Dante cupped her cheek, and Jace smiled at the possessive dragon. “You’ve been doing a whole hell of a lot more than that, my sprite, so stop bashing yourself. How did you make that burn mark? Hmm? How about the fact that you had to have done something in order to break off a piece of the tree so it could go hurling in Jace’s direction? Hmm? Just because you can’t control it fully yet doesn’t mean you haven’t been making progress. Don’t sell yourself short.”
Nadie sighed, her shoulders low.
Jace couldn’t take it anymore and pulled her into his arms again, slapping her ass so she squealed.
“Jace!”
“What? I wanted you to smile. Now, show me what you’ve been doing.”
“Fine. Dante is teaching me to center myself so I can focus on my inner power. It’s really weird since I thought my inner power would be all about heat and sex, you know? But it’s not. It’s about life.”
Jace smiled full-on and patted her ass again.
She narrowed her eyes. “Hands off my butt, bear. I need to focus.”
He squeezed then let her go. Nadie rolled her eyes then turned away from him, facing the tree that had a huge chunk taken out of it. Ah, this must be her practice tree, and from the size of the hole in the side, Jace was mighty glad he’d ducked out of the way when he had.
“How do you pull on your inner power?” he asked.
“Dante said it was sort of like how he pulls on his dragon or like how you find your bear to shift.” She scrunched up her face. “It’s weird, like a tug on a bond I didn’t know I had. It’s not like the mating bond. That’s something warm and fragile in some respects but growing strong as we continue to find out how we fit together. The bond I have with my succubus, if you can call it a bond, though, feels warm but sort of like a ball of energy that could get out of control if I don’t know how to approach it.”
His bear didn’t like the thought that she could be hurt with what was inside her, but he knew Dante was teaching her control. After all, the dragon held the fire of a volcano practically inside his chest and knew how to control it. He’d be able to help Nadie. Jace was a little different. While all three held their other paranormal creatures inside, he didn’t have any special powers or weapons other than his claws and teeth. The fact that he was a Mediator was something else entirely that had nothing to do with the fact he was a bear.
“Can you show me?”
Nadie smiled. “I can try. You might want to step back though. Flying debris and all.”
He took a step back so she would feel more comfortable. Dante stepped closer to Jace so they were hip to hip. Without conscious thought, Jace leaned into his mate, needing the other man’s strength, if just for the moment.
Dante wrapped his arm around Jace’s hip, and they stood there watching their third hold out her arms and take in the power that made her stronger than any other person he knew, stronger than she thought she was.
Her hands glowed white as her power radiated from her center and shot out from her palms. He heard her suck in a breath as she seemed to push the power out in an arc of lighting so beautiful Jace couldn’t form the words to describe it.
It wasn’t that the lightning was deadly—because it was—it was because it had come from deep within Nadie, the idea that the life force she’d taken from them had turned into something that could protect her.
That in itself made Jace want to fall to his knees and bow to her greatness.
She pulled back after hitting the tree dead center, and she wavered on her feet. Jace ran to her, holding her to his chest as she blinked up at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice tense.
She smiled dreamily up at him. “That was fun. I don’t think I’ve hit dead center before. I think you’re my good luck charm.”
He kissed her forehead, not wanting to let her go. Dante came up to them and cupped her face, turning her to him while Jace still held her in his arms.
“Did you use too much power, my sprite?” their dragon asked.
She shook her head. “Not too much, but just enough. I’m about tapped out I think.”
Jace cupped her ass, bringing her closer. “I guess we’ll have to replenish your source,” he teased.
Nadie threw her head back and laughed. “Oh God, that has to be the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard.”
Dante chuckled beside them, his hands on each of their backs, keeping them close. “You obliviously hadn’t heard the lines our angel friends have used.”
Nadie raised a brow. “I’m going to have to ask Lily and Jamie it seems.” She’d talked to her friends about what had been going on, but with everyone’s lives so busy, getting together to talk about more than a few things at a time seemed almost impossible. The others knew a fight was coming and would be on their side, but she still missed them.
Jace nuzzled her side. “I wasn’t kidding about the replenishing thing, but I’ll be more romantic about it.”
She turned her head and bit her lip. “I like the sound of that, but first, we’re going to go inside, and you’re going to tell us why you were so worried and drawn when you came out here. And don’t think you can get out of it, mister.”
He sighed but gripped her hand, leading them into the house. Dante walked behind them, a quiet storm that Jace feared would rage once the other man found out what was on Jace’s mind. He didn’t have a choice though. Jace never had a choice.
And that was the problem.
Jace led them to the living room and pulled away, tucking his hands in his pockets.
“Tell us,” Dante said, his voice low.
Jace raised his chin. “I’ve been given another assignment. I’m supposed to leave for the pixie realm in three days. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. I don’t know what it entails as they haven’t given me the information. I’m sorry.”
Nadie frowned at him, and Jace wanted to pull her into his arms, tell her he was sorry he was going to have to leave her so soon. Dante didn’t move, didn’t blink, didn’t do anything.
That was scarier than any reaction Jace could have imagined.
A dragon who masked his emotions was a dangerous dragon.
“You can’t get out of it? You’ll have to leave again?” Nadie walked toward him but didn’t make any move to touch him.
His bear raged at the loss, but he stood there, ready to take their wrath at leaving them so soon. He shook his head, sadness enveloping him.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have any control over what they tell me to do. I go where I’m needed and come back home when I can.”
“Bullshit,” Dante snapped.
Jace met the fire in his dragon’s eyes and growled. “I don’t have control. I do what I’m told.”
“You’re a fucking idiot, that’s what you are. What the fuck are we doing here if you’re just going to leave with no contact for what could be years? I’m pulling in forces to battle the fucking Conclave and you’re just leaving to deal with their orders. Think about it, Jace. Who give you orders? The Conclave. They’re trying to separate us. And you’re letting them.”
His bear raged, and he fisted his hands. “I’m not a fucking puppet, and I know it’s the Conclave, but unlike your summons, the pixies actually need my help.”
“And the pixies are more important than us?” Dante lashed out. “No, they aren’t. There are a hundred other Mediators that can do this. Mediators without mates and wars on the horizon. Why didn’t the Conclave ask them? Because they want you away from us. Well, fuck that. Tell them no. You’re allowed to, but you’ve always done what you’ve been told because there hasn’t been a reason not to. Now you have a damned good reason to refuse.”
Jace growled, his head lowered, ready to ram into the bastard. Did the other man not think Jace would do anything to be with his mates? How the hell was he supposed to give up his duties, the duties that would protect an entire realm?
“I can’t be selfish, dragon.”
Nadie stood between them both
in an instant, and Jace froze. “Stop it. Both of you. How is fighting going to help right now? You’re not being selfish by wanting to go against the Conclave, Jace. It’s fishy timing, and we all know it. If Dante is right, and there are other Meditators out there to help the pixies, why can’t one of them take it? Have you ever taken a break?”
Jace snarled.
“You don’t scare me, grizzly,” Nadie shot back. “Don’t snarl at me.”
“No, he’s never taken a break,” Dante spat. “We lost years because he was stuck in that fucking realm and now look at us. We’re fighting again. We could have lost everything because of your job and Nadie would’ve been hurt because of it.”
Jace staggered back at the words. “You still blame me?” he asked, and the anger leached out of him. Gods, he didn’t deserve the two in front of him, and now the others knew it.
****
“Dante!” Nadie yelled before stepping on the coffee table so she could cup Jace’s face. “Don’t listen to him. You know I don’t blame you. I don’t even blame Dante for keeping everything from me for all those years.” She glared over her shoulder at the dragon who looked as if he’d break at any moment.
“Shit, Jace, I didn’t mean that. I…”
Jace pulled away from Nadie. “What the fuck are we doing? We’re fighting over things we can’t control and lashing out like we don’t even know each other. Maybe that’s the problem though. We don’t know each other.”
Nadie slapped him. Hard. “Get control of yourself, ass.” She pulled her hand to her chest, the sting surprising her. “Jesus. Now I’m hitting people. We need to take a step back and calm down.”
Jace blinked at her then cupped her face. “That was a very dominant thing to do, love. You can hit me any time you think I’m acting like an idiot.”
“She’ll be hitting you often then,” Dante mumbled.
She looked over her shoulder and held her arm out. “Get over here, you big brute. Now the three of us are going to calmly talk about this because lashing out with accusations and slapping people won’t help.” She blushed and kissed Jace’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”
He turned his face, kissing her palm. “Don’t be. I was so surprised you actually did it that it brought me out of my funk.”
Dante gripped Nadie by the hips and brought her to his chest. “I’m sorry, sprite.” He kissed her neck and wrapped her arms around him.
“It’s okay, my dragon. Now let’s sit down and talk like we should have done in the beginning.”
“Jace, you can get out of that duty, you and I both know it,” Dante said as he settled onto the couch, Nadie in his lap. She picked her legs up and settled them on Jace, wanting the connection.
Jace closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I can. Maybe. It will be a huge slap in the Conclave’s face. I’m not that old, and honestly, it’s usually the older ones who get out of doing things like this.”
“But do the younger ones have true halves?” Nadie asked.
Jace shook his head. “It’s rare to find one, let alone two.”
Nadie nodded. “We need to stop fighting over things we can’t control and figure out how to live with what we can. You can take time off. You’re allowed to, and we all know it. Dante is doing his damned best to find a way to keep from leaving us for five hundred years, and I’m learning to protect myself in case all goes to hell.”
She let out a breath and sagged against Dante’s chest, utterly spent.
Jace rubbed her feet, and she moaned. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I know I keep saying that, but I am. I have a short fuse, and I lost it.”
Dante played with her hip and squeezed. “I had a shorter fuse it seemed.”
Her eyes closed she snuggled closer. “I had the shortest considering I hit Jace.” She blushed, mortified. “That was an idiotic thing to do.”
Jace pressed his thumb against the arch of her foot, and she moaned again.
“No, that was what you needed to do,” Jace said. “You’re also spent and in need of energy, so I’ll let that pass.”
She felt Dante’s cock push against her ass, and she wiggled before he squeezed her hip harder.
“Sprite…”
“What?” she asked innocently.
“Be careful or you’re going to be punished for teasing,” her dragon warned.
Jace moved his hand up her calf. “Speaking of punishing…I think our Nadie needs to learn what happens when she loses her temper.”
She moaned again. “I take it we’re done talking?”
Dante slid his hand up her stomach to cup her breast. “About things we can’t control where we already have plans in place? Yes. Dirty talk and your screams as I eat that pretty pussy and the gorgeous tits? Not yet.”
She arched her back.
“Bring it,” she tempted.
And oh yeah, she loved how her mates took that command and made it their own. They totally brought it.
Chapter Sixteen
The bottle of tequila on the bar called her name, and when Nadie risked a glance at Jace, it took all her power not to blush or rub up along her mate and purr. Jace wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.
“What could you possibly be thinking, Nadie Morgan?” he whispered in her ear, the deep vibrations sending shivers down her body.
She wiggled her ass slightly against his rock-hard cock and leaned back. “I’m thinking that we’re in the middle of Dante’s bar and my friends are right behind us probably watching every move we make. I don’t think I should be thinking about finding a way to get you on top of the bar so I can lick tequila off your naked body.”
Jace barked out a laugh and turned her in his arms so they were facing each other. “We’ll do that when we get home.”
Home.
Yes. Home. She and Jace had officially moved into Dante’s house. Nadie’s lease had run out the week before, and it didn’t make any sense to keep the place open since she hadn’t slept there in months anyway. Jace kept a place—separate from his parents—in the den, but he’d said they’d use it when the three of them stayed there as well. While at first Nadie could have blamed the quickly moving relationship on the fact that there was a danger out there, now she knew she’d just been deluding herself.
She’d been Dante’s, as he’d been hers, from the first moment they’d seen each other. They just hadn’t done anything about it for far too long. She wasn’t human anymore and had to live her life to the fullest as part of a world where falling for another and moving quickly when it came to a true mating bond was just par for the course.
Jace cupped her face. “Hey, where’d you go?”
Nadie shook her head, bringing her thoughts to the present rather than worrying about what she couldn’t fix, what she didn’t want to fix.
“Nowhere. Let’s go to the table and sit with the girls.”
Jace frowned but took her hand and led her to the circular table in the corner that she and her friends had claimed years ago. There were a few other patrons in the bar, but she figured they’d be leaving soon as the bar was closing early. Dante wanted to get home before it got too late so he could keep them behind wards.
Soon the fact she always had an eye on her would start feeling constricting, but right then, her men needed to feel as though they were doing something to keep each other safe, so she would go with the flow.
For now.
“God, you look so freaking happy it’s sickening,” Faith sneered, though she was smiling so Nadie knew the other woman wasn’t totally serious. Just somewhat.
Her friends hadn’t blinked an eye when she’d shown up with two men. Yeah, they had heard about it and had questions for Jace at first to make sure he was treating her right, but they’d been happy for her. Faith had even grilled Dante to make sure he had apologized correctly. Groveling had apparently been required and Nadie thought he’d done well with that. Since Jamie already broke the ice with the triad thing within their group, Nadie having two men ha
d only led to penis jokes.
After all, size mattered.
At least in their humor.
“It can’t be helped,” Dante said as he sat down next to Nadie, leaving her sandwiched between her two men—a common occurrence.
Faith rolled her eyes and leaned into Eliana. Amara sat on the other side of Faith, her head in her books. She was, trying to finish her master’s degree. The other lightning-struck were with their mates and children, leaving the single women and Nadie at the bar. Not that Nadie would ever call Faith, Amara, and Eliana the “single women” out loud. Nadie liked her face the way it was, thanks.
They talked for another twenty minutes or so about nothing important, the simplicity of the conversation letting Nadie relax. She’d been on edge since she’d first heard about the Conclave and then she’d had the accident. She knew something was coming, they all knew, but she didn’t know what or when. It was as though they were sitting on the edge of a blade ready to find out if they’d cut themselves or be thrown off, never to recover.
Neither of those outcomes sounded pleasant to her.
The other patrons had gone home now, leaving her friends and mates alone in the bar so they could talk freely about the things in their lives that might not seem so normal to others.
Dante stood in the middle of Eliana’s question about different kind of shifters, and everyone went silent. Jace rose with him, and an icy sensation slid down her spine.
Something was coming.
Dante looked across the table at Faith and the others and growled. “Get to the back room. Now. Nadie, go with them. Use your powers to protect them as best you can.”
The faith he put in her powers might have made her feel warm all over on any other day. Right then, though, she wanted to know what the heck was going on.
Faith, it seemed, agreed. “What the fuck is going on?”
Jace pulled Nadie behind him, and she started toward the back, Eliana and Amara on her heels, dragging Faith behind them.
“If a dragon and a bear tell you to hide or make a break for it, you do it!” Eliana screamed.
Tangled Innocence Page 17
