by J. E. Taylor
Jaden ran his hands through his hair and folded over with his elbows resting on his knees. He looked like a man who had just lost everything.
“You have to go,” I said, and he glanced at me, sitting up. “This is impossible, Jaden.” I pointed between us.
He opened his mouth and then closed it, glancing at his hands before his gaze returned to mine. His eyes pleaded in the same way they did last night when he asked me not to say a thing about his powers.
“What is it that you see here?” I asked, responding to his silent plea in a way that I detested. The fact I would do anything the man asked rubbed me wrong on so many levels.
His small laugh, coupled with a sigh, gripped my heart. “I’ve always seen a future with you.”
He reached for my hand, and I let him take it. We both stared at the connection. The electricity flowing between us became a living, breathing being, one that demanded attention.
“I thought I had more time to change things,” he said, meeting my gaze. “And until today...” He slipped his hand from mine, using it to comb his hair back in exasperation.
While I wanted to hear the rest of that sentence, I couldn’t afford his sidetrack from what his mother wanted. My mom’s life hung under the whim of that crazy witch.
“You need to do what your mother says.” I despised the conviction in my voice, and my chest hurt from the immediate sense of loss.
“You want me to marry her pick to run this sector?” The surprise in his voice reflected in his wide-eyed stare.
My voice wouldn’t cooperate with my brain. I could not force a yes over my lips, so I closed my eyes.
“Do you love me, Star?”
The soft question drew my breath in a hitch. I opened my eyes to his imploring green ones.
Not enough to sentence my mother to death. The thought leaped from the depths of my mind, but I never voiced the words. Neither did my heart’s immediate yes preceding the thought.
“You’re my best friend,” I said when my wits regained balance.
His jaw tightened. “Tell me how you feel.”
That commanding tone was back, followed by the crease between his eyes when I didn’t speak.
“The only other person that doesn’t work on is my mother,” he mumbled, and his eyes narrowed.
“I thought you said you didn’t use your powers,” I countered, turning the tables on him to avoid his suspicious glare.
He blinked and recoiled a fraction as if I’d slapped him. He let out a nervous laugh and looked at the ceiling. “I might not have been totally honest about that.”
I crossed my arms and cocked my head, waiting for an explanation.
“I’ve been able to influence people in the past, and they never seem to be the wiser. It’s like my command becomes their idea,” he said softly. “Influencing people’s actions is easier for me to do than controlling matter. The only person that seems to be impenetrable to my influence is my mother.” His gaze sharpened. “And you. Why is that?”
I stared at him and shrugged. My protection spell must have been just as strong as Samantha’s, and that knowledge gave me a start.
“What exactly have you made people do?”
He bit his lip. “When I was in school, I would use it to make sure I got all A’s.”
My mouth dropped open.
“My mother’s expectations were unreal,” he said in his defense. “I only got a few B’s over the years, but my mom expected A’s. And she threatened a wealth of punishments if I didn’t bring her the grades she wanted.”
I could see Samantha issuing those kinds of ultimatums. Hell, she held my mother’s life over my head to get me to comply. I wondered what Jaden would do if he knew the extent of his mother’s cruelty.
He shook his head as if to clear it and then focused on me. “You keep dodging my question.”
I offered him a tilt of my lips and a shrug. “I don’t exactly have an answer for you.”
He studied me and sighed, accepting my answer with a slow nod. “I am going to refuse to marry anyone my mother lines up for me.”
Panic filled every pore, and I bit my lip to keep a plea from escaping. Instead, I said, “Do you really think that is wise?”
He closed the distance between us, threading his hand into my hair and pulling me to his lips. Just the feel of his mouth on mine pulled a trembling gasp from me. He took advantage of taking me by surprise. Before I knew it, he had me pushed back on the cot and his hand cupped my breast. The slow rub of his thumb over the fabric of my shirt sent tingles from my chest all the way to my fingers and toes. I let the bliss continue, deepening the kiss before I finally pushed him away.
“That’s not a best friend kind of a kiss,” he said, his eyes filled with the same desire sweeping through me.
“Yeah, well, unfortunately, that’s all that we can ever be.” Voicing the reality triggered a hole to blow through my chest. I swallowed the harsh pain and offered what I hoped was a smile.
Even if my protection spell worked, he’d eventually find the perfect wife. And it wouldn’t be me.
Chapter 4
With all my ingredients except for the dried sea spray simmering in a pot on the stove, I skimmed the mixture, removing any remaining remnants of fruit. I took a deep breath and picked up the small satchel containing the sea spray to sprinkle it into the simmering potion as I cast the spell.
“I hunt by seed, flower, and fruit to ward off evil intentions at the root. I invoke thee, great goddess of day and night, protect Jaden with all your might. As this potion passes Jaden’s lips, let it cast a curse on any mate who accepts his marriage vow without purity of love in her heart. Spirit of the fire, let the wheel of fortune spin, and if you find blackened intent, smite her at the first wedded kiss.”
I pricked my finger and squeezed a drop of blood into the mixture before lighting the black and red candles on either side of the stove. I stirred nine more times.
“One, two, three—so mote it be.”
A puff of smoke rolled from the pot, so I stopped stirring and turned off the flame to let the potion cool. My heart thundered in my chest, and I swallowed the fear that bloomed. If this didn’t work, Jaden would be tied to a loveless marriage and hiding his true self for the rest of his life.
As someone who walked that path every day, I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I filled a separate pot with ice and poured the concentrated potion into the pot, cooling it to a drinkable temperature.
With the liquid now cool, I poured it into a glass of shaved ice chips and poured myself a glass of plain lemonade. With both glasses in hand, I crossed the yard and entered the mansion through the servant’s entrance. I found Jaden in the same room he had been in earlier, but instead of looking at the screen, his head was slumped back on the chair and his mouth hung open. His soft snore rumbled through the room.
I cleared my throat, and he twitched in the chair. His eyes flew open, blinking to focus on me.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gave me a sheepish smile.
“I thought you might be thirsty and figured you could be my guinea pig.” I held the glass out to him. “I made a new fruit drink.”
His eyes lit up, and he took the glass. I had a history of making some pretty awesome drinks. He tested it with a small sip then closed his eyes and took a second sip.
I nibbled my lip, waiting for him to drink it all up. When he smiled and opened his eyes, I let out a slow breath.
“This is really good,” he said and then downed the rest of it. The green of his eyes shimmered as the spell settled inside him.
I sipped mine and smiled at him, feeling much less anxious about his future. At least now he wouldn’t have to bow down to whoever he married.
Now that I knew he was safe, all the questions I had forbidden to enter my mind in my bedroom bubbled to the surface.
“Why now?” I asked when he handed me the glass.
A half-smile formed on his lips. “I slipped up twice in
the last twenty-four hours.”
“Are you sure it was a slip, or was it just a test to see my reaction? To see if I’d run to your mother and tell her what you’ve done,” I said, my tone just as terse as the thought.
He straightened his back, stiffening at the question. His lips pressed together, and the anger that sparked in his eyes made me swallow.
“I’ve never played games with you.” He reached out and grabbed my wrist. “But you’ve played plenty with me, haven’t you?”
I stared at him and tried to yank my hand away. “What the hell are you talking about?” I snapped as the tray in my other hand teetered. The glasses tumbled off and shattered on the ground, but Jaden still kept his grip on my wrist, ignoring the broken glass.
“You and my mother,” he growled and pointed to the computer.
My heart thundered in my ears, and I glanced from the proof of my culpability back to him.
“Jaden...”
“Don’t give me a line, Star.” He let go and stepped back, putting his palm in front of me. “Tell me the fucking truth. There is no way in hell you would pick that girl out of the pool. And so help me god, if you lie, I will know.”
My entire form shook as the truth tumbled out. “There are other lives at stake,” I said, staring him down, suddenly more angry with him than I’d ever been. He’d put me in this impossible position where if I lied, I would lose him, and if I told the truth, I would lose him as well.
He recoiled. “Lives?”
I pressed my lips together.
His eyes widened. “She threatened your mother?”
Just the fact he pulled that out of thin air shocked my heart. The horror in his expression added to my misery. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. If I confirmed it, the Regent would kill my mother.
“You have to marry that one,” I squeaked out. “She’s the only one who can keep the barrier in place,” I added, knowing that wasn’t exactly true. I had read the ancient spell books. I had memorized every spell, every potion that lay within those pages, but there was no way Samantha Mallory would let me step into the Regent seat. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.
He stepped close, glaring at me. “You’re talking about the lives of the people in the sector?”
I nodded, because it was better than putting my mother in the firing line.
“Then what the hell was that in your room?” he asked, closing the distance between us.
I tried to back up, but he grabbed both arms and pulled me against him. My entire form trembled.
“Tell me, Star, what is it that you want?” His feral whisper tickled my ear.
The word ‘you’ played on my lips, but I clamped them closed and twisted out of his grip. My feet moved fast, and air singed my lungs the minute I cascaded down the mansion’s front steps. By the time my wits took hold, I found myself standing on top of the same building Jaden and I had been playing on last night.
I dropped to my knees, relishing the cold burn of the wind on my face, stealing my breath and peeling the tears from my eyes. I glanced in the direction of the edge of the building, wondering if I ordered the elements to make me fly, if I could soar right over the danger of the wild and transplant myself somewhere where there wasn’t a Regent, or Jaden, or any worry about the death of those I loved hanging over my head.
I let the chill penetrate every cell. I didn’t want to feel. I wanted to be as cold as the Regent was. The sun dipped below the horizon and I shivered.
“I thought you never turned down a real challenge.”
I stiffened. It figured he would know exactly where I’d go. I bent my head. “Leave me alone, Jaden,” I said loud enough to be heard over the wind.
“I will if you answer one question.” The gravel behind me crunched, and then his hands were on my shoulders.
His touch undid me, and the sob that had been caught in my chest escaped. Instead of asking the dreaded question, he pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me, holding me while I cried.
“I’ve known you all my life,” he said, smoothing my hair. “And I have never seen you this distraught.” He kissed my temple. “It’s like your heart is breaking, and there isn’t a thing I can do to fix it.”
His soft words pulled another bout of tears from my shaking form.
He lifted my chin so I’d meet his gaze. “Do you love me?”
My breath hitched. “Do you?”
His palm cupped my cheek, wiping my tears with his thumb. “Do you think I’d come running after you if I didn’t?”
It wasn’t a direct answer, but the softness in his eyes shot straight to my heart. I wiped my nose on my sleeve and cuddled under his chin.
“How much of our friendship has been real?” he asked, still using his soft tone.
“All of it, despite my mother warning me to stay away,” I said.
He stiffened, tilting my head up to look at him. “Your mother forbade you from being friends with me?”
“Can you blame her?” I said, sniffling again.
His gaze traveled to sector eleven’s barrier. He gave me a slow nod. “I guess I can understand, considering.”
“What about you? How much of this has been real for you?” I asked, since we were obviously doing some weird quid pro quo.
“All of it. I was warned, too, and even threatened at times.” He offered me a shrug and an attempt at a conciliatory smile. “That was the motivation for getting all A’s.”
I huffed a laugh.
“You’ve been my motivation since you turned thirteen,” he said and sighed. “When you finally bloomed, you blew my mind. One day you were this smart-ass kid, and the next you were this sexy goddess who had no idea what the hell she did to the guys around her.”
“What in Samhain are you talking about?”
“You.” His hand moved from my hip, up the curve of my side to the edge of my breast. Jaden’s eyes flashed with such intensity that I almost scrambled from his lap, but his grip on me tightened. “You are beautiful,” he whispered.
I rolled my eyes. My nose probably was all red and runny to match my eyes, and my hair was in knots from the wind. Beautiful didn’t cover me right now, and even at my best, I had never looked in the mirror and saw what he was referring to.
“I have wanted to kiss you for years,” he said, taking my face in his hands. His lips covered mine, catching me by surprise like he had earlier in my room.
I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck as he pulled me closer. Our tongues mingled in a slow cadence that left me breathless and warm despite the bitter wind biting my exposed skin. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead on mine.
“I have loved you for years,” he whispered and closed his eyes. “I just thought I’d have time to change things before the gauntlet fell.”
“But I’m just a servant girl,” I said, wielding sarcasm like a sword.
“You shouldn’t be,” he said and glanced in the direction of the shimmering barrier. “You should be free, not enslaved to the regency.” His eyes hardened as they looked through me. “You did not deserve what my mother sentenced you to.”
He didn’t know the half of it. When he kissed me again, I wanted to get lost in this minty bliss, but I knew better.
I pushed him away. “This is futile,” I whispered under his lips.
“If I tell my mother...”
I bolted out of his lap, nearly stumbling into the stairwell hole. He caught my wrist, pulling me back to safety, but panic regarding his words kept my heart ramming into my ribcage.
“You cannot tell your mother,” I insisted.
His eyes narrowed. “Still towing the greater good line?”
“No, I’m trying to save my mother’s life!” My eyes went wide, and my hand flew over my mouth. Lightning sparked in the distance as I tried to calm my frayed nerves.
He blinked and his hands dropped from mine as he stepped back.
“Your mother threatened to exile her if I didn’t help you accept h
er choice for the next regent,” I said, glaring at him again. The fact this shit was spewing from my lips wasn’t fully my choice. “Why are you making me spill my guts like this?” I yelled and stomped my foot.
His lips twitched into a smile and he shrugged. “I needed to know.”
“You needed to know what?” I was seriously going to lose it. The night around me electrified in time with my volatility.
“I needed to know if I could trust anything you said or not. Or if you had been in league with my mother all along. I needed to know that this...” He pointed between the two of us. “Is real. Because if you feel like I do, then fuck marriage and fuck the sector. I choose you.”
Fear layered with the frustration inside me, bringing forth more lightning. My gaze jumped to the sky when I realized my call to the elements earlier had somehow manifested in this building storm.
“I cannot watch my mother die,” I said, forcing calm into my bones. I moved my gaze from the ominous sky to him. My self-preservation kicked in as well, and the storm slowly fizzled.
“Do you love me?”
I pressed my lips tight, refusing to answer, despite the overwhelming need to spill my guts.
“Do you love me?” he asked, clenching his hands into fists.
“Yes, you stupid ass. I love you!”
His mouth dropped open along with his hands. His eyes widened and then slowly closed as everything must have sunk in. When his eyes opened, a new determination lived there.
“I’ll change my mother’s mind.”
“Your mother hates me. She would revel in seeing me suffer, and if she exiles my mother, all hell will break loose.” I clamped my jaw against the rest, successfully keeping my magic a secret, for the moment. “What the hell did you give me?”
He pulled the mint sprig from inside his cheek. He glanced at it before he let the wind sweep it away. “I attempted a truth spell,” he said with a shrug. “I guess I’m better at this shit than I thought, because I seem to have gotten some backlash of the magic, too.”
