Chapter Forty-six
After a few seconds of stunned silence, cheering erupted from our side of the clearing. But while Ethan, Kyle, Rob and Sinc were laughing and shouting, I was watching Garrett. Francois was by his side when he transitioned back, helping him into a robe and crossing the clearing together. To keep us all safe, Garrett had to quickly control his former nest mates. The energy he’d shared had strengthened them enough to stand and talk, so he and Francois confronted each one, insisting they pledge loyalty to Garrett by sharing blood and taking an oath, or else face immediate execution. The few who refused, the newly made teens, were beheaded instantly by Francois. Lily was the last one they approached.
“You traitorous piece of shit! You’ll never be able to take her place. I’d rather die a true death than live under you.”
“You have a brother who still cares about you despite your cruelty. And your life will be different if you pledge your loyalty to me. I’m not Eleanor. You’ll have to change, but you’ll be treated well if you do.”
Lily snarled, “You tortured her. You tortured our maker.” Her eyes glistened with emotion.
“It’s over now. Share blood with me and join my nest.”
“Garrett, let her die, she doesn’t want to be a vampire.” Kyle had run over to see what was up.
Lily turned to face him, emitting a slow, snakelike hiss. Her fangs dripped with saliva and her face had taken on a dangerously feral look. “Stupid, Kyle. I love to torture weaklings. My life began when Eleanor turned me.” She hissed again at Garrett. “I won’t live like you do. Kill me so I can join my maker in death.”
Garrett turned his gaze in Kyle’s direction.
Kyle’s expression showed nothing but his aura had turned muddy with pain. “Goodbye, Lily. I’m—I’m sorry.” He nodded at Garrett and turned back to where Ethan, Sinc, and Peter waited for him. Peter led him away as Francois’ sword sliced through her neck with a slick sweep. Lily turned to dust, her last wish granted.
Exhausted, Garrett sat down hard on a nearby stump and put his head in his hands. I ran to him and knelt by his feet wrapping my arms around his legs, pouring my healing energy into him.
He threaded his hand in my hair but didn’t speak. Francois sat on a large rock nearby.
“I have arranged to take your surviving nest to the house I am renting on the outskirts of town. I will see they feed and I will interrogate them more thoroughly to determine if they have the ability to adjust to a radical change in lifestyle. You will make an appearance tomorrow evening?” Garrett nodded and Francois rose, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I will support your choices, but they must not be made in haste.”
“Thank you.” Garrett was still shaky but he managed to rise and hug his grandsire. “Thank you for all you did here tonight.”
“It was a very great pleasure, believe me. Vous étiez tous les deux magnifiques.” He smiled charmingly in my direction. “Your hand?”
I laughed. “It’s fine, thank you.”
He kissed it with care. “Bonsoir, Jacqueline, Garrett.”
Garrett drew me closer as Francois walked to the small group of vampires, the nest still weak from the death of their maker and nest mates. “Does Francois have a boat?”
He kissed the top of my head. “He can take all of them through the lines.”
“All four?”
Garrett nodded. “He is an ancient.”
We leaned against each other, staring out at the ocean and the stars, too wound up to talk about what had taken place in this small wooded clearing. No one interrupted our moment together, although a flurry of activity was taking place behind us. Shifters and wolves chatted about the duel, then made ready to head back to the mainland.
“Jacqueline Crawford. A word with you?” Lord Kennet was standing on the shoreline twenty yards away. He looked less alien in the moonlight, but not a bit friendlier.
“Go ahead. I have things to take care of.” Garrett kissed my forehead and returned to the clearing as I moved nervously toward Lord Kennet. I kept as much distance between us as I could manage without insulting him, but I was curious as to what he wanted.
“I was most impressed with your use of the lines. Who has trained you?”
“Garrett and various other friends.”
“Liam allowed you to borrow the fae blade he has claimed as his own. Have you returned it?”
“Yes.”
He looked me over in the way males do. “Has he expressed interest in you as a mate?”
I was surprised by the question. I took a step backward. “No. I’m bonded to Garrett.”
I watched his curious expression turn scornful. “A shifter made vampire. He isn’t worthy of you.”
“I’m a shifter, Lord Kennet.” I was starting to get annoyed, but giving a fae lord attitude would be reckless.
“You are a manipulator of magic with great potential. I could help you reach your potential and more.”
I remembered Garrett saying that the fae always wanted something in return. “At what price?”
His smile was beyond creepy. “A very pleasant one. I will take you as my lover and train you personally to use your magical gifts. We will have powerful children. I have no heir.”
My heart hammered in my chest. I looked away so he wouldn’t see my horrified expression and tried to organize my thoughts. If I said the wrong thing I’d be in deep shit, if I wasn’t there already.
I dug for courage and faced Lord Kennet, praying I could avoid angering him. “Lord Kennet, I’m overwhelmed by the compliment and I sincerely thank you, but I’m mated to Garrett and plan to remain with him for the rest of my life. I love him.” I showed him the mark on my wrist.
His eyes flashed with a golden fire. “I could force you to go with me now, wipe him from your mind.” Moving closer, he touched my cheek with only the tips of his fingers. The desire to touch him, to kiss him, to please him, plowed against my shields. I dug my nails into my palms, bit my lip hard and automatically reinforced my wall as much as I could against this alien force of nature. Kind of pathetic, really, but he surprised me by pulling back, amused by my efforts.
When I could speak again, I forced my voice to hold steady. “I see… I see you could destroy me, but you would also alienate two valuable allies of the Cascade Sidhe.” Meeting his gaze took every ounce of my courage, more than walking into the ring with Antoine.
“You do not fear me?” He tilted his head in surprise.
I was grateful he couldn’t read my emotions as well as Garrett. “I fear your power, Lord Kennet, but not you.” I forced my body to relax, trying with all my might to appear brave.
He smiled slowly. “It has been a long time since someone separated the two.” Turning away, he looked out at the sea for a moment while I held my breath. “It is true your chosen mate is considered an ally. I disagreed with the decision, but could do nothing. You however, have not been so designated. You are not protected in that way.”
In desperation I was sending out waves of calming energy, hoping he wouldn’t notice, hoping it would be enough to send him away, content. His eyes narrowed and he tilted his head in curiosity, suddenly throwing it back to laugh. I jumped, a little shocked by his reaction.
“I am a Fae Lord of the Seelie Court. Your use of magic on me, even healing magic, is considered confrontational in fae society. You have…attacked me.” He chuckled, his expression turning serious a moment later. “You are an ignorant child. You should have proper training if you wish to have dealings with us.”
Did I ever say I wanted to have dealings with the fae? The answer was a big fat no thank you! Hanging with Liam was as close as I ever wanted to get to Faerie. I waited for him to speak again, not wanting to say anything that could dig my grave any deeper.
“I will recommend to the Elders that Liam instruct you. You will hear from me again, Jacqueline Crawford.” He nodded, turned away and disappeared. Like poof.
The last comment had sounded too much like a threa
t. I shuddered and searched for Garrett, finally spying him talking to Rob and Maya. He’d taken off the robe and dressed in sweatpants and a tee shirt.
“How do you feel?” Maya asked me in her cool, professional way. “Antoine was vicious.”
“I’m okay. A little shaky, but not in pain.”
Rob gave me a gentle bear hug “You were amazing. We’re all proud of you.”
Hearing Antoine’s name again iced my core. I’d killed for the first time and even though Antoine deserved what he’d gotten and more, I still felt dirty. Garrett wrapped me in his arms. “It doesn’t ever get easy. It shouldn’t.”
Rob could sense our need for some alone time. “I’ll take the rest of the team in my boat.” He left to gather up the others.
“Let’s go home.” I’d prayed to hear those exact words all night, but now that Garrett spoke them, I was afraid. He’d killed his maker and was now the master of his own nest. Would that change things between us? Had I handled Lord Kennet competently or had I made more trouble for him? I’d thought winning against Antoine and Eleanor would be the end of our problems, but it seemed life in this supernatural world just kept getting more complicated.
He led me up the path to the dock and we prepared the boat for the hour-long sail back to Crescent City. Garrett sensed something was upsetting me so he quietly set about doing the mundane tasks to put us out into the channel. I knew he’d ask me about it once we had some privacy, but for now, I locked my doubts and fears in my usual box. It was getting pretty full.
The sky was clear, and the starlight reflected in the ocean seemed to ripple and race with the currents. Garrett was guiding us home with a hand on the wheel and a thoughtful expression. “Will you talk to me, angel? Are you angry with me?”
“Why would I be angry with you?” I sat on the starboard side bench, avoiding Garrett’s face, not brave enough to look him in the eye.
“My taking on the responsibility of leading what’s left of Eleanor’s nest is going to complicate our lives.” He glanced at me sheepishly. “You didn’t sign on for this.”
I got up and wrapped my arms around him. “But I did. When I said I’d be your lifemate, I signed up for a lifetime with you. It’s made me happier than I could have imagined. Except,” I swallowed, “I need to tell you something.”
“Tell me.” He draped his free arm around me and squeezed my shoulder.
I told him about Lord Kennet’s strange proposition and my response. I saw minute changes in his eyes and the line of his mouth, but he listened without interruption. “I’m afraid I screwed everything up.”
“Kennet is an arrogant windbag, but he won’t go against my alliance with Cascade.” He stroked my hair to put me at ease. “If the elders agree to allow Liam to share his knowledge with us, then it’s all good. Liam’s father is an ally of mine, but I would never presume to ask him directly for Liam’s help. Liam stays with me of his own free will.”
His stroke continued down my bare arm to my injured hand. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it gently, examining my palm and fingers for any remaining damage. I flexed each digit and demonstrated their agility by massaging his back with firm motions.
He hummed with pleasure as I worked on a knot. He grunted when I attacked another tight spot, asking, “Did Francois behave himself?”
“Yes. He flirted with me a little but it was all in fun. He’s rather charming.”
Garrett barked out a laugh. “He’s had centuries to practice the art of seduction. He’s very much a master.” His smile was warm. “I’m forever grateful for his continued support. Francois tends to treat me as a younger brother in constant need of his guidance. He seems quite taken with your charms,” Garrett teased.
“Whatever charms I have are only for the use of a particular vampire. In fact I seem to recall being asked to remind you about something. Hmm, what was it?”
He snatched twisted and maneuvered me around to face him. “I haven’t forgotten.” His voice sent happy chills down my spine. I leaned in to kiss him but he pushed me gently away and winked. “We’ll be home in thirty minutes.”
“Waiting is not my best thing.” When I pretended to pout, he laughed, a sound that rang through my heart, reminding me that complicated or not, we’d been given a chance to share a life together. I had no intention of wasting one minute of it.
Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series Page 46
