if Braxton had not been so handsome. Leaning back, he put a hand in front of his mouth, “I figured he had told you that.”
“You could have just come out and asked me what I know about your situation.”
“I could have.”
“So why didn’t you?”
“Because I am not like you or Leland.”
“But you already proved you are blunt and open with your opinions. Why pretend that you aren’t?”
“If you want a question answered, the best way to do it is by asking something related and seeing how someone approaches the answer.”
“That sounds like horse shit to me.”
The smile widened a little, but Braxton did not comment on whatever it was that inspired the emotional reaction. “Alright. If I were to have asked what he told you about me, what would you have said?”
“That he is afraid that you will do something stupid.”
“And what else?”
“Well, that was it in a nutshell.”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly what?”
“That isn’t what he told you, it is just your interpretation. What he actually told you was that I was looking for death, as you mentioned.”
“Did I?” My mind went back over the conversation, but I was already beginning to feel lost. “Oh, I suppose I did.”
He gave me a small nod, “It is easier to find out what was said by proxy than through a blunt approach.”
“Did you do that to make me forget my question? If so, it worked.”
Braxton laughed, and I could not help but notice how his muscles moved under his clothing. Had I not met Leland, I knew I would be absolutely smitten by the shifter in front of me. “Not at all. I came to find a meaningful death, just as he said. That was my expectation based on my mate’s last premonition. I came fully aware that he would need me and that it would end my life as I knew it. But as it often happens with premonitions, they are never as straightforward as you think.”
I scratched my cheek, trying to follow his words. “So you came here certain that you were needed, and equally certain that you would die. Then something changed.”
“Correct.” His eyes watched me, and I started to notice just how different they were from anyone else’s. There was something behind them that was beautiful and sad.
“Why would your mate tell you that, knowing that you were looking for death?”
His smile flickered and Braxton looked away. “She could not stop me.”
“Because you are too stubborn?”
“Because she is dead.” His eyes looked back toward me, but I knew he wasn’t seeing me.
“I’m—I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”
“I know. It’s alright.” He flashed a pained smile. “Even if you knew exactly what that meant, there’s nothing that can be done about the dead.”
Pursing my lips, I felt myself getting a bit annoyed at Braxton. “I hadn’t meant to bring up a painful subject. There’s no need to pretend I don’t understand how deep a loss it was.”
“But you don’t. You really don’t understand. Humans and shifters share very little in common, particularly when it comes to our mates. Unlike your kind, once we take a mate, that is pretty much it for us. This is why we take it so seriously instead of running out to get married on a whim. Or as a way to escape.” He gave me a meaningful look. I scowled and hugged myself a little—he knew what I had done. “It is a life-long commitment. And the woman has the upper hand.”
I scowled at him. “Horse shit.”
“Is that your favorite phrase? Or do you just lack a more civilized vocabulary?”
“Why would the woman have the upper hand? What, are female shifters more powerful?”
“No. They are weaker. And they cannot bear children. It is why most shifters mate with human women.”
“Whenever shifters come to the city, women disappear.”
“Yes.”
“So you drag her back to your home for the rest of her life?” I tried to act like this was horrific, but I knew that it really wasn’t too much different than how many women lived in the city and around the country.
“No. We offer ourselves to them and let them choose their path forward. If a woman accepts us, we treasure whatever they have to give. We do not force ourselves on women. We aren’t barbarians.”
I knew exactly what he was not so subtly hinting at. Narrowing my eyes, I looked at him. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because he won’t.”
“Who won’t?”
For the first time, the smile slid from Braxton’s face and he gave me an incredulous look. I could have sworn he rolled his eyes as he said, “The king.”
“My gods, but you don’t have to be so sarcastic. You meant Leland. Right?”
The way he looked at me made it clear.
I held up my hands, “Sorry, this is just a lot to take in. And I still have no idea why you are telling me this. What does any of this have to do with me?”
“Surely you aren’t that thick. He couldn’t have found someone with a skull as thick as his. We are all doomed if he did.”
“But… he said that I could choose what happens to me. That I can go about my merry way once we are out of the country. That I can stay with you guys in your home.”
Again the smile left his face, and Braxton gave me a look that conveyed annoyance more clearly than anything I had ever seen. “Our home? No. We don’t have a home. He was offering to let you go your own way, live with the shifter, or to live with him. Were you really not aware of that?”
“How could I have known that was what he had in mind? He never said it like that.”
“Yeah, I kind of figured. And now your question is answered.” He stood up in one flawless motion.
“Wait! What question?”
“Yes, Braxton, what question?” Leland appeared in the passageway.
“The one that she asked you that you refused to answer.”
At the same time, I asked, “Have you been eavesdropping?” and Leland said, “You have gone too far.”
Braxton gave a low bow, the smile on his face almost infuriating. “You are very welcome. Now maybe you will talk it out so that you can leave and fulfill your purpose here.”
Leland stepped forward, his voice a menacing growl. “I’m not satisfied—”
“Of course not. She isn’t fully recovered yet, but I feel certain that a prison cell isn’t the right place for that anyway. I mean, the stones alone are uncomfortable.”
I felt my cheeks flush as Leland stepped toward Braxton. For a moment I was afraid that he
was going to punch his friend, and judging by their sizes, I was certain that Leland would do him serious harm. Braxton was lithe, but Leland was large and toned.
Leland spoke, “You are not meant to interfere with the search for a mate.”
“If someone didn’t, she wouldn’t be smart enough to figure out from your vague words what it was you were offering.”
“So help me, Braxton, I am just about to—”
“Go ahead. We both know how it will end.”
Leland swung at him, but Braxton easily dodged. Leland growled at him, “Stop dodging and fight.”
“Stop trying to fight and use your brain.”
Leland swung again with the same results.
Braxton flicked a small piece of debris from his collar. “Honestly, you two are exhausting. Leland, she is just waiting for you to make the offer. Even Bryce could tell by the smell of her.”
The look on Leland’s face was one of confusion. Torn between fighting and shock, he managed to splutter, “What does Bryce have to do with this?”
Braxton sighed, no trace of a smile on his handsome face. “If you were to take her down to see Bryce, she wouldn’t even consider him an option. The pheromones she releases when you are near should be more than enough to know her answer. Or have you lost your sense of smell being locked up for so long?”
“So help me, Braxton, but—”
“That is exactly what I am doing, you fool. Helping you. You came here to find a mate, then Bryce ditched you when a pretty face appeared. Then you realized I was here, and you decided to focus on me instead of your purpose.”
“Well, you have given me every reason to be concerned for you.”
“Not anymore. And if I’m being honest, having both of you here is hindering me.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I’ve already alluded to it.”
Leland shook his head, “I may want to punch you in the face, but I don’t want to see you dead.”
“Good gods, but—” Braxton was exasperated, and from my place I thought he had a point because I was beginning to understand what he was doing. “Leland, I swear to you, I am no longer looking to die. I am looking to get as many shifters as I can out of here so that I can focus on myself.”
